Michael Hepburn, a Miami mayoral candidate of Bahamian descent who hopes to develop into the town’s first Black mayor, is threatening to sue the Metropolis of Miami over a controversial choice to postpone the town’s upcoming municipal election by a full yr.
In a letter despatched Wednesday to Mayor Francis Suarez, Hepburn known as on the mayor to veto the ordinance—referred to as SR.1—that was handed final week by a slender 3-2 vote of the Metropolis Fee. The measure strikes the scheduled November 4, 2025, election to November 3, 2026, successfully extending the phrases of the present mayor and two commissioners with none public vote.
“I am immediately reaching out to ask you to VETO SR.1 and easily simply give us the residents of this metropolis the chance to vote for or in opposition to this measure. I’m asking so that you can place this query on the poll,” Hepburn wrote. “This motion isn’t just. This isn’t truthful and YOU know — following this course of to implement this alteration is just not proper.”
The vote has drawn swift backlash from residents, candidates, and state officers. Hepburn and fellow mayoral hopeful Emilio Gonzalez had been among the many protesters outdoors Metropolis Corridor opposing the choice. The transfer has additionally been sharply criticized by Florida Legal professional Normal James Uthmeier, who in a proper opinion mentioned the change was unconstitutional and violated each the Miami-Dade County Constitution and provisions of the 1885 Florida Structure. Uthmeier wrote that any modification to election dates or phrases have to be authorised by voters.
Hepburn mentioned he supported Mayor Suarez in previous elections however now feels deserted by metropolis management.
“I’ve by no means sued anybody in my life and it’s unlucky that I even having to be contemplating doing this within the metropolis that my household has sacrificed a lot for. However Mayor Suarez — it simply feels such as you don’t even care to take heed to us anymore or stand-up and battle for working-class folks like me,” he wrote.
He added that if the mayor refuses to veto the ordinance, he’ll file a civil go well with in opposition to the town searching for injunctive reduction on constitutional grounds, citing violations of the fifteenth Modification and the town’s personal constitution.
“If the Metropolis of Miami is to amend its constitution, both to maneuver the date of municipal elections or to alter the phrases of workplace for elected officers, then the change could solely proceed by a vote of the electors, as described in Article VI, part 6.03 of the County’s House Rule Constitution.”
Hepburn has also paused his campaign to launch a recall effort in opposition to Metropolis Commissioner Damian Pardo, the sponsor of the proposal.
