It looks like Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago is backpedaling on his decision to move the city’s election from odd- to even-numbered years just because he wants to and is now suddenly saying that the public should vote on it after all.
What a concept!
At their next meeting Tuesday, city commissioners will again discuss changing the municipal election date to coincide with state and national races. But this time, there seems to be a consensus on taking it to a public referendum.
Don’t get too cozy, though. They’re still not on the same page. Nobody is singing Kumbaya.
Lago, who pushed hard for the change with no voter approval, wants the charter amendment to be on the ballot in a special vote-by-mail only election in April of next year. Commissioner Melissa Castro — who has advocated for a public vote all along — wants to have it in April of 2027. Because in the City Beautiful, even scheduling an election can turn into a political brawl.
Read related: Coral Gables: Melissa Castro shut down again on election change challenge
By having it next April, L’Ego hopes that, if voters pass the change, he can still move the next election to November of 2026 and get rid of Castro and Commissioner Ariel Fernandez five months early. Some opponents fear that the move will also help him wiggle out of term limits, offering him another term because one of his will be interrupted. But having it coincide with the next municipal election in April means that it could take effect on the same candidates who would be elected that month, once again disenfranchising voters who won’t know when they vote if they are putting people in office for four years or more or less.
The perfect solution would be to have this election change referendum on the November ballot in 2026, where the city already has questions on the establishment of an inspector general and limiting the way the city can spend its reserves. That way, voters will know when they vote in April of 2027 just how long their commissioners will serve.
Plus, if Lago’s arguments are legit, and this is truly just about cost and turnout, then November of 2026 — even April of 2027 — makes more sense than a mail-in ballot only question in April of next year, which would still cost the city extra and draw very little interest with nothing else to decide.
Either way, the commission on Tuesday would also have to rescind their earlier resolution from May that changed nearly 100 years of city elections, moving them to November even-numbered years beginning in 2026 — shortening everyone’s terms by five months — which is another meeting agenda item sponsored by Castro. This is the same commissioner who was censured by her colleagues in July for having the guts to write Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier for an opinion on the matter. He has already said Miami’s move violated both the city’s charter and the county’s home rule charter.
So have four judges so far.
This change in direction for Lago comes right on the heels of that court smackdown in Miami, where a county judge ruled that those city commissioners couldn’t unilaterally move election dates without a public vote. And then a three-judge panel upheld that on appeal. There is no way this sudden willingness to let the people decide is a coincidence.
“I think he knows where this is heading,” Castro told Political Cortadito. Translation: The legal winds spooked him. He’s just trying to get ahead of the inevitable and avoid another courtroom embarrassment like the one Miami commissioners just suffered. Because, according to the language in Lago’s resolution, the city knows it had no choice.
“Pursuant to section 6.03 of the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter, as well as the City Charter and Chapter 18 of the City Code, the City Commission is authorized to submit ballot questions to the electors of the City for approval or rejection of proposed amendments to the City Charter,” says one of the whereases.
Notice it does not say that the city commission is authorized to change the election date without the approval of the electorate. So, they know. Ladra would venture to say they knew all along.
Read related: Third DCA strikes down Miami election change; November ballot is on
There are solid arguments on both sides. Moving the election to November in even-numbered years saves the city close to $250,000 per election cycle. And trends nationwide show that ordinary residents, especially young voters and people of color, have more power when local races ride shotgun with high-turnout elections. Voter participation in the Gables in April ranges from 20% to 30% and can soar to over 80% in November.
But opponents say there are good reasons to keep the elections separate from state and national races, which are partisan and can be highly contentious. They eat up the bandwidth, including air time, which becomes much more expensive for local candidates and issues. Furthermore, critics argue that a higher quantity of voters does not equal a higher quality of candidates because many voters will not have any idea about local politics and will be moved by whoever has the most money.
This isn’t just about dates. It’s about who gets to be heard — and who gets left behind.
What’s clear is this: the commission may pass something Tuesday. With Lago’s sudden turnaround, there will be at least three votes to put this on the ballot for voters to decide. Ladra fully expects the echo chamber — Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and Commissioner Richard Lara — to follow along as usual.
Then the real fight is moves to the ballot box. And Coral Gables voters, not judges or politicians, will likely have the final word on when they get to vote for mayor and commissioners.
The post Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago caves on election change; wants public vote appeared first on Political Cortadito.
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