Important message from our allies at EveryVoice

Almost three weeks after submitting 127,000 signatures to qualify an initiative for the November ballot, our campaign allies at An Accountable Miami-Dade (AMD) won a significant unanimous vote of the Board of County Commissioners just moments ago to begin the counting of the petitions.

The petitions were gathering dust while county government delayed action, threatening to run out the clock for getting the initiative on the ballot this year. With the hard work of New Florida Majority, SEIU Florida, Every Voice, ReThink Media, Demos, and others, the campaign pursued a multi-faceted effort including direct action, press outreach, social media, behind-the-scenes lobbying, and filing a lawsuit all to reverse momentum and get this initiative on the ballot. When our backs were to the wall, we fought back together.

Kudos in particular go to the staff and leaders of New Florida Majority, Tony Coppola, AMD’s campaign manager, and AMD co-chairs Monica Russo (SEIU 1199) and Bettina Aguilera for their leadership during this time.

We’re not out of the woods yet. We must ensure that all the petitions are counted between now and early September and that we make sure the Board of County Commissioners doesn’t throw up additional roadblocks. And, it is critically important we begin the fall campaign to persuade and mobilize voters to produce a win at the ballot box in November — as we support the building of long term capacity to forge lasting change in South Florida.

Every Voice’s team has been involved at every stage of this campaign, from the early outreach to the drafting of policy to messaging research to the signature drive. And we will continue to work with our allies in Florida and nationally to ensure that this vote happens and when it does, we place Miami-Dade on the map as a beacon of light for the money in politics community.