St. Petersburg City Election: What You Need to Know

St. Petersburg residents head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3 to make their choices known in three city council races. Four referendums are also on the ballot.

Here’s a list of the basics registered voters need to know before they head to their local precincts:

Who’s Running?

The city has three council member seats up for grabs in its nonpartisan election:

• District 1 – The choices are Monica M. Abbott or Charlie Gerdes
• District 5 – The choices are Philip Garrett or Steve Kornell
• District 7 – The choices are Winthrop “Will” Newton or Lisa Wheeler-Brown

The Referendums

• No 1 – This referendum asks voters if the city council should be allowed to place permanent use and development restrictions on some of the city-owned submerged lands located near North Shore Park. The purpose is to protect and enhance seagrass beds while furthering goals of water quality improvement and habitat conservation.
• No. 2 – This referendum seeks to change the City Charter to ensure that Council Districts do not have to follow voting precinct lines when it is not practical “due to the need for the Council Districts to be compact and contiguous.”
• No. 3 – This referendum seeks to amend the city’s charter to “clarify that a declared district candidate is required to remain a resident of the candidate’s declared district before, during and, if elected, after the election and during their term of office.” The measure would also clarify that a mayoral candidate must remain a resident of the city before, during, and if elected, after the election during the term of office.
• No. 4 – This charter amendment would clarify that it is OK to conduct a city council roll call vote using an electronic system to tally, display and record council votes “without the City Clerk needing to orally recite what is visually displayed.”

Poll Times

• The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where to Vote

• A list of all the city’s precincts is available on the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections website.

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