Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller Credit: Photo via Ilya Images/Shutterstock
There are seven charter amendments up for consideration in Pinellas County, ranging from term limits for county commissioners, hiring and firing of county attorneys, and the amendment process itself.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet, and short explanations below.

  • No. 1: Providing for County Commissioner Term Limits: YES
  • No. 2: Revising County Initiative Petition Requirements and Process: YES
  • No. 3: Lowering Signature Percentage for Petition Drives to Propose County Charter Amendments: YES
  • No. 4: Charter Amendment Revising Thresholds for Appointment and Removal of County Attorney: YES
  • No. 5: Referenda on County Charter Amendments to be Held at General Elections Only: YES
  • No. 6: Conforming Publication Requirements for County Charter Amendment Referenda to the Florida Election Code: NO
  • No. 7: Pinellas Charter Cleanup Amendment: YES
No. 1: Providing for County Commissioner Term Limits: YES
Electeds like to say that elections are like term limits, but this allows for new candidates and ideas to wedge their way into the policy-making process. If passed, the measure prohibits County Commissioners who have held the office for the preceding 12 years from appearing on a ballot for reelection and requiring a minimum of four years off the commission before serving again.
 No. 2: Revising County Initiative Petition Requirements and Process: YES
No. 3: Lowering Signature Percentage for Petition Drives to Propose County Charter Amendments: YES
Pinellas Amendments 2 and 3 modify how citizens can directly propose charter amendments. Amendment 2 would change the timeframe for groups to gather signatures, but its companion, Amendment 3, lowers the requirement for the number of signed petitions from 8% to 5% of all registered voters in the county. We’re a little torn on Amendment 2 since we’d like every opportunity for normal people to have a say in their government, but fully behind Amendment 3.
See all of CL’s ballot recommendations on our 2024 general election landing page.
No. 4: Charter Amendment Revising Thresholds for Appointment and Removal of County Attorney: YES
Pinellas’ County Attorney serves the supervisor of elections, tax collector, clerk of court, sheriff and property appraiser—plus the seven-member commission. Should this amendment pass, firing the attorney would fall on the shoulders of a 12-member oversight committee. It’s a good idea.
No. 5: Referenda on County Charter Amendments to be Held at General Elections Only: YES
Democracy works best when more people vote. This amendment would move votes on change to the Pinellas charter to the general election cycle—and not on municipal and primary elections.
No. 6: Conforming Publication Requirements for County Charter Amendment Referenda to the Florida Election Code: NO
Democracy also works best when people have a chance to read about what the fuck they’re voting on. Current rules call for proposed amendments to be published in a newspaper for four weeks in a row, at least 45 days before the election. If Amendment 6 passes, that requirement would drop to just once in the fifth week before the election date and once in the third week. CL doesn’t even make much money from these kinds of notices, but more transparency is better.
No. 7: Pinellas Charter Cleanup Amendment: YES
Everyone needs an editor (grammar snobs let us know all the time). This amendment simply allows for a cleanup of outdated language. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

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This article appears in Oct 24-30, 2024.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...