A professional portrait photograph showing Lindsey Grove. Captured in a centered medium close-up shot against a smooth studio gradient backdrop, public health leader and political candidate Lindsey Grove smiles directly at the camera. She wears dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail, dark red lipstick, a light blue open-collar dress shirt, and a dark blue blazer under soft studio lighting.
Linsey Grove Credit: Courtesy / Linsey Grove campaign

We’re lucky to get to choose between Trevor Mallory and Linsey Grove for St. Pete’s city council. But Grove takes it.

We’re voting for her over the former minor league pitcher because she supports the grassroots campaign to kick for-profit utilities out of St. Petersburg.

A public utility is one of the most important decisions any city councilmember will make in the next few years. Grove, a public health practitioner and community organizer, says she won’t vote to stick us with another 30-year contract with Duke Energy.  Mallory told the League of Women Voters that he doesn’t support the city dumping Duke to run its own utility, instead saying, “there needs to be more research.”

Mallory, who’s worked in developing and managing affordable housing, is a fine contender. His priorities of youth programming and affordability both need investment from our city. 

But Grove wants those things, too. For-profit utilities and their dollars are hugely influential in Florida politics and keep ratepayers broke. Any candidate willing to stand up to that powerful lobby gets an edge.

Even if you love Duke Energy for some reason, Grove’s proposals to support neighborhood associations, invest in infrastructure and limit private equity’s ability to purchase single-family homes are reasons enough to give her a term on St. Petersburg’s city council.—Valerie Smith

St. Petersburg city council and mayor’s office

St. Petersburg City Council, District 6: Linsey Grove

St. Petersburg City Council, District 2: Gabriel Hament

St. Petersburg Mayor: Ken Welch

St. Petersburg referendums and charter amendments

St. Petersburg Referendum No. 1, $600 Million Water and Stormwater Bonds: YES

St. Petersburg Referendum No. 2, Harborage Marina Lease: YES

St. Petersburg Charter Amendment No. 1, Jamestown Vacant Lots for Housing: NO

St. Petersburg Charter Amendment No. 2, Port Lease Limit to 25 Years: YES

St. Petersburg Charter Amendment No. 3, Even-Year Election Cleanup: YES

Creative Loafing voting guide 2026: How to vote in Tampa Bay, and who we’re voting for

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This article appears in Oct. 22 – 28, 2026.