Moving Elections to Even Years

We, the undersigned qualified electors of the City of Coral Gables, Florida, do hereby petition the City of Coral Gables Commission to submit to the qualified electors of Coral Gables the following amendment to the Coral Gables City Charter (additions underlined; deletions strikethrough):

Sec. 1. Creation, composition, election and run off, terms and limits, vacancies, qualifications.

A.      The City shall be governed by a commission consisting of five members elected from the City, at large, in groups or seats numbered One through Five. One of the said Commissioners shall be the Mayor and shall be elected by the people from the group numbered One, and all persons desiring to qualify as a candidate for Mayor shall file in Group One. The Mayor shall have the powers set in the Charter of the City of Coral Gables, Dade County, Florida (today Miami-Dade County).

B.      All persons desiring to qualify for Commissioner shall file in Groups Two through Five. Commissioners in Groups Two and Three shall be elected at the general election to be held the second Tuesday in April, 1985, and at general election every four years thereafter. Commissioners in Groups Four and Five shall be those Commissioners whose terms presently expire in 1987, and Commissioners who elect to run in Groups Four and Five shall be elected the second Tuesday in April, 1987 and general election each four years thereafter. The Mayor shall be elected at each general election beginning the second Tuesday in April 2011, and shall hold office for a term of two years. The Mayor and Commissioners shall take office at noon on the third day after their election. The Mayor and all other members of the Commission shall be subject to recall, as provided by the Charter. Beginning in 2028, the election of Commissioners and the Mayor shall be held at the time of the state primary election in even-numbered years. Commissioners in Groups Four and Five shall be elected at the time of the state primary election in 2028 and every four years thereafter.  Commissioners in Groups Two and Three shall be elected at the time of the state primary election in 2030 and every four years thereafter. The Mayor shall be elected at the state primary election in 2028, and every two years thereafter. The Commissioners elected in 2023 and the Commissioners and Mayor elected in 2025 shall have their terms extended to effectuate the change in election date.  

C.       A candidate for Commission or Mayor must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected.  Effective with the election for Commission or Mayor in 2028, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast there shall be a runoff election at the time of the state general election following the state primary election between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.  Should a tie result, the outcome shall be determined by lot.  No votes cast in favor of any candidate who withdraws, becomes disqualified, or becomes deceased prior to any election shall be counted. The names of unopposed candidates for Mayor and Commissioners shall not appear on an election ballot and such election shall not take place. Each unopposed candidate shall be deemed to have voted for himself or herself. In the event that no candidate has qualified for Mayor or Commissioner, a vacancy shall be deemed to have occurred, and shall be filled as provided by this Charter for the filling of a vacancy.

D.      Beginning with the elections in 2028, the Mayor and Commissioners shall take office at noon on the second Tuesday next succeeding the date of the state general election in November. 

E.       No person shall be elected to serve as Mayor for more than eight consecutive years except, to transition to the change in election date to the state primary election, the Mayor in office at the time of the change shall be allowed to complete the extended term provided for in subsection (B) even if in excess of eight consecutive years. Likewise, no person shall be elected to serve as City Commissioner for more than twelve consecutive years except to transition to the change in election date to the state primary election, the Commissioners in office at the time of the change shall be allowed to complete the extended term provided for in subsection (B) even if in excess of twelve consecutive years. The time served by an individual chosen, appointed or elected to fulfill an unexpired term resulting from a vacancy on the City Commission shall not be counted in applying these term limits. 

F.       The candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in each group shall be considered elected after the canvas of the vote and the declaration of the elections' result as hereinafter provided.  Any Commissioner whose term of office does not expire at noon on the second Tuesday next succeeding the date of the state general election in November, third day after the election, desiring to run for the office of Mayor shall present an irrevocable resignation of his or her office of Commissioner to the City Commission not less than 60 days prior to the date of election, and said resignation shall become effective at noon on the second Tuesday next succeeding the date of the state general election in November. third day after the election. Upon receipt of resignation, the Commission shall make public announcement by resolution accepting the resignation and instructing the Clerk to accept qualified candidates to run for election for the unexpired term of the resigning Commissioner for the purpose of running for Mayor.

G.      Within 30 days after a vacancy occurs on the Commission, the remaining Commissioners shall elect a Commissioner to fill the vacancy until the next general biennial election. At that time, if the term of office vacated extends beyond such election, a Commissioner shall be elected to fill the balance of the unoccupied term, except as provided for recall. Members of the Commission shall not hold any other elected office except that of Notary Public, or member of the Florida State Militia. A member of the Commission ceasing to possess any of the qualifications specified in the Charter, or if convicted of a felony while in office, shall immediately and automatically forfeit his or her office.

Sec. 1.1. Run-Off Election.

The candidate receiving a majority of the votes in each group shall be considered elected. In any election for Groups One through Five, if a majority of the vote is not received by any one candidate of a group, a run-off between the two candidates receiving the most votes in the respective group shall be held two weeks after the general election, on a Tuesday. The candidate receiving the most votes in the run-off shall be considered elected. The Mayor and Commissioners shall take office at noon on the third Friday after the general election. No run-off election shall be required when a candidate receives a majority of the vote or if a candidate is unopposed in the run-off election. Run-off and all other dates related thereto may be adjusted by Ordinance. This provision shall take precedence over any conflicting provision in this Charter.

Sec. 2. [reserved]. Term Limitations.

No person shall be elected to serve as Mayor for more than eight consecutive years. Likewise, no person shall be elected to serve as City Commissioner for more than twelve consecutive years.
The time served by an individual chosen, appointed or elected to fulfill an unexpired term resulting from a vacancy on the City Commission shall not be counted in applying these term limits.

Compensation of Commissioners and Mayor

We, the undersigned qualified electors of the City of Coral Gables, Florida, do hereby petition the City of Coral Gables Commission to submit to the qualified electors of Coral Gables the following amendment to the Coral Gables City Charter (additions underlined):

Sec. 7. Compensation, Commissioners and Mayor.

The Commission may, by referendum approved by a majority of voters, provide for the compensation of its members, including the Mayor, and for the allowance of travel and office expenses. 

Spending from the General Reserve Fund

We, the undersigned qualified electors of the City of Coral Gables, Florida, do hereby petition the City of Coral Gables Commission to submit to the qualified electors of Coral Gables the following amendment to Article III of the Coral Gables City Charter (additions underlined):

Sec. 21.1    General Fund Reserve. 

Except for funds authorized to be spent pursuant to the emergency powers of the Mayor, City Commission, and/or City Manager, as authorized in the Charter, City Code, a declaration of emergency, or other applicable law, the General Fund Reserve can only be spent upon adoption of a resolution (or ordinance where required) of the City Commission approved by a four-fifths (4/5) vote.