Friday, March 6, 2026
POLL: If the referendum were held today, would you vote to change the month and day when the City of Coral Gables holds its general elections from April of each odd year to the date of the national election in November of each even year commencing in 2026?
- NEWS
This Post Has 15 Comments
Our stand-alone April city elections have allowed us to focus on our local issues for 100 years.
A November ballot would find Coral Gables items at the end of numerous pages, where the focus would no longer be on our local issues.
April elections allow interested residents to become candidates without needing astronomical campaign funding, which would be the case in November elections. The average resident wouldn’t be able to compete with the political PACs and special interests that fund November election candidates.
Keeping our elections in April would result in voters who are better informed and are engaged in our city. Voters who really care about Coral Gables.
“More voters” who aren’t paying attention to our local issues but are voting only because it’s a national election, aren’t a benefit to our city. We need quality over quantity.
And we need them now, more than ever, in the history of our city.
Keep our elections in April.
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All politics are local. We need stand alone elections.
The local community that is informed and active in Coral Gables vote in April. Changing it would only benefit builders and other activists with money and false campaigns
April elections would avoid big money controlling our destiny
I like the idea of stand-alone elections for the reasons mentioned in the comments and in prior discussions. The added cost of stand-alone elections is nominal, especially when one considers other city expenses. Most-important, however, is the feeling of community offered by them. It is our chance to focus on us and the Gables, and to decide where we want to go from where we are, without the greater noise made by the broader election calendar. I only wish people were more engaged and a larger segment of the electorate took the time to vote. So it goes.
Exactly what Lynn Guarch-Pardo said. 💯
Stand alone !!! We should not cloud what our City needs to vote on. It would only benefit those we do not want in power anymore.
Like most communities, Coral Gables has a pathetic voter turnout. I believe we owe it to residents to coordinate local elections with the greater voter awareness campaigns that occur in the big election cycles. We can certainly try it, and evaluate the positive and negative aspects for future edification. Let’s also consider the cost of our stand-along elections, and the cost of reaching out to the public to ensure that robust turnout is achieved. Hint: it’s not working.
Interested and concerned citizens vote in the stand alone April elections. Compared to other costs within the budget it is a good deal. Coinciding with National elections brings voters who are voting against someone instead of what is best for the community. Municipal items are buried on the last pages. November elections have lengthy ballots. Human nature is to just mark something in order to leave the voting booth. Increasing voter turnout is a smokescreen allowing under informed and unconcerned individuals to determine how the City moves forward. We get the government we deserve when the interested electorate casts a ballot.
I have written about the merits of keeping our April and our runoff elections: https://gables-gazette.com/wells-the-case-for-keeping-coral-gables-elections-in-april/ and https://gables-gazette.com/wells-why-coral-gables-should-keep-runoff-elections/ Most people want more informed voters. But some elected officials only want uninformed voters who will not hold them accountable – Lago, Anderson and Lara voted to illegally move our election without your vote! We had 30% voting in our last general election despite our City doing nothing to educate and engage voters. Our City should (A) use trolleys to take people to the library for early voting and ballot drop-off, (B) hold town hall meetings for residents to learn about candidates, (C) allow candidates to purchase a Farmers Market booth to address resident issues and (D) consolidate voting locations. Why has the City done nothing to educate and engage voters if voter turnout is a real concern for some elected officials?
We have a history of electing grassroots candidates who have preserved Coral Gables (e.g., Mayor Thompson’s swing vote to save The Biltmore Hotel). Moving elections to November hurts grassroots candidates and only helps PACs and real estate developer money control elections. This referendum will determine the future of Coral Gables and our quality of life. When you get mailouts, Instagram posts and text messages asking you to move the election to November and eliminate runoff elections, ask yourself – who is paying for this and why. Save Coral Gables by voting NO to moving our elections and NO to ending runoff elections.
Some residents believe Coral Gables residents are incapable of separating national issues from local issues and that April elections protect Coral Gables from outside influence, but there’s a strong case that moving to November actually strengthens local democracy.
Coral Gables voters are highly educated and fully capable of separating national issues from city issues. Higher turnout doesn’t erase local priorities; it simply ensures more of our community has a voice in decisions that affect them.
Money is a concern in any election, but low‑turnout April elections can give small, organized groups outsized influence. When more people vote, no single bloc or interest group can dominate as easily.
Running in November doesn’t automatically make campaigns more expensive. When Jim Cason ran for Mayor, he had a field of volunteers knocking on doors and answering questions for the residents. Candidates benefit from higher voter awareness and shared election infrastructure, which can actually lower the cost per voter reached and make it easier for grassroots candidates to compete.
And while November ballots are longer, Coral Gables residents routinely navigate complex ballots with amendments, judges, and county issues. Adding city races doesn’t diminish their ability to focus on local matters.
Most importantly, many residents who care about Coral Gables simply don’t track off‑cycle election dates. Including city elections in November ensures their voices aren’t unintentionally left out. When truck parking in front of homes in Coral Gables was on the ballot, because of low turnout, trucks received more votes than Cason did for Mayor. Coral Gables residents are capable of figuring out what is important to them and a November election not only saves the residents money, but makes voting convenient.
stand along elections in April so that our specific, Coral Gables centric issues, are in focused and addressed rather than swept up in the myriad of other typical November issues. Plus, it will minimize the massive influence all the PAC money that would otherwise flood in , which will only benefit the special interest, lobbyist, developers and politicians that “claim” they want the best for the city while lining their pockets for political and economic gain. You only have to look so far as what Lago has been doing with his cronies to see why he is so adamant of pushing the elections to November.
Keep it local! I vote for keeping current April date
Gables citizens, well educated in Coral Gables’ unique history, know maintaining our quality of life requires our full attention. Variances, zoning changes; ignoring procedural standards re hiring management; questionable raises in pay and perks; reducing shade, increasing concrete; bypassing the city charter—the citizens role is to focus on such relevant issues. Supporting the good that’s done, but speaking out when it’s bad. Our vote is our voice. Our traditional election strategy was created for a reason. Maybe the City Beautiful should promote the local election, as Tom Wells suggested. Not through yard signs, but through Town meetings, the Farmer’s Market, and public issue-oriented debate. The Museum and Library would be a starting place. When the Nov. elections come with ads blaring ad nauseam, the divisions deepen, the money talks, and the population shuts it out, to survive—we’ll be grateful we live in a civilized, well-governed city—and a blessing to call home.