Key West voters to decide whether to extend mayoral term to four years

Key West voters will decide whether the city’s mayor should serve four years instead of two, a change that would give City Hall more continuity but also give residents fewer chances to make a quick judgment at the ballot box. The proposal lands on a November ballot already shaping up as a test of accountability, campaign money and the balance of power between voters and commissioners.

The Key West City Commission approved revised ballot language on June 4 for the charter amendment, with Commissioner Samuel Kaufman casting the lone dissenting vote. The wording was changed to avoid confusion, including language about a 12-year service limit that city attorneys said would be handled separately. If voters approve the measure, the mayor elected in November 2026 would still serve a two-year term, but the office would shift to four-year terms beginning with the 2028 election.

That would mark a major change for a city where the mayor now serves two years while each commissioner serves four. Under Key West’s current structure, the mayor is elected at large and serves as the city’s chief executive officer, providing leadership and vision for the community, while the city manager handles day-to-day executive management. Supporters of the change, including Mayor Danise Henriquez, say a longer term would let the mayor spend less time campaigning and more time on long-range work tied to infrastructure, public safety, affordable housing and the business climate.

The question comes before voters in a year when the mayor’s race is already the most closely watched contest in town. Key West’s 2026 municipal election also includes commission seats in District II, District IV and District V, with a primary set for Aug. 18 and a general election or runoff on Nov. 3 if needed. Candidate qualifying ran from June 8 through June 12, and mayoral candidates needed 137 valid petition signatures if qualifying by petition.

As of the city’s announced-candidates list, Henriquez and Kaufman had qualified for mayor, while Chris McNulty withdrew. The race has also drawn money: filings through March 31 showed Henriquez had raised $68,890 and Kaufman $115,245. Keys Weekly reported that vote-by-mail ballots will go out starting July 9 for voters who requested them, early in-person voting begins Aug. 3, and candidate forums are set for June 23 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre, July 13 and July 23.

The campaign has already taken on an edge that reaches beyond policy. Keys Weekly reported that City Manager Brian L. Barroso accused Kaufman of unauthorized use of city hall and city resources in connection with campaign activity. For Key West, the term-length amendment is not just a charter tweak. It could reshape how often voters get to reset City Hall, how much leverage commissioners have over the mayor, and how long one election carries its consequences.