Defeat Of Hillsborough Schools Tax Referendum Confirmed

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A recount of the votes on the Hillsborough County Schools request for a 1-mil tax increase during the primary has confirmed that the referendum did not pass.

The Hillsborough County Canvassing Board certified the second unofficial results for the 2022 primary after successfully completing a machine recount of the votes cast in the millage referendum.

The recount showed that 111,076 votes against the referendum and 110,486 votes for the referendum, certifying that it did not pass, with the referendum defeated by 590 votes.

This includes the total number of votes after provisional and cured ballots were counted.

The final vote on primary night, Aug. 23, was 110,342 (49.86 percent) votes in favor of the referendum and 110,961 (50.14 percent) votes against the referendum.

See related story: Results Remain Up In Air For Hillsborough Schools Tax Referendum

A recount was also ordered on the county court judge group 14 race due to the narrow margin between the winner and runner-up.

The results of the recount were as follows:

• Melissa Black: 62,386
• Alicia Whiting Bozich: 28,727
• Linette "Starr" Brookins: 58,569
• Mike Isaak: 59,293

Black and Isaak will move on to the general election ballot Nov. 6.

The canvassing board will hold its final meeting for the primary election Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. to certify official results and the post-election audit at the Robert L. Gilder Elections Service Center, 2514 N. Falkenburg Road, Tampa. The meeting is open to the public.

The final official election results will be posted at VoteHillsborough.gov at the conclusion of the August 30 meeting.