Loading...
LTC 405-2024 November 5, 2024 Special Elections Information to be Published in the MB MagazineMIAMI BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK LTC No .- LETTER TO COMMISSION TO:Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission FROM: DATE: Rafael E.Granado,City Clerk September 16,2024 SUBJECT:November 5,2024 Special Elections Information to be Published in the MB Magazine In accordance with Resolution No.2024-33228,the City Commission of Miami Beach authorized the expenditure of budgeted funds,in reasonable and necessary amounts,to report on the Commission's official actions related to the November 5,2024 Special Election. Attached please find the text of the "Official Actions of the City Commission of the City of Miami Beach Calling Special Elections on November 5,2024,"which will be published in English and Spanish in the Fall Edition of the MB Magazine.The Magazine is distributed to every Miami Beach household. If you have any questions,please contact me at 305.673.7 411. F:ICLERICLERI000_ELECTION\00000 2024 SPECIAL ELECTIONS\NOVEMBER Special Election\Ltcs\LTC Official Actions November 5,2024.D00cx We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live,work,and play in our vibrant,tropical,historic community 405-2024 OFFICIAL ACTIONS OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024 The Miami Beach City Commission adopted Resolutions scheduling a November 5, 2024 Special Election, to be held concurrently with the General Election, to present City voters with the following eight referendum questions Miami Beach Referendum 1 Charter's "Citizens' Bill of Rights": Amending Existing Rights, Incorporating County Ethics Commission's Enforcement Shall Bill of Rights be amended: • expanding existing right to public records, right to no unreasonable postponements, and right to notice and be heard on City matters, amendments including: limits on deferring agenda items, increased public hearings and notice requirements; • incorporating Code Chapter 62 "Human Relations" classification categories (on which discrimination is prohibited) into "Nondiscrimination" rights; • incorporating Miami-Dade County Ethics Commission's powers to enforce and impose penalties (in addition to existing Circuit Court enforcement)? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 2 Charter’s "Citizens' Bill of Rights": Amending Circuit Court Forfeiture Remedy Shall Bill of Rights at Section (C), "Remedies," be amended to: • provide that the "forfeiture of office or employment" judicial remedy for willful violations of the Bill of Rights is subject to terms of collective bargaining agreements (per State law); and • establish that such forfeiture remedy is within the Court's discretion instead of mandatory, based upon the Court's determination that the violator has committed repeated violations of the Bill of Rights? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 3 Charter Section 1.03: Sale/Lease of City property; right-of-way vacations; management/concession agreements Shall Charter be amended, requiring for all sales/leases (10 years or more) of City property (awarded after November 5, 2024) and right-of-way vacations: • majority voter approval (includes changing approval for Convention Center Campus/Parking Lots from 60% to majority); • advisory Planning Board review; • planning analysis; • appraisal; • competitive bidding (sales/leases only); • public hearing; and for management/concession agreements (10 years or more): • 6/7 Commission vote; • public hearing; • advisory Planning Board review? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 4 Election of City Commission: Moving City's Runoff Election Date, Installation/Term Commencement, Conforming Office Terms Shall Charter be amended to provide, commencing City's November 2025 general election: • City's runoff election date shall be second Tuesday in December immediately following City's general election instead of 2 weeks after said general election; • installation/commencement of Commission members' terms shall occur on the Monday immediately following runoff election date; • to conform with above, existing Commission members' terms expiring November 2025 and November 2027 shall be respectively extended to those years' December installation date? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 5 Charter Section 2.05: Public Hearings and Public Notice for Ordinances Shall Charter 2.05 be amended: • establishing process requiring two public hearings instead of one for proposed City ordinances except emergency ordinances and proposed ordinances subject to adoption procedures established in City's Zoning Ordinance; and • authorizing City's alternative optional publication of notice of proposed ordinances on a publicly accessible website in accordance with Chapter 50, Florida Statutes, instead of requiring publication of such notices only in a newspaper of general circulation within City? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 6 Charter Section 2.07: "Vacancies in City Commission" Shall Charter Section 2.07 be amended to: • require election to fill vacancy unless City Commission appoints person to fill vacancy within 30 days; • provide that Commission's power to appoint shall commence upon vacancy or submittal of resignation (if filed) instead of 30 days later; • require appointments by remaining Commission members be super-majority (majority plus 1) vote instead of majority vote; • clarify election and installation dates regarding vacancies due to resignation? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 7 Charter Amendments: Clarifying and Conforming Certain Charter Language to Applicable Laws and/or Current Usage Shall Charter be amended to clarify that the one-year residency requirement to qualify as candidate applies to the year "immediately" prior to qualifying, and clarify filing requirements for qualifying by petition (Charter 6.03); clarify and conform to Florida law restriction against qualifying for more than 1 City office, and replace certain obsolete reference to "Commissioner" with "Commission member" (Charter 2.01); amend Charter 1.07 to include therein all nondiscrimination classification categories in Code Chapter 62? Yes ____ No ____ Miami Beach Referendum 8 Approve 1% Tax on Food and Beverage Sales for Homeless Assistance / Domestic Violence Centers To assist homeless persons and domestic abuse victims, shall Miami-Dade County levy a 1% tax on food/beverage sales for consumption on premises at alcoholic beverage establishments in Miami Beach with gross annual revenues exceeding $400,000, except at hotels and motels, subject to approval by Miami-Dade County, to construct/operate housing for homeless persons and domestic violence centers, and provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care, mental health treatment, training, and education? Yes ____ No ____ For a copy of City Commission Resolutions 2024-33168, 2024-33169, 2024-33170, 2024-33171, 2024-33172, 2024-33173, 2024-33174, and 2023-32719, which called this Special Election, please visit the City’s website at votemiamibeach.com and choose “November 5, 2024: Special Election.” For additional assistance, you may also contact the Office of the City Clerk at 305.673.7411. Key Dates To Remember Monday, October 7, 2024: Last day to register to vote or change party affiliation. Monday, October 21, 2024 through Sunday, November 3, 2024, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Early Voting - Vote at any of the 33 Countywide Early Voting locations, including the two Miami Beach Early Voting sites, located at Miami Beach City Hall (First Floor Conference Room), 1700 Convention Center Drive and North Shore Branch Library, 7501 Collins Avenue. Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 5 p.m.: Final deadline for the Miami-Dade County Elections Department to receive a request for a Vote-by-Mail ballot. The Elections Department must physically receive the request by 5 p.m. on this date; a request that is only postmarked by the deadline but not received by the deadline will not be considered valid. Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 7 p.m.: The deadline by which the Miami-Dade County Elections Department must receive a completed Vote-by-Mail ballot. The Elections Department must physically receive the ballot by 7 p.m. on this date; a ballot that is only postmarked by the deadline but not received by the deadline will not be considered valid. Tuesday, November 5, 2024, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Election Day. You must vote at your assigned precinct, as indicated on your Voter Information Card. Choose The Way To Vote That Works For You Some voters like going through the ballot on their own time in the comfort of their homes and voting by mail. Others prefer visiting an Early Voting location on a convenient day and casting their ballot before Election Day. Then, some voters enjoy the tradition of going to their precinct on Election Day to vote. Vote-by-Mail If you are presently registered to vote in Miami-Dade County, you may request a Vote-by-Mail ballot online. You may also request a ballot by email, fax, telephone, or mail. If you would like your Vote-by-Mail ballot sent to an address other than the one on file in the Florida Voter Registration System, you must submit your request in writing using the Statewide Vote-By-Mail Ballot Request Form and it must include the signature of the voter unless the voter is an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter, or if the request is made by a designee. To request a Vote-by-Mail ballot or obtain additional information regarding Vote-by-Mail, please visit www.iamelectionready.org and select “Vote-by-Mail” or contact the Miam-Dade County Elections Department at 305.499.VOTE (8683), 305.499.8480 TTY, or 305.375.2525 Fax. The deadline for the Miami-Dade County Elections Department to receive a request for a Vote- by-Mail ballot is Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 5 p.m. The Elections Department must physically receive the request by 5 p.m. on this date; a request that is only postmarked by the deadline but not received by the deadline will not be considered valid. How to return your Vote-by-Mail Ballot? By Mail - A Vote-by-Mail ballot may be returned by delivery through the United States Postal Service. The ballot must be received by the Miami-Dade County Elections Department by 7 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, 2024. At a Secure Vote-by-Mail Drop Box Located at an Early Voting Site - You do not even have to go inside! Vote-by-Mail ballots can be dropped into a secure Vote-by-Mail Drop Box, available and staffed, outside any of the 33 Countywide Early Voting locations during Early Voting hours of operation, including the two Miami Beach Early Voting sites: Miami Beach City Hall (First Floor Conference Room), 1700 Convention Center Drive and North Shore Branch Library, 7501 Collins Avenue. Just look for the “Official Ballot Drop Box!” banner. Drop boxes are drive-up and are safe. Please bring your ID with you. For a list of Early Voting dates and times please see below or visit www.iamelectionready.org and select “Early Voting.” You may also contact the Miami-Dade County Elections Department at 305.499.VOTE (8683) or 305.499.8480 (TTY). At the Elections Department - You may also return your Vote-by-Mail ballot at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department (Main Office), 2700 NW 87 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172. The ballot must be received by the Miami-Dade County Elections Department by 7 p.m. on Election Day. On Election Day - If a voter waits until Election Day to submit their Vote-by-Mail ballot, they can drop it off at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department (Main Office), 2700 NW 87 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172. The ballot must be received by the Miami-Dade County Elections Department by 7 p.m. on Election Day. The voter can opt to vote in person at their precinct once Elections personnel confirm that the voter’s Vote-by-Mail ballot has not been received. After you submit your Vote-by-Mail ballot, you can track your ballot to see when your ballot is accepted. To do so, visit www.iamelectionready.org and select “Vote by Mail.” Vote Early Voting early allows you to cast your ballot before Election Day. A registered voter can vote at any of the 33 Countywide Early Voting locations, including the two Miami Beach Early Voting sites, located at Miami Beach City Hall (First Floor Conference Room), 1700 Convention Center Drive and North Shore Branch Library, 7501 Collins Avenue. Early Voting will be available daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., starting Monday, October 21, 2024, through Sunday, November 3, 2024. To find a list of Early Voting locations, please visit www.iamelectionready.org and select “Early Voting,” or contact the Miami-Dade County Elections Department at 305.499.VOTE (8683) or 305.499.8480 (TTY). Vote On Election Day Even with other options available, many prefer the tradition of voting on Election Day. If you choose to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024, you must go to your assigned voting location, which is determined by your home address. Precincts are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. To locate your precinct, you can refer to your Voter Information Card, or you may contact the Miami-Dade County Elections Department at 305.499.VOTE (8683) or 305.499.8480 (TTY), or visit the Elections Department’s website at www.iamelectionready.org and select “Vote on Election Day.” Voters With Special Needs Miami-Dade County offers a range of voting options for voters with special needs, all compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Every voting location features a paper-based system equipped with touchscreen, audio technology, and sip-and-puff devices to assist voters. Additionally, there is an accessible Vote-by-Mail option that allows voters to cast their ballots independently from home. For more information, contact the Miami-Dade County Elections Department at 305.499.VOTE (8683) or 305.499.8480 (TTY), or visit their website at www.iamelectionready.org and select “Voters with Special Needs.” Get Informed And Participate As Miami Beach gears up for the November 5, 2024 Special Election, it is essential for voters to stay informed and prepared. Whether opting to Vote-by-Mail, taking advantage of Early Voting, or casting their ballots on Election Day, residents will have multiple options to make their voices heard. For further details on the referendum questions, voters are encouraged to visit the City’s Election Website at votemiamibeach.com or contact the Miami Beach Office of the City Clerk at 305.673.7411 or 711 (TTY). Remember, this is your opportunity to shape Miami Beach's future. Every vote counts, so mark your calendar for the November 5, 2024 General and Special Elections. Be part of the democratic process that will determine the City's direction for years to come!