Tampa elections Archives - Creative Loafing Tampa

Community leader Fran Tate enters Tampa’s District 5 City Council race

The founder and president of the Jackson Heights Neighborhood Association wants to get infrastructure projects moving.

by Leif Helland September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

Another Tampa City Council race is taking shape thanks to a familiar face and name: Fran Tate. The community leader entered the District 5 City Council race in July, six months after incumbent District 5 City Council member Naya Young filed. Life coach Christina Murray is also in the race. So far in campaign financing […]

Dr. Patricia Alonzo enters District 7 Tampa City Council race, seeking to fix the district’s socioeconomic disparities

Retired journalist Alan Cohn and Morris Lopez III are also in the race to replace outgoing Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera.

by Leif Helland September 10, 2026September 10, 2026

A photograph showing political candidate Gary Hartfield sitting outdoors on a concrete bench at Kiley Garden in Tampa, Florida. Captured in a medium three-quarter shot, Hartfield sits with his hands clasped together in his lap, looking directly forward toward the camera. He wears a grey plaid suit with a white dress shirt and dark blue tie. Behind him, the open-air plaza features green lawn strips, a white concrete wall, metal railings, and the distant rooftops and spires of downtown Tampa under a partly cloudy sky.

Tampa mayoral candidate Gary Hartfield hosts campaign launch event on Thursday

The 55-year-old filed to run last March.

by Ray Roa August 19, 2026August 19, 2026

Retired Tampa newscaster Jeff Patterson is running for city council

He’s promising to fix damaged roads, sidewalks, and infrastructure.

by Leif Helland August 13, 2026August 13, 2026

A professional campaign portrait of Tampa City Council District 3 candidate Candice Cowen smiling warmly at the camera. Framed from the chest up, the individual stands slightly turned to the side while looking forward. They have long, dark hair styled in thin micro-braids or locs gathered into a high ponytail that cascades behind them. They are wearing thick-rimmed, black cat-eye glasses, small gold hoop earrings, a purple top under a tailored black blazer, and have their arms crossed. The background features a brightly lit, softly blurred outdoor city street scene with palm tree

In Tampa City Council race, Candice Cowen already has endorsements from state reps and school board members

The city employee is focused on affordable housing and running against two other candidates for the District 3 seat.

by Leif Helland July 20, 2026July 20, 2026

Garrett Greco, grandson of a four-time mayor, files to run for Tampa City Council

Greco joins Candice Cowen and Quinton F. Robinson in the District 3 race.

by Ray Roa and Leif Helland July 8, 2026July 9, 2026

A professional outdoor portrait of Hoyt Prindle III. He is smiling and standing with his arms crossed, wearing a navy blue blazer over a light-colored button-down shirt. He has dark hair and a groomed beard. The background is a soft-focus view of a wooden bridge and green trees under natural daylight.

Tampa City Council election 2027: Hoyt Prindle will challenge Charlie Miranda in District 6

Prindle lost by only 135 votes in 2023.

by Jasmin Parrado April 13, 2026April 17, 2026

Former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn stands at a podium draped with multiple news microphones, including those from local stations like 10 Tampa Bay and ABC Action News. He is dressed in a dark suit with a white pocket square and a blue tie, gesturing with one hand as he speaks. In the blurred background, a sign for the "County Center" at 601 East Kennedy Boulevard is visible.

Bob Buckhorn officially enters 2027 Tampa mayoral race, says he expects council members to ‘stay in their lanes’

Buckhorn, a two-time mayor who served consecutive terms as mayor from 2011-2019, says every neighborhood must ‘succeed together.’

by Ray Roa April 13, 2026April 13, 2026

A professional portrait of Gary Hartfield sitting on white concrete bleacher-style steps in an urban park. He is smiling and wearing a grey plaid suit with a navy blue tie and a white dress shirt. The Tampa city skyline and a metal railing are visible in the blurred background under bright daylight.

Entrepreneur Gary Hartfield enters race to be Tampa’s next mayor

Hartfield says his campaign will focus on improving infrastructure and affordability.

by Jasmin Parrado April 7, 2026April 7, 2026

Bob Buckhorn’s mayoral PAC has more than $1.4 million—and most of it comes from development and investment interests

The two-time mayor defended his big money connections and use of CRA funds to subsidize development, saying ‘I would do it again 10 times over every day of the week.’

by Jasmin Parrado February 19, 2026February 20, 2026

Naya Young (center) smiles and laughs with supporters at a victory party, holding a napkin. She and the woman to her right are wearing white T-shirts that read "NAYA YOUNG" in orange and blue text.

Photos: Tampa’s new city councilwoman, Naya Young, celebrates landslide victory in Ybor City

Young won all but three precincts in the district and earned just under 61% of the vote.

by Ray Roa and Dave Decker October 29, 2025October 29, 2025

Side-by-side photo of two speakers at an event. On the left, a man in a dark suit and tie speaks into a microphone. On the right, a woman in an orange dress also speaks into a microphone while seated. Both appear engaged in discussion against a dark backdrop.

Elections, News & Views, Tampa Bay Journalism Project, Tampa Bay News

Voting in Tampa’s City Council District 5 election is happening right now—here’s how to do it

Early voting runs through Sunday, Oct. 26. Election Day is on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

by Ray Roa, Chris Young, Seán Kinane and WMNF News October 24, 2025October 24, 2025

Candidates in special election for Tampa City Council share their favorite eats in District 5

by Ray Roa August 26, 2025

Tampa Monitor: Naya Young’s knowledge of CBAs was the highlight of the HCDBC candidate forum

Young’s energy and general command of the room was obvious.

by Michael Bishop and The Tampa Monitor August 18, 2025September 1, 2025

Tampa Bay’s primary elections are your only chance to vote for local school boards, judges and more

by Ray Roa August 9, 2024

Op-ed: It’s time to confront Tampa’s low voter turnout by timing local and national elections together

Tampa’s commitment to this outdated practice resulted in an abysmal municipal election turnout last spring.

by Matt Newton September 5, 2023June 1, 2025

‘It’s unconscionable’: Former mayor, police chief decry dark money and attack ads in Tampa city council races

“Never before, ever—and I am an old woman—has there been this nastiness in a local non-partisan race.”

by Ray Roa and Colin Wolf April 21, 2023May 8, 2025

Tampa City Council District 4 candidates Bill Carlson and Blake Casper seated together at a 2023 election forum. Bill Carlson is on the left in a navy blazer; to his right, Blake Casper wears a dark suit with a green tie and a campaign button.

Despite zoning law, Tampa city council candidate Blake Casper is using his Bayshore homes as commercial sites

City records show that Casper is not permitted to use the residential homes for commercial purposes.

by Justin Garcia March 3, 2023April 27, 2025

Tampa neighborhood association threatens defamation lawsuit over mailer attacking Lynn Hurtak

Lawyers say that false and malicious claims were made against councilwoman Lynn Hurtak and Harbour Island residents

by Justin Garcia February 28, 2023April 29, 2025

To get endorsed by Tampa’s police union, candidates are asked if they’ve supported BLM, own a gun, or advocated against police brutality

The survey also asks candidates if they believe the Constitution is “a living document.”

by Justin Garcia January 4, 2023June 3, 2025