Crist Leads St. Pete Mayor’s Race: St. Pete Election Results 2026 [LIVE UPDATES]

Updated: Tuesday, 8:15 p.m.

Challenger Charlie Crist holds a substantial lead over incumbent Ken Welch in St. Petersburg's mayoral race.

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As of about 8:10 p.m., Crist earned 61.99 percent of the vote compared to Welch's 38.01 percent, compared to unofficial results from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office.

In other city contests, Gabriel Hament (53.37 percent of the vote) leads Courtney Bermudez (46.63 percent of the vote in District 2, unofficial results show.

And Linsey Grove leads in District 6 with 55.27 percent of the vote compared to Trevor Malory's 44.73 percent, the data shows.

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Polls have closed on Election Day across Pinellas County, though anyone still in line at the time of their 7 p.m. closure will still be allowed to cast a ballot.

Voters in the St. Pete area had a say in governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, and state legislative races, along with local contests, in the Nov. 3 midterm election.

They also made decisions on state constitutional amendments and county charter referendums on Tuesday.

In St. Pete, the local races of note included the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, the Pinellas County School Board and the St. Pete City Council.

Find the latest vote tally updates below:

(Note: Because the state has two time zones, preliminary election night results won't be released until 8 p.m. EST. Be sure to check back here and refresh this page for the latest as results begin to flow in.)

St. Petersburg Races

St. Petersburg Mayor

St. Petersburg City Council, District 2

St. Petersburg City Council, District 6

Pinellas County Races

Board of County Commissioners, District 2 (At Large)

Board of County Commissioners, District 6 (Single Member)

School Board, District 3 (At Large)

Check back here with Patch for local results as they're reported throughout the night.

Most Florida polling places were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST on Election Day, while some counties in the Panhandle are open until 8 p.m. EST because they're in the Central Time Zone. Expect results to start being released at 8 p.m.

Other Issues And Candidates

Other Municipal And Special District Races

Depending on where they live, Pinellas County voters will also decide the following races:

• Belleair Beach City Council: Kent A. Goff, Annette Hopper, Lloyd A. Roberts and Jody Shirley.
• Clearwater City Council, Seat 5: Mark Bunker and Sam Wilson.
• Dunedin City Commission, Seat 4: Nan Bennett and Mark A. Ossian.
• Largo City Commission, Seat 2: Curtis A. Holmes and Matthew Faustini.
• Seminole City Council: Ray Beliveau, Mike Lurie and Kadi Hendricks Tubbs.
• East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District, Seat 2: Jim Downes and Bob Fornwalt.
• Palm Harbor Special Fire Control and Rescue District, Seat 2: Benjamin Nichols and Julie Peluso.
• Pinellas Suncoast Fire and Rescue District, Seat 2: Elizabeth "Betsey" McKenna and Daniel Mynsberge.
• Eastlake Oaks Community Development District, Seat 2: Joshua Main and J.R. "Nick" Yagnik.

St. Petersburg Referendums And Charter Amendments

Stormwater, Wastewater And/Or Potable Water Improvements General Obligation Bond Referendum

Shall the city finance storm resilience improvements, including floodwater protection, stormwater pump stations, drainage infrastructure, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, and drinking water distribution and supply facilities, by issuing general obligation bonds in one or more series, not exceeding $600 million, bearing interest not exceeding maximum legal rates, maturing not more than 30 years from each issuance date, and pledging the city's full faith, credit and unlimited ad valorem taxing power?

Choices:

• Yes — For Bonds
• No — Against Bonds

No. 1 Charter Amendment — Removing City-Owned Vacant Lots From Park And Waterfront Map To Create Housing

The City Charter Park and Waterfront Map includes a composite parcel identified as "Jamestown," consisting of Unity Park, recreational open space within Jamestown apartments and nine city-owned lots in the adjacent neighborhood that are vacant and closed to the public.

Shall the City Charter be amended to remove those nine vacant lots from the map to allow subsequent or separate land-use changes and potential sale of the lots for affordable or workforce housing?

Choices:

• Yes
• No

No. 2 Referendum — Authorizing Amendment Of Harborage Marina Lease To Extend Term To 30 Years And Require Improvements

May City Council approve an amendment to the lease of city-owned submerged lands at Harborage Marina, subject to conditions in Ordinance 640-H?

The amendment would extend the lease to 30 years and require the tenant to construct new improvements at no cost to the city, including 200 linear feet of docks, boat lifts and expanded restrooms. Those improvements would become city property at the end of the lease.

Choices:

• Yes
• No

No. 2 Charter Amendment — Authorizing A 25-Year Lease Limitation For The Port Of St. Petersburg

The City Charter currently limits leases at the Port of St. Petersburg to 10 years without approval by citywide referendum.

Shall the charter be amended to increase that limitation to 25 years? The amendment would make the port consistent with the adjacent Albert Whitted Airport and provide the city with additional flexibility to enter into agreements with private entities for redevelopment of port facilities. It would not change the permitted use of the port.

Choices:

• Yes
• No

No. 3 Charter Amendment — Technical, Clarifying And Conforming Changes To Effectuate Holding Municipal Elections In Even-Numbered Years

In 2022, voters approved a citywide referendum to reschedule elections for mayor and City Council members to even-numbered years so city elections would align with national and state elections beginning in 2024.

Shall the charter be amended to make technical, clarifying and conforming changes necessary to fully effectuate the intent of the 2022 referendum, including alignment of the charter review process with the current election schedule?

Choices:

• Yes
• No

Florida Constitutional Amendments

Pinellas County voters will also weigh in on three proposed Florida constitutional amendments:

• Amendment 1 — Budget Stabilization Fund: Would increase the amount of money that can be retained in the state's budget stabilization fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue collections, require annual transfers under specified conditions and allow withdrawals for critical state needs.
• Amendment 2 — Agricultural Property Tax Exemption: Would exempt qualifying tangible personal property used for agricultural production or agritourism on agricultural land from property taxes, beginning with the 2027 tax year.
• Amendment 3 — Increased Homestead Exemption And Lower Cap On Non-Homestead Property Assessments: Would increase the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments afterward; establish a delayed increase for certain new residents; allow additional local homestead exemptions; reduce the annual assessment-growth cap for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%; and restrict how local governments use property tax revenue, with exceptions.

Voters can select Yes or No on each constitutional amendment and applicable local referendum.

Follow along with Patch throughout the night on the biggest issues around town.