Early Voting Starts Monday In Dade Mayoral Election
MIAMI (CBS4) - Voters in Miami-Dade will be able to go to the polls beginning Monday to cast their ballot for a new Mayor, a pair of two commission seats and to voice their support, or non-support, for a number of county charter amendments.
Both the mayor's position and District 13 commission seat were left vacant after a March 15 recall election in which 88 percent of those who voted said then Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Natcha Seijas should be removed from office. Commissioner Carlos Gimenez's district 7 seat out up for grabs when he resigned to run for the open Mayor's seat.
Those vying for the Mayor's job include:
- County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez
- Gabrielle Redfern
- Former state Rep. Marcelo Llorente
- Former county transit director Roosevelt Bradley
- Economist Dr. Farid A Khavari
- Fireman turned community activist Jeffrey Lampert
- Businessman Jose 'Pepe' Cancio
- Former 2 Live Crew front man Luther Campbell
- Former Hialeah Mayor Julio Robaina
- Eddie Lewis
- Wilbur B. Bell
Robaina resigned his position as mayor of Hialeah to run for the mayor's office.
In commission district 7, vacated by Gimenez, the candidates are:
- Former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez
- Former State Representatine Julio Robaina
In district 13, the candidates are:
- Carlos Amaro,
- Esteban Bovo,
- Tania Castellanos
- Alan Rigerman
There is also a special election to replace Bovo, who resigned his House district 110 position to run for the District 13 seat.
- Frank Lago
- Jose Oliva
- Rafael Perez
When it comes to the charter amendments, voters will have to decide if their commissioners should be paid more than a token salary.
Charter Amendment 1 would give commissions a salary of more than $92 thousand, currently they receive a token salary of $6 thousand a year. The measure would also forbid commissioners from having any outside employment, and would establish a term limit of 12 years in office.
Charter Amendment Number 2 would bar county commissioners from lobbying the county for two years after leaving office.
Charter Amendment 3, would establish that a charter review task force would meet every four years. The task force would suggest future revisions to the charter.
If two-thirds of the task force agrees on an item, then it would automatically be placed on the next ballot for voters to either approve or reject.
Charter Amendment 4 would enshrine the office of the Inspector General in the charter, making it harder for future commissions to do away with the watchdog agency.
Charter Amendment 5 would do away with the county's strong mayor form of government. Commissioners are hoping to take advantage of the anger and frustration voters felt at former Mayor Carlos Alvarez and do away with his administrative power. Critics argue this is nothing but a naked power grab by county commissioners
The final charter proposal would do away with the requirement that the folks gathering signatures for petitions and referendums provide sworn affidavits with every petition.
In this special election, polls will open at 7a at a select number of polling locations.
Click Here to see a list of polling locations.
The election is May 24th.
