Tampa Mayor's Race: Castor, Straz In Runoff April 23

TAMPA, FL -- With all 103 precincts reporting, former Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor received 48.03 percent of the vote.

But with less than 50 percent of the vote, it looks like Castor and David Straz, who received 15.45 percent, are headed for a runoff on April 23.

Also headed for runoffs are City Council District 1 candidates Joseph Citro and Walter L. Smith II, City Council District 3 candidates former city councilman John Dingfelder and Stephen Lytle and City Council District 5 candidates Jeffrey l. Rhodes and retired Tampa Police Officer Orlando Gudes.

Unofficial winners with more than 50 percent of the vote are incumbent Charlie Miranda for District 2, Tucker Hall President Bill Carlson for District 4, incumbent Guido Maniscalco for District 6 and incumbent Luis Viera for District 7.

Perhaps it was the rain. Or maybe voters are simply burned out after a year of meet-and-greets, debates and political forums.

For whatever reason, turnout at the polls for today's Tampa municipal elections were lower than predicted. According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Office, voter participation was down about 2 percent from the 2011 Tampa elections, the last time the city chose a new mayor. That's a bleak statistic. During the 2011 election, 22 percent of registered voters cast their ballot. During this election, 20.41 percent of voters cast ballots -- 48,515 in all.

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer said today's turnout was disappointing.

“I continue to remind our electorate that local elections are very important," he said. "They impact our daily lives.”

Polling places opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday for registered Tampa voters who opted not to take advantage of early voting or voting by mail.

As of yesterday, 12 percent of the eligible registered city of Tampa voters had voted by mail or early voting.

The ballot includes an open race for mayor, as well as city council seats and 18 proposed amendments to Tampa's City Charter.

Candidates for mayor

Jane Castor 48.03%

Harry Cohen 12.15%

Dick Greco Jr. 8.55%

Christopher "Topher" Morrison 1.72%

David Straz 15.45%

Mike Suarez 5.06%

Ed Turanchik 8.88%

City Council District 1

Joseph Citro 31.34%

Alan Clendenin 19.14%

David Loos 11.36%

Craig A. Newman 18.89%

Walter L. Smith II 19.27%

City Council District 2

John Godwin 23.28%

Charlie Miranda 57.67%

Joe Robinson 18.05%

City Council District 3

John Dingfelder 49.96%

Nicholas Glover 19.74%

Stephen Lytle 20.26%

Vibha "Ms. V" Shevade 11.04%

City Council District 4

Bill Carlson 51.05%

Sal Guagliardo Jr. 22.14%

Lee Lowry 28.81%

City Council District 5

Ella K. Coffee 23.51%

Todd "TC" Cole 7%

Orlando Gudes 27.68%

Jeffrey L. Rhodes 30.24%

Ralph "The Computer Guy" Smith 11.58%

City Council District 6

Guido Maniscalco 61.28%

Wendy Pepe 38.72%

City Council District 7

Quinton F. Robinson 23.75%

Luis Viera 76.25%

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