‘A Clear Violation of the Charter and Democracy’ · The Floridian

Miami, FL —The Miami-Dade branch of the NAACP has issued a forceful statement condemning the City of Miami’s controversial decision to cancel this year’s mayoral and commission elections — a move that has sparked outrage from legal experts, civic leaders, and now one of the country’s oldest civil rights organizations.

Calling the cancellation a “clear violation of the City of Miami Charter,” the NAACP declared the decision a direct affront to the democratic principles the organization has fought to uphold for more than a century. The organization warned that sidestepping voter-approved term limits in this fashion not only undermines the rule of law but erodes public trust in the electoral process itself.

“The Miami-Dade NAACP stands firmly opposed to the City of Miami’s decision to cancel the 2025 municipal elections,” the statement read. “This represents a dangerous precedent and violates the foundational principles of representative government that our communities rely on and our organization has defended for over a hundred years.”

The NAACP’s stance comes as mounting legal and grassroots efforts aim to reverse the decision, which was approved by the city commission and effectively extends the terms of current officeholders — including term-limited Mayor Francis Suarez — without voter approval.

Retired U.S. Army Colonel and mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez, who filed a lawsuit challenging the ordinance in court, praised the NAACP’s intervention.

“Thank you to the @NAACPMiamiDade for speaking out against the cancellation of this year’s Mayor and Commissioner elections in the @CityofMiami — a move that sidesteps voter-approved term limits and violates both the City Charter and core democratic principles,” Gonzalez posted on X.

“I fully agree — this is about protecting the foundation our community and country were built on. That’s why I’m fighting this issue to ensure every Miami voter gets a say this November.”

With court proceedings underway and public pressure building, the battle over Miami’s canceled elections is shaping up to be one of the most consequential local democracy fights in recent memory.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has now taken a hard look into the city commission’s vote.