Sep 11, 2025 - Politics

Tampa's District 5 City Council race heads to runoff

Yacob Reyes

Illustration of a voting booth lit by multiple spotlights. — Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios

Tampa's District 5 City Council seat will remain vacant, at least for another month.

Why it matters: The crowded race of 14 candidates in this week's special election made a runoff inevitable.

But now, with a narrower field and a few more weeks to campaign, voters have a chance to better familiarize themselves with the remaining candidates.

Zoom in: When no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates advance to a runoff, according to a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County supervisor of elections.

Thomas Scott and Naya Young led the field with about 27% and 13% of the vote, respectively. The two are now expected to compete in the runoff election scheduled for Oct. 28.
Scott has raised around $50,000 and spent $30,000 so far, leaving him with about $20,000 heading into the runoff. Young, meanwhile, has raised almost $20,000 and spent half that.

By the numbers: Out of the district's 45,079 registered voters, 5,411 votes were cast by election day, per unofficial results.

What's next: Election results will be certified on Friday, and a runoff will be announced shortly thereafter.

Residents of the district who want to vote in the runoff election but aren't registered will have until Sept. 29 to do so.
Early voting is from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26.

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Tampa's District 5 City Council race heads to runoff

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