Miami commission votes to move elections to even years, limit terms – NBC 6 South Florida

Miami commissioners on Tuesday voted to move elections to even years to be aligned with presidential or gubernatorial races, and also to impose lifetime term limits.

Commissioner Damian Pardo said he proposed delaying city elections in an effort to increase voter turnout.

“People have said please, we need more voter participation,” he told NBC6 last week before the vote. “Yesterday’s election, it was 10 percent. That’s what voted. [Moving elections to even years] would take us from 10, 15 percent to 65, 70 percent.”

Commissioners Pardo, Christine King and Ralph Rosado voted in favor. Commissioners Miguel Angel Gabela and Joe Carollo voted against.

Now, as a consequence, commissioners and Mayor Francis Suarez will serve an extra year in office.

The decision also saves the city about $1 million, the approximate cost of putting on an election.

Miami elected officials will also be limited to serving two terms as commissioners or mayors, meaning a maximum of 16 years in their lifetime.

“The entire time on the campaign, knocking on doors, people kept saying please, we don’t understand why we have the same people for so long, and they seem to come back, and you know, the world has changed and we need that change to be reflected in our government,” Pardo said last week.

Commissioners Pardo, Gabela and Rosado voted in favor of the referendum for lifetime term limits. King and Carollo voted against.