"A map showing the proposed March 2026 Tampa City Council district boundaries as approved by the Hillsborough County Planning Commission. The map features four colored zones: green for West Tampa (District 6), blue for East Tampa and Downtown (District 5), red for South Tampa (District 4), and purple for North Tampa (District 7). The boundaries reflect the latest redistricting shifts over a grey and white street-level street map." — A crop of a map showing new Tampa City Council districts voted on by the Hillsborough County Planning Commission on March 9, 2026. Credit: Tampa Monitor / Tampa Bay Journalism Project

Every four years, the Hillsborough County Planning Commission is tasked with rebalancing population density in the four Tampa City Council districts. On March 9, 2026, the Planning Commission voted on Alternative 2, moving the predominantly Hispanic Precinct 345 from the most populous District 7 to District 5.

The change reduces the population difference between the two from 8.3%, above the 5% threshold to 3.97%, making District 5 the most populous district with 106,002 residents up from 101,007. Districts 4 and 6 populations remain the same, 101,899 and 102,780 respectively. District 7 slides to second most populous with 104,673. All the data is based on ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023).

As reported by Leah Burdick with WMNF News community leaders in West Tampa were concerned with reducing Black representation in district 6 if Alternative 4 had been chosen.

Michael Randolph with the West Tampa CDC said residents should support alternative two, which he said best protects the community.

”Only one precinct is moved. There’s no disruption to the West Tampa or East Tampa Black community. No churches were split, and it had strong support, 440 people backed it compared to the other proposal,” Randolph said.

According to the Planning Commission they will next forward the approved district boundaries to the Supervisor of Elections office for proclamation. Following that, staff will present the new boundaries to Tampa City Council prior to September. The next City of Tampa Elections will be held March 2, 2027.

Alternative 1 (affects 6,073 voters)