Charles W. Burkett
Running mate: Ruben A. Coto (Surfside town commissioner and businessman)
Charles Burkett was born and raised in Miami Beach, graduated from the University of Miami with a finance degree and founded a real estate investment firm. He served four terms as Mayor of Surfside (2006-2010, 2020-2022, 2024-2026), including during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse. He announced an NPA run for governor in May 2026 and qualified in June 2026.
How they got on the ballot: No primary; qualified as NPA candidate for the Nov. 3 general election (WUWF/Spokesman, June 12, 2026)
Positions on the major issues
Compare with opponents →Each entry describes what the candidate has said or done, and what they say they will do, in neutral terms with sources. The chip shows how that relates to the statement voters rate in the matching tool.
Taxes & spending Strongly agrees· stated position
Platform calls for eliminating homestead property taxes, reducing tolls and gas taxes, and cutting government spending and bureaucracy.
Property taxes Strongly agrees· stated position
Proposes eliminating property taxes on homesteaded homes.
"Slash and eventually eliminate property taxes for vested Florida homeowners and renters"
Property insurance Leans disagree· stated position
Would 'rewrite the broken laws and bring radical competition into the property and auto insurance market,' with more deductible options and property-tax offsets for hurricane hardening, rather than rate caps or expanding Citizens.
"Rewrite the broken laws and bring radical competition into the property and auto insurance market"
Housing affordability Leans disagree· stated position
Would 'stop building new housing until we can absorb the number of residents we currently have' and repeal the Live Local Act, which preempts local zoning for affordable housing.
"Stop building new housing until we can absorb the number of residents we currently have"
Immigration Leans agree· stated position
Site says 'Legal immigration is good. Uncontrolled, unvetted, unregulated, illegal immigration is bad'; no specific enforcement or deportation proposals found.
"Legal immigration is good. Uncontrolled, unvetted, unregulated, illegal immigration is bad"
Abortion Strongly agrees· stated position
Pledges to 'affirm and codify My Body, My Choice.'
"Affirm and codify 'My Body, My Choice'"
Health care Mixed / neutral· stated position
Would 'rewrite the unaffordable, broken healthcare laws' with doctors 'not government and insurance companies, in charge,' standardized plan tiers, a state-backed medical loan fund and a physician-run state pool for extreme cases; does not address Medicaid expansion.
"Rewrite the unaffordable, broken healthcare laws. Put doctors, not government and insurance companies, in charge"
Environment & water Leans agree· stated position
Pledges to 'demand clean water and air' and hold polluters accountable; his growth positions favor restricting new construction.
"Take all steps necessary to make certain our water and air are clean and that Florida holds polluters accountable"
Growth & development Strongly agrees· stated position
Calls for stopping the 'radical new construction boom,' the 'Manhattanization' and 'over-densification' of communities, choosing renovation over new construction, and allowing data centers only after a local referendum.
"Stop the 'Manhattanization' and continued 'over-densification' of Florida's charming and historic communities"
Crime & policing Leans agree· stated position
Would 'give our first responders every tool they need' and pay them 'a fair, competitive wage,' and proposes an 'Oasis Act' for gated, monitored redevelopment of blighted neighborhoods with conduct requirements for residents.
"Give our first responders every tool they need to be the best in the business"
No public position found on 8 issues
We searched campaign sites, questionnaires, interviews, votes and official actions and did not find a clear stance on: Guns, Education & school choice, Marijuana, Elections & voting, Gender identity laws, Energy & utilities, Trump administration, Veterans. This is reported as unknown rather than guessed from party affiliation; these issues are excluded from this candidate's match score.
Other issues this candidate has raised
- Tolls and gas taxes — Proposes reducing tolls and gas taxes.
- Insurance and healthcare overhaul — Says he would overhaul insurance and healthcare laws as part of an affordability agenda.
- Put current residents first — Campaign says it focuses on practical solutions that put current Florida residents first.
- Homestead exemption that grows with residency — Proposes that after a ten-year residency vesting period, homeowners gain a cumulative 10-percentage-point increase in their homestead exemption each year until it reaches 100%, transferable to a spouse and children.
- Public pensions — Would honor existing defined-benefit pensions but move new public employees to defined-contribution plans with an immediate government match.
- Education spending — Says schools should focus 'only on kids' with high standards and proposes cutting school spending by at least 5%, possibly 10%.
- No campaign contributions — Says he is not accepting campaign contributions.
Record: votes, actions and documented facts
- Served four terms as Surfside mayor, including during the 2021 Champlain Towers South condominium collapse.
- Born in Miami Beach; B.S. in finance, University of Miami; real estate investor since 1983; chaired the Miami Beach Housing Authority; elected Surfside mayor in 2006, 2008, 2020 and 2024 (campaign site).