Early voting opened Monday. Pembroke Pines voters decide whether city elections move from March to November, extending current terms by 8 months.
Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election opened Monday in Broward County. Pembroke Pines voters will find one city question on their ballot: whether to move city elections from March to November.
If voters say yes, the mayor and all four city commissioners would stay in office 8 months longer than they were elected to serve. The change comes from Ordinance 2026-02, which the City Commission adopted 5-0 on Aug. 5.
What the ballot says
The ballot title is “Changing date of commission election, extending current terms, selection of vice-mayor.” The question reads, as set out in Section 7 of the ordinance:
The current City Charter provides the mayor and commissioners with four-year terms, City elections in March of even numbered years, and the selection of the vice-mayor each April. Should the Charter be amended to change the election of the mayor and commissioners to November in even numbered years, with current terms extended 8 months to effectuate such changes as required by law, and to change the selection of vice-mayor to each December?
A “yes” vote approves the change. A “no” vote keeps city elections in March. It takes a simple majority of the votes cast on the question.
What would change
| Now | If approved | |
|---|---|---|
| City election day | Second Tuesday in March of even-numbered years | First Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years |
| Mayor, District 2 and District 3 | Next elected March 2028 | Next elected November 2028 |
| District 1 and District 4 | Next elected March 2030 | Next elected November 2030 |
| Vice mayor chosen by the commission | First meeting in April | First meeting in December |
Terms would stay four years. Section 5 of the ordinance extends the current terms “to provide for the orderly transition of office.”
A special state law for Broward County cities, Chapter 75-350, Laws of Florida, sets March elections for most of them. Amendments to it allow a Broward city to move to November of even-numbered years. A move cannot take effect until at least 18 months after the City Commission approves it, the ordinance says. That is why the first November city election would be in 2028, not this year.
Why the commission says it wants the change
The ordinance gives the commission’s reasons in its opening findings:
- voting for city, state and federal offices on the same day “may increase voter participation”
- “historical data reflects voter turnout is significantly higher in November elections than in March municipal elections”
- holding city races alongside the November elections “is expected to reduce the City’s election expenses”
The ordinance does not cite turnout figures or a dollar saving.
The cost schedule in the city’s election agreement with the Supervisor of Elections (PDF) shows where the saving would come from:
- $0 for candidate-only city races held with a county, state or federal election
- $2.79 per registered voter for a stand-alone city election, plus 15 cents per voter for each extra ballot page side
How the commission voted
The commission passed the ordinance on first reading April 15 and adopted it Aug. 5, according to the city’s legislative record. Vice Mayor Michael A. Hernandez moved it both times and Commissioner Maria Rodriguez seconded. On Aug. 5, Mayor Angelo Castillo, Hernandez, Rodriguez and commissioners Thomas Good Jr. and Jay D. Schwartz all voted yes.
The same Aug. 5 meeting dropped two other ballot ideas. An $80 million bond question for a police and fire public safety complex failed for lack of a second. A charter change on the vote needed to hire or fire the city manager was withdrawn. Our voting guide has more on both.
What it means for you
- The question is on every Pembroke Pines ballot. It sits below the federal, state, county and school district contests. Check your sample ballot to see it before you vote.
- There are no City Commission races this year. Under the current charter the next city election is March 14, 2028, according to the city’s elections page.
- Vote early in Pembroke Pines from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday, Nov. 1, at the South Regional Library/Broward College, 7300 Pines Blvd., or the Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan St. The dates and hours are on the Supervisor of Elections’ early voting page. Any Broward early voting site will do.
- Voting by mail? The Supervisor of Elections must receive a request by 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, to mail you a ballot. Completed ballots are due by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
- On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, vote at your assigned polling place, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find it with the county’s precinct finder.
- Questions go to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections at 954-357-8683, or the City Clerk’s Office at 954-450-1050.
We will report the result from the Supervisor of Elections’ official results page on election night. Results are unofficial until certified.
Related: voting in Broward County, who to call at City Hall and public notices.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pembroke Pines question on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot?
A charter amendment that would move the election of the mayor and city commissioners from March to November of even-numbered years, extend current terms by 8 months and move the yearly choice of vice mayor from April to December.
If the Pembroke Pines charter amendment passes, when is the next city election?
November 2028 for the mayor and the District 2 and 3 seats, and November 2030 for the District 1 and 4 seats, under Ordinance 2026-02.
Where can I vote early in Pembroke Pines?
At the South Regional Library/Broward College, 7300 Pines Blvd., and the Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan St., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Sunday, Nov. 1. Any Broward early voting site will do.
Have your say