Expect lawsuits and challenges to follow term extension
Most people think that moving the city elections in Miami from odd to even years, to coincide with the midterm and general election, is a good idea to both save more than $1 million a year and, more importantly, boost turnout from the low two-digits to more than 65% or 70%.
But there is a better way of doing it than what happened Thursday, when three commissioners voted to cancel this November’s election for mayor and commissioner in dictricts 3 and 5 and move it to 2026 — and, effectively, give themselves an extra year in office. Which, by the way, could be a violation of the city’s own charter and Miami-Dade county’s ethics laws, which prohibit electeds from voting for anything that benefits themselves — like an extra year in office and the salaries and benefits that provides.
They each just voted to give themselves an extra $100,000 or so. Ladra smells a Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust investigation.
Read related: Miami Commissioners pass election date change — and steal an extra year
Expect lawsuits and injunctions to stop the ordinance from taking place. The Florida Attorney General had said earlier in the week that the state would not stand by and allow this without going to a public vote. AG James Uthmeier‘s office has not returned calls for reaction to Thursday’s vote. Probably too busy planning and boasting about Alligator Alcatraz (more on that later). Other candidates have also said they were preparing to take legal action.
But if this stands, voters will have just elected Ralph Rosado, who voted in favor of the change, to a five-year term. Chairwoman Christine King, who also voted for the change — surprisingly, since as a lawyer she usually likes to avoid legal challenges — won’t have to run for re-election until next year. And Commissioner Joe Carollo, who voted against it, is not termed out this year, but next year. The first terms for Commissioners Miguel Gabela, who voted against it, and Damian Pardo, who sponsored this ordinance and was the third vote in favor, would be five years long as their re-elections are moved from 2027 to 2028.
Which brings up another point, this change flies in the face of the decision that voters did make in 2012 to limit terms to a total of eight years. With this change, every single one of the commissioners up there, whether they voted for it or not, could get nine.
Or would they be barred from running again after serving the first five years?
Expect at least one of the legal challenges to be based on that.
Which leads us to the better way: Rob Piper, the leader of the 2020 recall effort against Carollo who is, or was, running for commission in District 3, said Thursday during public comments that he would be willing to shorten his term by a year if voters passed the change on the ballot. “But cancelling the election is undemocratic,” Piper said.
Former Commissioner Ken Russell, who is, or was, running for mayor told Political Cortadito that he would, also, take a year off his term if voters approved it beforehand. The petitions circulated by Stronger Miami include a change in election year taken to voters and starting in 2028. “If voters say yes, they understand that means truncating the terms,” Russell said.
Former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, who has also filed papers to run for the mayor’s seat, has publicly said he would be willing to serve a shorter term if it was the voters’ wish. In a text, former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla said he would be “good with anything the people decide.” Keyword: People.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins, who has also filed to run for mayor this year, said she, too, would take a year hit.
“Every resident deserves a voice in shaping our future, and that starts with fair elections and transparent leadership,” Higgins said in a statement provided to Political Cortadito. “That’s why I would support reducing the new Mayor’s term by one year and moving the election to 2028 to achieve optimal voter participation.
“As Mayor, I will propose this within my first 30 days in office, to let voters – not politicians – make the decision at the ballot box in 2026. I’m ready to cut through the dysfunction and build a safer, more affordable, and responsive Miami.”
That’s really the only way to do this without disenfranchising voters. Nobody elected Carollo or Pardo or Rosado or King or Gabela to serve a five year term. If they put the change on the ballot, with the change taking place in 2028, voters could be informed that anybody elected in 2025 or 2027 would have truncated terms. That sounds infinitely more fair and appropriate.
So why not do that? Pardo has said that he had to hurry because the appetite to make this change was now, not later. But that’s without even taking it to a public vote, That’s not a good enough reason. Does he just not want to shorten his own term by a year? Because if he were re-elected in 2027, and they went this way instead, his term would end in 2030.
Others say that Pardo wants to run for mayor himself next year.
Either Pardo or Rosado or King — one of the three who voted for this monstrosity — should bring it back for reconsideration and vote against it so that this much more equitable and reasonable model can be taken.
Read related: Miami election change to 2026, term extensions hinge on Christine King
This is not Haiti or Venezuela.
Stronger Miami, the newly-formed coalition of residents and community-based organizations collecting petitions on the change in election, as well as expanding the commission to nine districts and putting fair districting into the city code, issued a statement calling this vote an example of “backroom politics” and political manipulaiton.
“Extending elected officials’ terms without voter approval is not reform—it’s disenfranchisement, plain and simple,” the statement reads.
“We are especially concerned by this decision’s apparent intent to benefit term-limited politicians under the guise of administrative efficiency. Democracy is not an inconvenience. Elections are not optional. The people of Miami deserve a voice in shaping their future—not to be sidelined by those in power.
“This vote underscores the urgent need for Stronger Miami’s proposed charter amendment, which offers a clear, community-led path to genuine reform. We will continue to mobilize, organize, and advocate until every Miamian’s vote—not just those with political connections— is protected and respected.”
 
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¡Sacrilegio! Nothing is sacred in Miami politics.
Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla is known to take advantage of every opportunity when he is campaigning to send any message to voters that will keep his name in mind. The naming of a new Pope seems like a good one.
A mail piece paid for by his political action committee landed in mailboxes this week with the picture of the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter — Robert Francis Provost, the first U.S.-born pope, who took the name of Leo XIV — on one side and a message from ADLP on the other. “We have a Pope,” it announces in Spanish.
It is not “we have potato,” like they might announce at a grocery store in Cuba.
And once again, Diaz de la Portilla — arrested in 2023 on public corruption charges that were dropped last Fall — mentions the “unjustly accused” in his spiel. He always has to make it all about him.
“¡Habemus Papam,” the message starts, which is the Latin phrase used to announce of the election of a new pope, which is traditionally made by the Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals or senior cardinal deacon participating in the papal conclave.
In other words, not by a political candidate with a super shady past.
Read related: Alex Diaz de la Portilla is knocking, giving out mameys to be Miami mayor
“Let us pray for Pope Leo XIV so that God can bless him and guide him to bring hope to the desperate, love to the abandoned, peace to the tormented and justice to those who are unjustly accused,” Diaz de la Portilla writes in his Spanish message.

ADLP is threatening to run for mayor, but he hasn’t filed any paperwork or opened a campaign account, yet. He has been knocking on doors, visiting senior housing and handing voters mameys in recent weeks. He has printed materials through his PAC, Proven Leadership for Miami-Dade County, but they just have his name on it. That way, he can switch to the county commission race in District 5 when and if Eileen Higgins resigns to run, which she must do before qualifying in September.
Or he could run for mayor against Higgins and what is looking like a clown car of candidates: Commissioner Joe Carollo is also actively threatening to run. Former Commissioner Ken Russell and former City Manager Emilio Gonzalez have filed papers.
And he is famous for holiday mailers, whether he is running for office or not. Earlier this month, he sent voters a Mothers Day mailer — even though the mayoral race isn’t until November. A photo of him and his mom, Fabiola, is on the top right corner and, once again, justice — or the lack of it — is the subject.
Read related: Alex Diaz de la Portilla’s PAC raises nada, spends $108K on Miami campaign
“There is no judge or court as just as mothers when they know their children have been unjustly attacked,” the piece says. “Today and always, in gratitude, I celebrate my mother and all the mothers who give and sacrifice so much to protect their children and who celebrate when they see their children’s names vindicated, not only by God’s divine justice, but also by the systems of just human law. To you, my sincere words of recognition for a labor of love for your children.”
Seems really specific. How many mothers have had to see their sons arrested and charged with bribery and money laundering and suspended from office by the governor?

Both mailers are paid by his PAC, which spent $108,000 in the first there months of this year, according to the campaign finance records filed with the State Division of Elections, which also show that he is working with Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador.
“She is the boss,” Diaz de la Portilla texted Ladra on Thursday.
The next report, recording transactions through June, is due in mid July.
Asked if he had gone too far with the Pope mailer, using the announcement of the new pope for his political gain — isn’t that a sin?– Diaz de la Portilla texted Ladra: “You don’t love the Pope? I love the pope.”
That’s surprising since the Leo XIV is a considered a progressive pope who has advocated for economic justice and immigration fairness. These are not the tenets of the Republican Party and Diaz de la Portilla’s favorite hero, President Donald Trump. and everyone says they’re headed on a collision course as the two most powerful men in the world.
But Ladra is certain he forgives you.
Help Ladra keep them honest. Consider making a contribution to Political Cortadito today and support independent watchdog journalism. There are important elections this year. Thank you.
The post Holy Papa! Alex Diaz de la Portilla uses new Pope to campaign for Miami mayor appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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On her 50th birthday, Denise Galvez Turros — a longtime resident, marketing professional and community advocate — will officially announce her candidacy Tuesday and file paperwork to run in the November election for the commission seat in District 3.
Today, that is Commissioner Joe Carollo‘s seat. But he is termed out and threatening to run for mayor.
Galvez — who lost a previous bid for office in 2017 — says her vision is to “create an Efficient, Safe, Clean and Smart Miami.” ESCSM? You can’t even pronounce that. A marketing guru should know better.
Read related: Is Miami’s Joe Carollo using District 3 public money to campaign in District 4?
Galvez has been a champion and activist for Little Havana for several years and has spoken out against corruption at City Hall and, specifically, Carollo, who she often blasts on her social media. She served on the city’s Historic Preservation Board and is taking credit, in her statement, for exposing City Attorney Victoria Mendez‘s family scheme involving the state Guardianship program and the homes of elderly, vulnerable people. Mendez and her husband have been accused of gaming the system to buy properties for much less than they were worth. She was eventually fired, though it was for far more than that, believe it or not.
And, here, Ladra thought it was the dogged reporting by WLRN that exposed Tricky Vicky.
In 2017, Galvez ran in District 4 against Manolo Reyes, who won and passed away earlier this month, and lobbyist Ralph Rosado, who is running to replace Reyes in the June 3 special election against Jose Regalado, son of the former mayor and current property appraiser and brother of the county commissioner. Galvez got 534 votes out of 7,413 for 7%.

She had sued to get her name first on the ballot as Galvez instead of Turros, which is the name of husband, a well-known local musician. It would have given her an edge, but would have delayed the election, and a judge ruled against her. The court battle, however, caused Ladra to sniff around and learn that Galvez, sans Turros, was arrested in 1994 for credit card fraud and 2010 for driving under the influence.
Since the redistricting, her home has been shifted into District 3 and she could be running in a crowded field that includes former Commissioner Frank Carollo, brother of the current commissioner who served there previously, and Brenda Betancourt, president of the Calle Ocho Inter-American Chamber of Commerce and a frequent speaker at commission meetings, too.
Read related: Jose Regalado resigns city job to run for Miami commissioner in District 4
Thee other candidates have filed paperwork intending to run: Oscar Elio Alejandro, Yvonne Bayona and Rolando Escalona, who reported raising the most in the first quarter with $37,722 — $5,000 of which came from lobbyist and former State Rep. Manuel Prieguez, who also helped elect former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla and current District 1 Commissioner Miguel Gabela.
“After years of pushing for meaningful change from the outside as an activist, Galvez Turros is now stepping forward to deliver results from within City Hall,” said an email announcing her candidacy. “Her campaign focuses on enhancing public safety and public transportation, revitalizing neighborhoods, preserving Miami’s historic character and tree canopy, and cutting government waste and corruption.
“Miami deserves a government that works for them. Galvez Turros’ priorities will include a review and overhaul of our entire City codes including the many conflicts in Miami 21 that have for years been a barrier for small businesses and residents navigating the bureaucracy.”
“I’m ready to get to work,” Galvez said in a statement. “I’ve been building a list of priorities since 2017. I know exactly what needs to be done — and I’m not here to make a career out of politics. I won’t be deterred by political games or special interest pressure.
“Let’s fix what’s broken, protect what matters, and plan boldly for Miami’s future.”
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Pero por supuesto.
Former Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo, brother to the current commissioner, has filed to run for the District 3 commission seat that he served two terms, from 2009 to 2017. This was expected and is not good news. He may not be as bad as his big brother, Commissioner Joe Carollo, but Frank Carollo is still not a good role model as a politician.
He took a mysterious free trip to Spain in 2011 and stayed at a swanky hotel (value: at least $1,635) and said it was paid for by AirEuropa, which had gotten a key to the city months earlier.
Frank Carollo also got out of a traffic ticket in 2012 by calling then Police Chief Manuel Orosa when he was stopped for crossing the double yellow line on a street in Coconut Grove. He got off with a warning. The Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust determined that there was probable cause that he abused his power.
And, in 2015, he was questioned by WLRN about the connection between some of his campaign donors and the upzoning (read: gentrification) of Little Havana.
Maybe it’s in the Carollo DNA.
Read related: Frank Carollo pleads ‘no contest’ to ‘call the chief’ ethics charge
Also running for the District 3 seat so far are Oscar Elio Alejandro, Rolando Escalona and Brenda Betancourt, who is president at Calle Ocho Inter-American Chamber of Commerce and a frequent speaker at the commission meetings. She is, so far, the frontrunner by all accounts. And she’s not worried.
Al contrario.
“It was no surprise because he had announced like three months ago,” Betancourt told Political Cortadito. “I think it’s better for me now that he’s in the race, because there’s more reason for voters to choose me. Before, we couldn’t really talk about him. What for? But now, we can remind voters that we had eight years of Frank Carollo and what did he do? Nothing.

“Now, the ‘Why vote for me’ is very easy. We have to stop corruption. We have to keep the city safe and we have to safeguard the tax dollars of our people.
“I’m happy that he’s in the race,” said Betancourt, who has been involved in civic activity for 34 years.
In the mayoral race, it was not expected that former Miami Commissioner Ken Russell would jumping (more on that later). And that is good news. He may get to run against Joe Carollo and/or former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who was removed from office in 2023 after an arrest on public corruption charges that were later dropped. Other potential candidates include Commissioner Manolo Reyes and former city manager Emilio Gonzalez.
Read related: Long list of potential 2025 Miami mayoral candidates starts to take form
None of them have filed any paperwork, however, to indicate that they have opened a campaign bank account.  The other candidates who have, so far, are Ijamin Joseph Gray, Michael Hepburn, Maxwell “Max” Martinez and June Savage.
Russell announced last week and said that giveaway of $10 million to the Miami Freedom Park developers for the 58 acre park in their property was the deciding factor. He was the deciding vote in 2022 on the lease and only voted in favor because those $10 million had been promised as a “public benefit” to acquire and improve parks in other areas.
He is the first announced candidate who sounds like he could be good for Miami, even though he is also recycled.
Like award-winning filmmaker and activist Billy Corben has said repeatedly: “In Miami, we don’t recycle our trash, we re-elect it.”
The post Recycling in Miami: Frank Carollo and Ken Russell on the November ballot appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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Miami voters could say no to political retreads or professional politicians by extending term limits this November.
City Commissioner Damian Pardo wants to put a charter amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot so that elected officials who have served on the commission or as mayor for two terms cannot come back and run for office after a break. Like zombie politicos.
Currently, term limits in Miami are only for consecutive terms. That’s why Commissioner Joe Carollo, who was mayor from 1996 to 2001, can run again this year. Mayor Francis Suarez could, technically, sit this term out and run again in 2027. Former Mayor Tomas Regalado could run again, though he won’t want to now he’s Miami-Dade Property Appraiser. Former Commissioners Willy Gort, Frank Carollo — who is widely rumored to be looking at another District 3 run to take over what is now the “Carollo seat” — and Marc Sarnoff (gasp!) could run for commission again.
But not if voters amend the city charter to establish that anyone who has already served two terms, at any time, is ineligible to run for the same office again, “during their lifetime.” Pardo is sponsoring a resolution a Tuesday’s meeting that would direct the city attorney’s office to prepare the amendment for the Nov. 4 ballot where alongside the mayoral race and contests for commission districts 3 and 5. And District 4 if Commissioner Manolo Reyes runs for mayor, as expected.
Read related: Long list of potential 2025 Miami mayoral candidates starts to take form
Neither Carollo nor Reyes have officially announced or filed any paperwork with the city clerk’s office. Yet.
Is Pardo targeting Carollo, who he has been butting heads with on the commission since he was elected in 2023? Carollo thinks so. But Pardo said it is absolutely not.

“Nobody knows what he’s going to do,” Pardo said. “He keeps saying he’s going to go to Shangri-La. He wanted an appointment with the Trump administration. This is not about Joe Carollo.”
Pardo said it is about opening the city up to new people and ideas and points at how term limits have changed the leadership in Miami-Dade. “We’re looking at a whole new set of commissioners that came in,” he told Political Cortadito. “It changes the entire dynamic.”
The city’s own commission could be an example of how non establishment electeds can shake things up with the change made since Pardo and Commissioner Miguel Gabela, neither of whom have been in office before now, were elected in 2023.
“Miami residents have waited long enough for real change in our city government,” Pardo said in a statement, adding that the legislation “limits the participation of career politicians entrenched in City politics.
“We are committed to a more representative government that advocates for its residents’ interests,” Pardo said. “Holding public office should be about public service, not self-interest or monied interests. This legislation guarantees that our government remains as dynamic, responsive, and accountable as possible. We are ushering in a new era of transformational leadership and democracy in the Magic City—one in which public service is a privilege, not an entitlement.
“We are proud to introduce this measure and look forward to residents making their voices heard in the November general election.”
Read related: 2025 Miami Commission contests could be battles between some known names
All it has to do is get three votes on the commission next week, or two other votes aside from Pardo. Ladra suspects that Gabela will be supportive. And Reyes might want a safety net to take Carollo out if he wins the mayor’s race. But is his vote a conflict of interest? King is out. Not just because she does Carollo’s bidding, but because she honestly thinks that elections are the true expression of term limits.
If they approve next week’s measure, the city attorney’s office will still have to come back within 120 days to get the ballot language approved by September 5 to make it onto the November ballot.
Ladra suspects that, if it gets on the ballot, the amendment will win with an overwhelming majority. Nearly 70% of Miami Beach voters passed a similar measure in 2014, creating “lifetime term limits” for their electeds. It’s why commissioner Michael Gongora was blocked by a judge from running for re-election in 2021.
The amendment, if passed would be retroactive, which means that Carollo, if elected, would be de facto ousted from office. Any Carollo, actually, because if the commissioner’s brother Frank decides to come back and wins, that election would also be invalidated. Pardo said the seat could go to whoever came in second in the race — but he doesn’t really know.
Ladra says there will be lawsuits.
Candidates would be made aware of this at the time they qualify and voters would also be made aware that there are candidates who might be invalidated if the amendment passes. Basically, that they risk throwing their vote away if they cast it for a Carollo.
That makes for a good campaign slogan.
The post Voters in Miami may be asked to extend term limits and ban political retreads appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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It may not be a general or mid-term election year, but several cities in Miami-Dade have important elections that can impact the lives of their residents for years to come. The biggest are in Miami and Hialeah, where mayoral contests will be wide open, and Miami Beach and Homestead. Those four are in November.
There are also other elections in smaller municipalities scattered throughout the year with different qualifying periods.
The first two elections in Miami-Dade for 2025 were cancelled.
In Golden Beach, Mayor Glenn Singer and Councilmember Judy Lusskin were re-elected without opposition. Newly elected Councilmember Jessie Mendal, who is filling the seat vacated by Jaime Mendal, who served for eight years, was elected without any opposition. In Hialeah Gardens, Mayor Yioset de la Cruz and two council members — Group 5 and Group 6, but the website doesn’t say who is which group — were also re-elected with no opposition. Which is predictable in these tiny towns.
Read related: Long list of potential 2025 Miami mayoral candidates starts to take form
There could be an election in Bay Harbor Islands, where there are two candidates in one of the council races, so far. And in Miami Springs, where there is some movement based on term limits and personal reasons leaving an open mayoral and three open council seats. Both of those are April 1, but qualifying doesn’t end until Feb. 20 and Feb. 14, respectively.

There is also a special election in Surfside on April 1, where voters will be asked if the charter should be amended to limit the floor area ratio to a maximum 0.50 for new detached single family homes in the H30A and H30B districts. That’s basically half the size of the lot area. The only exception would be made after a unanimous approval from the commission and a 60% vote of the public.
Floor area ratio (FAR) is the measurement of a building’s floor area in relation to the size of the lot/parcel. FAR is expressed as a decimal, derived by dividing the total area of the building by the total area of the parcel. Higher FARs indicate greater building volume. FAR is most often used to express development intensity and has spurred much debate at several municipal zoning meetings.
The first highly-anticipated and contentious election is in Coral Gables on April 8. The truly contested mayoral race is expected to be dirty and full of lies, as Mayor Vince Lago defends his position to a challenge from Commissioner Kirk Menendez. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson is also up for re-election and is facing a challenge from Felix Pardo and Laureano Cancio. The open seat vacated by Menendez will see a contest between attorney Richard Lara, the handpicked and groomed Lago candidate, FreeBee lobbyist Claudia Miro, who lost a commission race in 2021, and attorney Tom Wells.
Read related: Two more candidates say they will run for Coral Gables commission in April
The Lago/Anderson/Lara slate is being cast as the pro-development, anti-resident ticket. But Lago’s pull is questionable. He was unopposed two years ago but supported two commission candidates who lost. Shortly after that, he lost the majority. Lara is his attempt to get it back. If he and Anderson win, but Lara loses, Lago will still be as paralyzed by the 3-2 vote as he is now.
April 8 is also the date for the Miami Shores election and the special election to fill a vacant commission seat in Biscayne Park.
In May, voters in Sweetwater have an election scheduled for commissioners in Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4. City Clerk Carmen Garcia told Political Cortadito that nobody has registered yet. The deadline to qualify is March 28.
Of course, the big races are in November, and Ladra will have independent stories on each of those as the campaigns roll out.
A relatively new Florida law requires all vote-by-mail ballot requests to be purged after every general and midterm election. But the county elections department has been sending out emails and text messages to get traditional absentee ballot voters to make their requests. As of Wednesday, since 19,113 have requested a vote-by-mail ballot since Jan. 1 of this year, according to the Miami-Dade Elections Department.
To request an absentee ballot for an election in any of these cities, visit the county elections department’s page.
The post Miami-Dade 2025 election calendar starts with cancelled races, April ballots appeared first on Political Cortadito.

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