Because Florida doesn't do boring elections. Not even the ones nobody's paying attention to.
And that's exactly the problem.
Every March, a handful of Pinellas County cities hold municipal elections — the kind that get about as much media coverage as a Tuesday night city commission meeting. (Which is to say: almost none.) And every year, decisions that affect your actual daily life get made by candidates who win with a few hundred votes because most people didn't know the election was happening.
Not this year. Not on our watch.
March 10, 2026 is Election Day for municipal races across multiple Pinellas County cities. These are the elections that decide who runs your actual city — your mayor, your city commission, the people who vote on your water bill, your zoning ordinances, and whether that empty lot down the street becomes affordable housing or another Wawa.
Let's talk about it.
Why Municipal Elections Matter More Than You Think
Here's a civics truth nobody teaches you: your city government has more direct impact on your daily life than Congress does.
Congress debates things. Your city council decides things.
- Your property taxes? Set locally.
- That pothole on your street? City's job.
- The new development going up next to your neighborhood? Zoning board, city commission, local votes.
- Code enforcement, parks, stormwater fees, traffic signals, local housing policy? All of it — local.
- Whether your city has a plan for the next hurricane season? You guessed it.
The people on these ballots aren't abstract political figures. They shop at your Publix. They live in your zip code. And they make decisions about your neighborhood with or without your input.
The difference between a city that works for its residents and one that doesn't? Participation. Consistently.
Municipal election turnout in Pinellas County routinely hovers around 10–20% of registered voters. That means a tiny slice of your neighbors is picking leadership for everyone. That's not a democracy problem — it's an awareness problem. Which is exactly why we're here.
What's on the Ballot: City-by-City Breakdown
The following races are officially confirmed on the March 10, 2026 ballot by the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. Check back at votepinellas.gov as additional races may be finalized.
🏙️ City of Belleair Bluffs
Commissioner (Vote for up to Two)
- Joe Barkley — joebarkley.com
- Ana Hale
- David Roberts
Three candidates, two seats — do the math and choose wisely.
🌊 City of Gulfport
This one's a workout. Gulfport voters have two council races AND ten referendum questions on the ballot. Yes, ten. Gulfport is having a whole civic moment.
Councilmember Ward 1
- Jennifer M. Daunch — jenniferdaunch.com
- Joe Guenther
Councilmember Ward 3
- Jennifer N. Webb — jenniferwebbforflorida.com
- Keri Nelson
10 Referendum Questions — in plain English, here's what Gulfport voters are deciding:
- #1 — Reduce maximum lease length for city-owned property from 30 years to 5 years
- #2 — Require city-owned property leases to be based on fair market value (appraiser-determined)
- #3 — Extend non-mayoral council terms from 2 years to 3 years
- #4 — Cap the Mayor and council members at three consecutive terms in the same office
- #5 — Require a two-year cooling-off period after three consecutive terms before running again
- #6 — Remove criminal penalties for council member interference in city staffing decisions
- #7 — Clarify when a council seat is legally considered vacant (death, resignation, lawful removal, or majority council vote)
- #8 — Allow forfeiture of office for lack of qualifications, certain criminal convictions, or excessive absences
- #9 — Allow removal from office for intentional or continuous charter violations, following an independent magistrate hearing
- #10 — Require full charter review every 5 years instead of every 10
That's a lot of civic homework. Good thing you've got three weeks. The sample ballot tool at votepinellas.gov has the full legal text of every question.
🏖️ City of Indian Rocks Beach
Mayor-Commissioner
- Denise Houseberg
- Lan Vaughan
Commissioner (Vote for up to Two)
- Matthew Barrowclough
- Don House
- Michael Mirmanesh
- Kellee Watt
- Janet Wilson
Five candidates, two seats. IRB voters have some real choices to make.
🌅 Town of Indian Shores
Council Member (Vote for up to Two)
- Ellen A. Bauer
- Michael P. Howard
- Michael A. "Mike" Petruccelli
🏘️ Town of Kenneth City
Mayor
- Robert Arrison
- Bonnie A. Noble
⚠️ Note on Council Seats: The Councilmember race in Kenneth City has candidates who withdrew, leaving the remaining candidates running unopposed. Per Florida law, unopposed candidates are deemed elected — so your vote in that race won't change the outcome. But the Mayor's race is very much live, and the two Charter Amendments on the ballot still need your vote.
2 Charter Amendments
- Changing qualifications for the Town Manager (requiring a bachelor's degree, with relevant experience accepted as a substitute)
- Changing residency requirements for the Town Manager (must live within 30 miles of Town Hall within 60 days of taking office)
🏝️ City of Madeira Beach
Commissioner District 2
- Charles "Chuck" Dillon
- Ray Kerr
🌇 Town of Redington Shores
Commissioner District 1
- Douglas Harr
- Shawn Hatfield
⚓ City of Safety Harbor
Commissioner Seat 4
- David Gallagher
- Kevin Shanks
🌴 City of St. Pete Beach
Mayor-Commissioner
- Adrian Petrila
- Scott Tate
Commissioner District 3
- Al Causey
- Betty Rzewnicki
Two contested races in St. Pete Beach — this one's worth watching.
🎭 City of Tarpon Springs
Commissioner Seat 2
- Va Celia Koumendouros
- Craig Lunt
- Lori Weaver
Three-way race for one seat. Every vote has extra weight when the field is this tight.
🏖️ City of Treasure Island
1 Charter Amendment
Treasure Island has one question on the ballot: whether the City Commission should be allowed to grant easements on city-owned property for beach renourishment and maintenance by majority vote. Given what Pinellas beaches have been through post-Helene and Milton, this one matters.
🗓️ What About St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Dunedin, and Oldsmar?
Good question. As of publication, these cities are not listed on the March 10, 2026 confirmed ballot from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. Municipal election cycles vary — some cities hold races in odd years, some in even years, some on different schedules entirely. Always verify your specific city at votepinellas.gov using the "Find Your Precinct" tool, which will show your exact ballot.
Key Dates: Don't Miss Your Window
| Deadline | Date | |---|---| | Voter Registration Deadline | February 9, 2026 | | Last Day to Mail Your Ballot | February 28, 2026 (to ensure arrival by Election Day) | | Mail Ballot Request by Mail/Online Deadline | February 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM | | Mail Ballot Request In-Person at SOE Office | March 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM | | Early Voting | ❌ NOT available for municipal elections | | Vote-by-Mail Return Deadline | March 10, 2026 at 7:00 PM | | Election Day | March 10, 2026 — Polls open 7 AM – 7 PM |
A few things worth highlighting:
No early voting for municipal elections. You heard that right. Municipal elections in Florida don't get early voting. Your options are vote by mail, or show up on Election Day.
All mail ballot requests expired December 31, 2024. Previously set up for vote-by-mail? That's gone. You need to re-request. Online/mail deadline is February 26th at 5 PM. Miss that? You can still walk into any Supervisor of Elections office through March 9th at 5 PM and they'll print your ballot on the spot so you can submit it right there.
Mail your ballot by February 28th if you want to play it safe on delivery timing. The official deadline is Election Day at 7 PM, but the postal service isn't exactly known for its precision.
How to Find Your Specific Ballot
Not sure what's on your ballot specifically? That's normal — municipal races are hyperlocal, and what's on your ballot depends entirely on your city and precinct.
Here's how to find out:
- Go to votepinellas.gov
- Click "Find Your Precinct" — enter your address
- Your precinct-specific sample ballot will be available there closer to Election Day
- You can also use Vote411.org — the League of Women Voters' nonpartisan voter guide — which will include candidate responses to policy questions for these races
Bookmark both. Read before you go. Walk in prepared.
What You Can Do Right Now
Three things. That's it. Three things, right now, before you close this tab.
1. Check your registration status. Visit registertovoteflorida.gov to confirm you're registered and that your address is current. Registration deadline is February 9th. If you've moved since the last election, update it now.
2. Request your mail ballot (if you want one). Head to votepinellas.gov and submit your mail ballot request before February 26th at 5 PM online — or walk into a Supervisor of Elections office by March 9th and handle it in person. Either way, your old request expired. This is a fresh start.
3. Find your ballot and do your research. Use the voter resources at activatepinellas.org/voter-resources to dig into the races in your city. Read candidate platforms, look up the charter amendments, and show up knowing who and what you're voting for.
Bonus step: Tell somebody. Text a neighbor. Post in your neighborhood Facebook group. Forward this blog. Low-turnout elections are won and lost by whether people remembered to show up. Be someone who helps them remember.
The Bottom Line
Nobody riding in on a white horse is going to fix your city's infrastructure, housing costs, or stormwater drainage. The people who make those decisions are on this ballot, in this election, in March. And in Pinellas County municipal elections, a few dozen votes can be the margin of victory.
You live here. You pay taxes here. You deal with the consequences of these decisions every single day.
March 10th. Show up.
📍 Confirm your voter registration: registertovoteflorida.gov 📍 Official election info & sample ballot: votepinellas.gov 📍 Voter resources & guides: activatepinellas.org/voter-resources
Activate Pinellas is a nonpartisan civic media platform connecting Pinellas County residents with their government, elections, and community.