It’s time to vote, St. Pete! This midterm, there’s a lot on the ballot, from Governor all the way down to City Council. Here at I Love the Burg, we believe in All Things Good. We won’t tell you how to vote, but we do believe informed neighbors make the best decisions for themselves, each other, and our city.
Early voting officially began this Monday, with deadlines approaching ahead of Election Day on the first Tuesday in November. These are the key dates and the ballot measures St. Pete residents will be voting on.
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Key dates:
- Early voting: October 19 – November 1
- Last day to request a mail ballot: October 22 at 5pm
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 7am-7pm
What’s on the ballot
Every ballot is a little different depending on where you live. Sample ballots can be found at votepinellas.gov
- Federal and State: US Senate, US House of Representatives (Districts 13 & 16), Florida Governor, Florida CFO, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Florida Attorney General, plus Florida State Senate (District 18) and Florida State House (Districts 57-61)
- County: Pinellas County Commissioner (Districts 2 & 6) and Pinellas School Board (District 3)
- City: St. Petersburg Mayor and St. Petersburg Council (Districts 2 & 6)
The St. Pete Mayor’s race
Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist challenges Incumbent St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch. The big issues include:
- The future of Gas Plant District redevelopment
- Storm resiliency and flood mitigation
- Affordability crisis
- How the City would handle Amendment 3 budget cuts
- Differing stances on the General Obligation Bond Referendum
- Flock cameras, and more
Hear from both candidates in their own words at the recent St. Pete Mayoral Debate.
Amendment 3: Increased Homestead Exemption; Lower Cap on Increases in Non-Homestead Property Assessments
This one could affect our community the most. It would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. It would also cut the yearly assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%.
What would actually change, according to the City:
- Reduce St. Pete’s property tax revenue by an estimated $33M in 2027 and $54M in 2028, money that mostly funds police and fire.
- Non-public-safety services could also be affected, including but not limited to:
- Homeless services and affordable housing funding
- Public Transportation
- Libraries, parks, rec and senior centers
- Arts and culture funding
- Planning, zoning and code enforcement
- Road, signal and streetlight maintenance
- Support for seniors and people with disabilities
- Historic and environmental preservation
- Youth jobs and crime prevention programs
- Residents could see increased user fees for event rentals, parking, and potentially special assessments to help balance the budget
It needs 60% of the vote to pass. If approved, it would become part of the Florida Constitution.
Learn more:
- City of St. Pete: https://www.stpete.org/government/transparency/amendment_3.php
- Florida Policy Institute: https://www.floridapolicy.org/posts/voter-guide-what-floridians-should-know-about-amendment-3
- Florida Realtors Association: https://www.floridarealtors.org/advocacy/amendment-3
- League of Women Voters: https://lwvspa.org/amendment-3-explained-why-you-should-vote-no/
- PSTA: https://psta.net/a3/
- St. Pete Chamber: https://www.stpete.com/2026/10/08/florida-amendment-3/
St. Petersburg Referendum #1 – Stormwater, Wastewater and/or Potable Water Improvements General Obligation Bond Referendum
St. Pete voters will vote yes or no on whether to let the City issue up to $600 million in bonds for storm-resilience upgrades to stormwater, sewer, and drinking water systems. The bonds would be repaid through property taxes over a period of up to 30 years, with an estimated cost of roughly $96 per year per $100,000 of taxable value. See a full interactive map of eligible projects here.
What would actually change, according to the City:
- If approved: the City would proceed with issuing bonds and accelerating eligible infrastructure improvements.
- If not approved: Improvements would continue under existing funding sources but over a longer timeframe.
Learn more
Other St. Pete matters on the ballot:
- St. Petersburg Charter Amendment #1 – Removing City-Owned Vacant Lots from Park and Waterfront Map to Create Housing: removes nine vacant, closed-off city parcels near the Jamestown Apartments and Unity Park from the City Charter Park and Waterfront Map, so the City can consider them for future land-use change including potential rezoning or sale for affordable or workforce housing. These lots are not open to the public and have been unused for more than 40 years.
- St. Petersburg Charter Amendment #2 – Authorizing a 25-year lease limitation for the Port of St. Pete: raises the maximum lease term from 10 to 25 years, matching neighboring Albert Whitted Airport. The Port is a City-owned facility used by government, institutional, and academic partners for maritime research. The goal is more flexibility for future agreements and redevelopment.
- St. Petersburg Charter Amendment #3 – Technical, Clarifying, and Conforming Changes to Effactuate Holding Municipal Elections in Even-Numbered Years: technical charter changes to fully carry out the 2022 vote moving city elections to even-numbered years aligning municipal primary and general elections with state election dates.
- St. Petersburg Referendum #2 – Authorizing Amendment of Harborage Marina Lease to Extend Term to 30 Years and Require Improvements: extends the Harborage Marina lease to 30 years. In exchange, the tenant builds new docks, boat lifts and restrooms at no cost to the city, and the city owns them when the lease ends.
Additional voting resources:
- Check Your Voting Status in Pinellas County
- Step by Step Voter Registration Guide
- Register to Vote or Update Registration Online
- Request a Vote-by-Mail Ballot Online
- Pinellas County District Maps
- St. Petersburg City District Maps
- St. Pete Chamber Candidates Corner
When we’re informed, our whole community benefits. Read the full ballot language, ask questions, talk to your neighbors, and go vote, St. Pete!
