HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Early voting is underway in Tampa’s District 5 special Election, where 14 candidates are competing to fill a city council seat left vacant after the sudden passing of Councilwoman Gwen Henderson in June. More than 45,000 residents are eligible to vote in District 5, the largest district in the city, which includes Sulpher Springs, East Tampa, Downtown, Ybor City, and Palmetto Beach.
Tampa Bay 28 spoke with voters across the district about the issues they want the next city council member to prioritize.
For Judith Tejada, the answer is safety.
WATCH: Early voting begins in Tampa's District 5 special election
“You obviously see me running at 6:30 in the morning, so feeling safe to do that by myself is probably the most critical thing,” Tejada said.
She is calling for more police patrols in parks and school zones, especially in Downtown Tampa.
For others, the focus is on affordable housing.
Ted Haynes said, “You see a lot of things right now where people who are unhoused are being displaced, even those who do have homes now are being displaced to put up high rises.”
In Palmetto Beach, residents say they feel neglected by city leadership
Denise Reddick said, “They feel very neglected because there’s a tremendous amount of need back here, but because of the current population, demographics of the population, there just isn’t a lot of attention.”
Residents there are asking for improvements to stormwater drainage, road and sidewalk conditions, and seawall repairs.
Early voting starts Sept. 4 and the polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the following locations:
- Hillsborough County Center
- C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library
- Robert L. Gilder Elections Service Center
- West Tampa Library
Election Day is on Tuesday, September 9th. All ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on election night.
With 14 candidates on the ballot, the Supervisor of Elections said a runoff is possible.
“If no candidate receives 50 percent plus one, then this will go to a runoff with the top two vote getters,” Craig Latimer said.
That means voters could be headed back to the polls later this Fall for a runoff election, depending on Tuesday's outcome.
Election officials are encouraging voters to research candidates before heading to the polls.
Share Your Story with Keely
From finding savings to help navigate the price of paradise, to the safety of our roads, and even the latest medical breakthroughs; Keely McCormick is dedicated to helping you get the most out of your day. Share your ideas with Keely below.
.
Elderly woman discovers over $100,000 in unclaimed funds thanks to an officer
"I get a bunch of mail every night saying that I won money. It went from like $40,000 to $80,000," said an 88-year-old local woman, who just went by Barbara.
