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Task force backs three four-year-term limit for county commissioners
Summary
After extended debate, the charter review task force voted to recommend limiting county commissioners to a maximum of three four-year terms and directed staff on drafting details about how appointments and partial terms are counted.
The Miami-Dade County Charter Review Task Force voted to recommend a change to the county charter that would limit county commissioners to no more than three four-year terms.
Task force members debated multiple draft alternatives before approving the proposal identified as item B. Discussion focused on whether the limit should be consecutive terms only, how to treat people who serve part of a term by appointment or special circumstances, and whether the mayoral office should be treated the same way.
The task force attorney summarized the language under consideration: "The way it's written, it says no person shall be elected as a commissioner for more than 3 4 year terms." The attorney and several members discussed drafting permutations to ensure appointments and partial-term service are handled fairly; members suggested counting an appointed or elected partial term as a full term if the person serves more than half of that term.
After rounds of amendments and clarifications, a motion to adopt a three-term limit (three four-year terms total, with appointments and partial-term counting clarified in drafting) carried on a voice vote. Members recorded the motion as carried; the task force instructed staff to draft precise ballot language and to specify how appointments and partial terms count toward the limit.
The task force also debated sequencing for potential ballot measures and related measures. In a separate vote earlier in the meeting, the task force recommended putting a proposal on county salaries on the 2026 ballot and addressing term-limit language on the 2028 ballot, to avoid packaging multiple complex constitutional changes on the same ballot.
No numeric vote tally by name was recorded in the minutes beyond the voice vote announcing the motion carried. The task force asked staff to prepare specific drafting options that would (a) preserve staggered terms where appropriate, (b) specify whether consecutive language applies, and (c) clarify whether service for more than half of an unexpired term counts as a term for limit purposes.
