On November 3, City of Miami voters will decide whether to turn over approximately 27.6 acres of publicly owned Virginia Key waterfront to a private developer under a lease that could last as long as 75 years. The proposal calls for an $80 million redevelopment of the Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium marinas, adding boat storage, restaurants, retail and parking. And the deal voters are being asked to approve in 2026 originated with a City procurement issued back in 2017. 

Read our other endorsements for the 2026 elections, including Rob Piper for County Commissioner in District 5

The Miami-Dade Democratic Party urges City of Miami voters to vote NO on Referendum 3. Virginia Key sits alongside the already environmentally stressed waters of Biscayne Bay, and environmental advocates are raising serious concerns about the project's proposed expansion. Local 10 reports that accommodating larger yachts would require dredging in the Bay's naturally shallow waters, with advocates warning about potential impacts to seagrass, manatees and surrounding habitat. They are also concerned about the cumulative environmental impact when this project is considered alongside other major development proposals for Virginia Key. 

Alexis Calatayud refuses to debate but hides behind millions in special interest Republican attack money

MIAMI, FL — The Miami-Dade Democratic Party today condemned MAGA Republican Alexis Calatayud’s decision to air false and misleading attack ads against Richard Lamondin, the Democratic nominee for Florida State Senate District 38 while refusing to debate Lamondin on the issues that matter most to voters.

The 2026 election features important decisions on retaining existing judges and the selection of other judges.

The Miami-Dade Democratic Party does not make endorsements in judicial elections, but we wanted to provide links to some other sources.

See our official endorsements for 2026 regarding candidates and amendments

Bring the family. Bring a folding chair. Bring your appetite.

American Legion Post 98 will hold its 2026 Candidate Forum on Wednesday, September 9, at the post's home at 303 Alhambra Circle in Coral Gables, giving voters a chance to hear directly from candidates running in this year's elections.

Democrats showed up by mail, at early voting locations, and on Election Day to make their voice heard. Of the 244,593 total ballots cast (19% turnout), 114,661 came from registered Democrats, well ahead of 92,066 from Republicans, a lead of nearly 22,600 votes. David Jolly and Angie Nixon move on to November.

Florida's August 18 primary set the field for the November 3, 2026 General Election. Miami-Dade Democrats turned out and chose their nominees for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, the state legislature, and a slate of local offices that shape daily life in our county. Now the real work begins: making sure every Democrat in Miami-Dade is registered, has a plan to vote, and shows up between now and November 3.

When the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Todd Blanche, Donald Trump's former personal defense attorney, as Attorney General of the United States, it happened by the narrowest possible margin: 50 to 49. Two Republicans, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, broke ranks to vote no. Florida's own senators didn't.

Both of Florida's Republican senators, Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, voted to put Blanche in charge of the nation's top law enforcement agency. Moody did more than vote. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she personally introduced Blanche at his confirmation hearing, helping usher him toward the office. Scott publicly pressed colleagues to confirm him "NOW," calling him "exactly who we need."

That should stop you cold. Ashley Moody isn't a politician with no background in law enforcement. She spent six years, from 2019 to 2025, as Florida's own Attorney General. She knows exactly what independent law enforcement leadership is supposed to look like, and what it looks like when it's compromised. A former state AG, of all people, should have been the first to raise the alarm about installing a president's personal criminal defense lawyer atop the U.S. Department of Justice. Instead, she introduced him.

Miami-Dade Democrats are proud to endorse Rob Piper for Miami-Dade County Commissioner, District 5, in his election vs. Vicki Lopez. At a moment when our county faces a housing affordability crisis, unchecked development, and a growing trust deficit at County Hall, Piper offers what District 5 needs most: a genuine commitment to transparency, accountability, and the everyday people who call this district home. Rob Piper has also received the endorsement of the Miami Herald.

Democrats will have some major choices, with early voting starting on Monday, August 3, 2026. This guide highlights the key federal, state, county, and school board races in the August 18, 2026 election for Miami-Dade Democratic voters. As additional information becomes available, we'll continue updating. We have linked Democratic candidate names to their websites where available.

• Request your mail ballot

• View your sample ballot

• Early voting hours and locations

• Download and print the voter guide PDF
  

Across Miami-Dade County, home to hundreds of thousands of condo owners, monthly association fees are climbing past what many can afford, and for seniors and residents on fixed incomes, the math simply doesn't work anymore. That's why Rob Piper, Democratic candidate for Miami-Dade County Commissioner in District 5, which includes large concentrations of condo owners in Downtown Miami, Brickell, and Miami Beach, is standing firmly with the Miami-Dade Democratic Party's newly adopted resolution to improve the current implementation of Florida's condominium inspection and reserve funding laws (HB 913/SB 154).