A circuit court judge ruled Monday that a controversial decision by Miami commissioners in June to postpone the city’s November elections until 2026 without voter approval is unconstitutional and unlawful.
The ruling by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Valerie Manno Schurr came in response to a lawsuit from one mayoral candidate challenging the city’s decision to move Miami from odd-year elections to match federal and state contests held in even years. The city’s move — made less than five months before the originally scheduled 2025 election — effectively gave Miami’s elected officials, including term-limited Mayor Francis Suarez, an additional year in office.
Miami commissioners have faced swift backlash in recent weeks for their vote to push the elections despite warnings from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and state Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) that they not delay the election without letting voters decide.