Polls are now open as voters in the City of Miami head to the polls today, Nov. 4, to elect a new mayor, fill two commission seats, and decide on four referendums that could shape the city’s future governance.
The election will determine the successor to Mayor Francis Suárez, who is termed out, and select commissioners for District 3 which covers Little Havana, east Shenandoah, western Brickell, and parts of The Roads and Silver Bluff as well as District 5, which includes Downtown, Brickell Key, parts of Brickell, The Roads, Shenandoah, Little Havana, Grapeland, and the barrier islands of South Beach, Fisher Island, and the Venetian Islands.
The mayoral race is crowded, with 13 candidates seeking the city’s top job, a field that includes several familiar names in Miami politics such as Joe Carollo, former commissioner and past mayor; Xavier Suárez, also a former mayor and the father of the outgoing incumbent; and Alex DÃaz de la Portilla, a former commissioner seeking a political comeback after being cleared of corruption charges.
If no candidate secures a majority of votes, a runoff election is scheduled for Dec. 9.
In addition to the mayoral and commission races, four referendums appear on the ballot:
– Creation of a citizen commission to review the city’s charter.
– Permission for the city to sell or lease public land without voter approval under certain conditions.
– Formation of a citizen redistricting committee to handle future boundary adjustments.
– Implementation of term limits for the mayor and commissioners.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters must cast ballots at their assigned precincts.
While Key Biscayne residents cannot vote in this city election, Islanders should follow Miami’s results closely, as city leadership often influences regional policies, development decisions, and transportation initiatives affecting surrounding communities like Virginia Key.