Voters approve three of four Tampa City Charter amendments

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor cruised to a second term on Tuesday night, but voters were very clear that they’re OK with checking her power.

Four amendments to the city charter were on the ballot in the 2023 Tampa Municipal Election. In January, Castor attempted to use her veto pen to stop voters from having a say on amendments, but council pushed back to get four of five amendments on the ballot. In the days leading up to the election, voters received mailers from PACs connected to the mayor, telling them to reject the charter amendments at the ballot box.

But voters approved three of the amendments on Tuesday, including one that forces the mayor to fill any interim department heads within 180 days.

As previously reported, Tampa voters would likely not be talking about this charter change if Castor’s search for a police chief wasn’t done in secret—or ended with the selection of an unpopular selection who was unceremoniously forced to resign after less than a year on the job.

Voters also approved amendments that will force the city’s charter review commission to convene every eight years instead of 10, and another that limits any Tampa City Councilperson to no more than a total of four consecutive full terms (the term limits are effective in the 2027 election, so forever councilman Charlie Miranda, who’s headed to a runoff in District 6, is safe for now).

Voters, however, did reject an amendment that would have clarified language about council’s ability to create standing boards like the Citizens Review Board on police.