Coral Gables voters will choose three commission seats and decide four charter amendments on Nov. 3, in the city's first November election in more than 100 years.
The shift from April to November elections, approved by 66% of voters in an April 2026 referendum, puts municipal races on the same ballot as state and federal contests for the first time. Seven candidates are running across three commission races, and four proposed charter changes include a proposal to extend the mayor's term to four years.
Mayor's race headlines three commission contests
Mayor Vince Lago is seeking a fourth consecutive term. His challengers are Jackson "Rip" Holmes, a downtown property owner and frequent speaker at commission meetings, and attorney Laureano Cancio, who lost a bid for the Group II seat in April 2025.
The Group IV race pits Commissioner Melissa Castro against Nestor Menendez, an attorney who previously served on the city's Planning and Zoning Board and Transportation Advisory Board. Lago has publicly backed Menendez, the Gables Gazette reported, including placing campaign signs in his own yard.
The Group V seat is open. Commissioner Ariel Fernandez chose not to run again. Gonzalo Sanabria, a real estate investor and current Planning and Zoning Board member, faces Dominique "Nikki" Whiting, who has held state-level government communications roles.
Charter amendments could reshape mayor's term, city bidding rules
The City Commission voted 5-0 on July 7 to place all four amendments on the ballot, the Gables Gazette reported.
Mayoral term length: The most consequential proposal would extend the mayor's term from two years to four, starting with the 2028 election. The current two-year cycle lets voters change three of five commission seats every election. A four-year mayoral term would reduce that to two seats in years the mayor is not on the ballot. The eight-year consecutive-service limit would remain. Lago, if reelected, would be term-limited in 2028, so the change would first apply to his successor.
Coral Gables tried a four-year mayoral term once before, adopting it in 2005 and reverting to two years in 2009.
At the July 7 meeting, Castro said she disagreed with the change but supported letting voters decide. "I disagree with changing it to four years, but I do agree with putting it out on a referendum for having the people vote," she said.
Parkland sales: Would require 60% voter approval before the city could sell parks, golf courses or the War Memorial Youth Center.
Public-works bidding: Would raise the competitive-bidding threshold from $25,000 to $300,000, aligning the charter with a state standard already near $400,000.
Candidate residency: Would require mayoral and commission candidates to have lived in the city continuously for at least one year before qualifying closes.
Homestead exemption vote could cost city millions
A statewide constitutional amendment on the same ballot would raise Florida's homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. City estimates presented during the budget process project a property-tax revenue loss of about $5.7 million in fiscal 2028 and $11.4 million in fiscal 2029 and beyond. City officials have noted those figures may shift as the proposal's effects are refined.
Key election dates for Coral Gables voters
- Wednesday: Candidate forum at American Legion Post 98, 303 Alhambra Circle, 5 to 8 p.m. Free and open to the public.
- Sept. 19: Military and overseas ballots mailed.
- Sept. 23: Mayor Lago town hall at the Public Safety Building.
- Sept. 24: Domestic vote-by-mail ballots mailed.
- Oct. 5: Voter registration deadline.
- Oct. 19-Nov. 1: Early voting, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
- Oct. 22: Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot, 5 p.m.
- Nov. 3: Election Day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Dec. 1: Runoff election, if needed.
