Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – A proposal to allow Broward County residents to vote on whether they want a countywide elected mayor on the November 2022 ballot was put on hold at least for now.

Commissioners Tim Ryan and Jared Moskowitz sponsored the resolution for the referendum but withdrew their proposal.

They may place the resolution back on the agenda next week or sometime later.

According to the proposal, the referendum would ask residents to elect the mayor countywide for a four-year term on a partisan basis.

The mayor would be the ceremonial head, have power to make decisions on behalf of Broward County and earn a salary in the same amount as the Broward Sheriff. which is estimated at $220,000.

Broward County has a population of about two million people and is the 17th largest county in the country without a countywide elected mayor.

Broward County has nine county commissioners including Mayor Michael Udine.

The position is rotated in which the commission elects a mayor and vice mayor each to a one-year term on the third Tuesday of each November.

Lamar Fisher is the vice mayor.

Currently, Udine is the presiding officer and Broward County’s official representative.

The commission appoints the county administrator, county attorney and county auditor.

County Administrator Monica Cepero is the chief executive officer for Broward County and runs the day-today operations of the government. She oversees an annual operating budget estimated at $8 billion.

Broward County voters approved the county charter in November 1974 which went into effect on Jan. 1, 1975.

The original charter called for five members including the mayor and later expanded to seven and now nine county commissioners.

In approving the charter, residents chose a strong administrator form of county government and established a countywide land use planning agency.