MIAMI – Miami District 3 Commissioner Joe Carollo, who has said he is thinking of running for mayor, is one of two commissioners who didn’t vote on June 26 to push back this November’s election to next year.
That extends their time in office by a year without a public vote on the issue, with an ordinance aimed at moving Miami’s municipal elections to even years. Supporters said it would boost voter turnout while critics described it as a power grab and Florida’s attorney general stated is unconstitutional.
“We cannot overturn the Florida constitution, can’t change elections without approval of the voters,” said Carollo. “What the city of Miami has done is wrong and it should have never had happened.”
In a new filing, which can be read at the bottom of this page, Carollo is supporting the legal position made by mayoral candidate Emilio Gonzalez in a lawsuit asking the court to void the ordinance, which Gonzalez argues disenfranchises voters and candidates.
“I think it surprised everybody because they were warned not once, but twice, and in writing,” said Gonzalez. “Very severe words coming from the attorney general in the state of Florida.”
There was once friction between the two, when Gonzalez was city manager, but now the embattled pair are on the same page when it comes to this one issue.
“This is not endorsing any way Emilio Gonzalez,” Carollo said with a laugh. “But nevertheless, the position that his attorneys are putting down for him is correct and it is the position that I took well before this suit was filed. I am in a different position, questions of standing, since I am not a registered candidate like he was, so this is what I could do at this point in time, but the fact that we agree in something, him for his reasons, I for the ones that I expressed, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put anything more on it.”
Added Gonzalez: “Well, I filed because I thought that they voted against the city charter. They voted actually also against the County Home Rule Charter and what I want the court to do is to vacate that ordinance, to just say this is wrong we’re not doing this, it’s unconstitutional, you broke the law. Let’s put things back, we reset and we keep on going and we’ll have an election November 4th of this year.”
Carlos Salazar, an attorney for the firm representing Carollo, said he thinks the court does have ample time, even when considering an appeal of Wednesday’s decision, to provide a path to rule in favor of suspending the ordinance, which would place the candidates back on the November ballot.
Carollo points to a key 2023 Supreme Court ruling that did not allow the city of Miami to make changes to voting maps so close to an election, referencing how close the commission’s vote is to the election and related timeline for getting candidate names on the ballot.
Carollo says in his opinion, behind what he describes as an unlawful and undemocratic move to extend their terms by moving the election back a year without voter approval, is the city’s term-limited mayor, Francis Suarez.
Carollo describes Suarez as desperate to buy time to mount a fundraising campaign for governor following his failed presidential run, and having not been picked to serve in the Trump administration.
Local 10 News did reach out to the mayor’s office for comment, and he responded with the following statement:
“It’s unfortunate, but not surprising, that Commissioner Carollo has chosen to distort the facts and make baseless accusations in a transparent attempt to try to score political points.
“Commissioner Carollo’s outburst today was less about the legislation itself and more about putting on a political performance. His exaggerated theatrics and baseless accusations reflect a pattern of behavior we’ve seen before, when he doesn’t get his way, he resorts to spectacle. It’s unfortunate that instead of engaging in a constructive dialogue, he chose to distract from the real issues with yet another public tantrum.
“Regarding enriching oneself, let’s also not forget: Commissioner Carollo has made a career out of living off city taxpayers, first as an elected official, then collecting a generous city-funded pension and now living off the taxpayers again. This reform would put an end to this gravy train. Perhaps that’s the real reason why he is so flustered suddenly.
This city deserves leaders who are focused on solutions, not self-preservation. Unlike Commissioner Carollo, I plan to continue leading with integrity, transparency, and a focus on the long-term good of our community.”
Mayor Francis Suarez
Former state and federal prosecutor David Weinstein says Gonzalez’s suit is arguing that the ordinance moving back candidate elections by a year was in violation of several things.
“(The suit argues the ordinance) was passed in violation of the State Constitution, but also in violation of the ordnances governing the amendment of the City’s charter, disenfranchising voters and candidates,” said Weinstein. “He is asking that the ordinances be declared void and be immediately stricken. He’s also asking for a TRO and then a permanent injunction, which would allow the scheduled election to proceed in November. The Governor and AG will be supporting his position.”
Meanwhile, Gonzalez also spoke about Carollo’s no vote on June 26.
“I don’t think he needed to vote for it, he had a third vote, you know, Ralph Rosado,” said Gonzalez, who added that Rosado’s vote, “shocked me. I don’t know him, but the fact that he’s tried so long to be an elected official and his first act as an elected official in Miami is just to cancel an election after he got there because of an election and then they extended their terms for a year? Again, very, very surprising coming from him.”
Carollo agreed in terms of expressing disappointment in Rosado’s vote on June 26th.
“If I would have known that Mr. Rosado would have been voting this way, I would not have made sure that he would have won,” said Carollo. “Ralph Rosado is completely, completely controlled by Mayor Suarez.”
A spokesperson for District 4 Miami Commissioner Ralph Rosado’s office tells Local 10 News: “At this time, we do not have any additional statements to share regarding this matter.”
WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE MIAMI BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER?
There are two constitutional amendment questions for Miami voters on November’s ballot, one pertaining to lifetime term limits and the other is asking voters if they want to establish a citizens’ redistricting committee.
READ THE FILING: