Special election set to fill the late Gwen Henderson's District 5 seat on Tampa City Council
By Samantha Lichter
June 17, 2025 at 5:39 PM EDT
Only registered voters who live District 5 are eligible to vote in the Sept. 5 election. Henderson, who died last week at age 60, was elected in 2023.
A special election to find a successor for Tampa's City Council member Gwendolyn Henderson has been scheduled for Sept. 9.
Henderson, who died last week at age 60, was elected by the city's District 5 in 2023.
ALSO READ: Tampa teacher, council member and bookstore owner Gwen Henderson dies at 60
Only registered voters who live District 5 are eligible to vote.
The district, which includes McKay Bay and Palmetto Beach, downtown, Ybor City and the Channel District, has about 44,000 registered voters.
Dates and details for the election were announced this week by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.
The voter registration deadline for the election is Aug. 11.
A candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote to win. If a candidate does not pass that threshold, a runoff will be held Oct. 28.
Residents can vote early, in person on Election Day or by mail. However, all vote-by-mail requests have expired after the November 2024 general election, so new requests must be placed by Aug. 28.
Early voters can visit the West Tampa Branch Library, Blythe Andrews Library, County Center or Elections Service Center to cast a ballot.
Election Day voters must visit the polling place assigned to their precinct.
Residents who wish to run in the election must have lived in Tampa for at least one year and District 5 for six months before the start of the term. All candidates are required to complete and file paperwork with the elections office before campaigning.
Dates to know for the special election:
For more information, click here.
Henderson, who died last week at age 60, was elected by the city's District 5 in 2023.
ALSO READ: Tampa teacher, council member and bookstore owner Gwen Henderson dies at 60
Only registered voters who live District 5 are eligible to vote.
The district, which includes McKay Bay and Palmetto Beach, downtown, Ybor City and the Channel District, has about 44,000 registered voters.
Dates and details for the election were announced this week by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.
The voter registration deadline for the election is Aug. 11.
A candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote to win. If a candidate does not pass that threshold, a runoff will be held Oct. 28.
Residents can vote early, in person on Election Day or by mail. However, all vote-by-mail requests have expired after the November 2024 general election, so new requests must be placed by Aug. 28.
Early voters can visit the West Tampa Branch Library, Blythe Andrews Library, County Center or Elections Service Center to cast a ballot.
Election Day voters must visit the polling place assigned to their precinct.
Residents who wish to run in the election must have lived in Tampa for at least one year and District 5 for six months before the start of the term. All candidates are required to complete and file paperwork with the elections office before campaigning.
Dates to know for the special election:
- Candidate qualifying: Aug. 11-15
- Deadline to register to vote: Aug. 11
- Deadline to request a mail-in ballot: Aug. 28
- Ballots sent to military and overseas voters (by request): Aug. 16
- Ballots sent to domestic voters (by request): Aug. 18
- Early voting: Sept. 4-7, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Election day: Sept. 9, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Special Municipal Runoff Election (if needed): Oct. 28
For more information, click here.