St. Petersburg voters elected two new council members Tuesday and passed all five ballot questions, including one that will address water, sewer and stormwater projects.
Public health practitioner Linsey Grove hung on to her lead from the primary election for the District 6 seat on the City Council.
With 55% of the vote, Grove won the citywide runoff to represent the downtown and southeast St. Petersburg neighborhoods to Coquina Key. Trevor Mallory, the president of a housing nonprofit, trailed with about 45%.
In a phone call Tuesday night, Grove told the Tampa Bay Times she was feeling good about the results.
“It’s a real testament to running a real grassroots campaign,” Grove said. “I’m feeling very proud of myself and my volunteers.”
Grove had not spoken with her opponent, she said.
All of St. Petersburg’s 86 precincts were counted just before 8:30 p.m.
The race to succeed District 6 council member Gina Driscoll, who is leaving office due to term limits, was among the most competitive on voters’ ballots. Grove and Mallory, the two candidates who survived a five-way primary in August, were locked in a fundraising and endorsement horse race.
Though city races are nonpartisan, both are Democrats. They differed on exploring whether the city should cut ties with Duke Energy and set up a city-run electric utility. Grove favored letting voters decide via a referendum, whereas Mallory said he was more comfortable sticking with Duke.
The council’s District 2 seat featured a less competitive race. The district covers the city’s northernmost neighborhoods of Riviera Bay, Gandy and Barcley Estates.
Hillsborough County Assistant Public Defender Gabriel Hament won the seat with about 53% of the vote, succeeding term-limited Brandi Gabbard. Trailing in the race, property manager Courtney Bermudez garnered about 47% of the vote.
Hament vastly outraised Bermudez. Both are registered Democrats.
“It’s an incredible honor,” Hament said of his win. “I look forward to making St. Petersburg proud.”
St. Petersburg voters said “yes” to all five ballot questions. Chief among them: an additional property tax to pay back bonds the city will take out to accelerate water, sewer and stormwater projects.
About 74% of voters approved the measure, which will cost property owners around $96 for every $100,000 of taxable property value. The city will now tackle a $2.7 billion list of projects five years faster.
“Tonight St. Pete chose a faster, fairer way to invest in our city’s future,” James Scott, executive committee chairperson of the Suncoast Sierra Club, told the Times.
About 53% of voters were on board with allowing the city to off-load nine lots, which are designated as parkland but do not function as parks, around the Jamestown Apartments and Townhomes. The city can now sell those lots for affordable or workforce housing.
Voters also greenlit extending the Harborage Marina’s lease in Bayboro Harbor, allowing longer leases at the Port of St. Petersburg and clarifying changes to hold city elections in even-numbered years.
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