Pinellas voters decide on $600M bond, port lease, and county races Tuesday

Polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Pinellas County, marking the end of the midterm election cycle for local and state offices. Voters in St. Petersburg and surrounding communities cast ballots for county commissioners, school board members, and city council seats. They also decided on several high-stakes local referendums and state constitutional changes.

The St. Petersburg ballot included a general obligation bond referendum worth up to $600 million. The measure asks voters to approve financing for storm resilience improvements, floodwater protection, and drainage infrastructure. The city would pledge its full faith, credit, and unlimited ad valorem taxing power for these bonds. The debt would mature within 30 years of each issuance date, bearing interest at maximum legal rates.

City voters also faced a charter amendment concerning the Park and Waterfront Map. The proposal seeks to remove nine city-owned vacant lots located near Unity Park and the Jamestown apartments from the map. This change would allow for land-use changes and the potential sale of these lots for affordable or workforce housing. The nine lots are currently closed to the public.

Two other local measures focused on port and marina operations. One referendum authorized the extension of the Harborage Marina lease to 30 years. The amendment requires the tenant to construct new docks, boat lifts, and expanded restrooms at no cost to the city. These improvements would become city property when the lease ends. A separate charter amendment proposed increasing the maximum lease length for the Port of St. Petersburg from 10 years to 25 years, aligning it with the Albert Whitted Airport regulations.

Pinellas County voters weighed in on three Florida constitutional amendments. Amendment 1 proposed increasing the state budget stabilization fund from 10% to 25% of general revenue collections. Amendment 2 offered a property tax exemption for agricultural tangible personal property starting in 2027. Amendment 3 proposed raising the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. It also lowered the annual assessment growth cap for non-homestead properties from 10% to 5%.

Local races included contests for the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners in District 2 and District 6. The Pinellas County School Board District 3 seat was also up for election. In St. Petersburg, candidates sought seats on the City Council for District 2 and District 6. The mayor's race was also part of the local ballot.

Voters in several municipal and special district elections made decisions on fire control and community development seats. These included contests in Belleair Beach, Clearwater, Dunedin, Largo, and Seminole. Specific candidates for these seats included Kent A. Goff, Annette Hopper, and Lloyd A. Roberts in Belleair Beach. In Clearwater, Mark Bunker and Sam Wilson ran for City Council Seat 5.

Preliminary results were not released until 8 p.m. EST due to the state's two time zones. While most Florida polling places operated from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., some Panhandle counties remained open until 8 p.m. because they observe Central Time. Anyone in line at the 7 p.m. closure in Pinellas County was permitted to cast a ballot.

The 2026 election cycle followed a 2022 citywide referendum that rescheduled St. Petersburg elections to even-numbered years. This change aligned local municipal elections with national and state voting schedules beginning in 2024. A third charter amendment on Tuesday sought technical and clarifying changes to fully effectuate the intent of that 2022 rescheduling measure.