A total of 32 candidates filed to run for eight offices up for nonpartisan election in Tampa, Florida, which is double the number of candidates who ran in the city’s 2015 elections. The office of mayor and all seven city council seats are on the general election ballot on March 5, 2019. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election, a runoff election will be held on April 23. The filing deadline was January 18.

 

The race to replace term-limited Mayor Bob Buckhorn attracted eight candidates. Two current city council members—District 1 representative Mike Suarez and District 4 representative Harry Cohen—are running in the race along with Jane Castor, Dick Greco Jr., Topher Morrison, David Straz, Ed Turanchik, and write-in candidate Reginald Howard. When Buckhorn ran for re-election in 2015, he faced one challenger and won outright in the general election with over 95 percent of the vote.

 

The races for the open District 1 and 4 city council seats attracted five and three candidates, respectively. The District 3 and 5 seats are also open to newcomers since the incumbents were term-limited. Four candidates are running for the District 3 seat, and five candidates are running for the District 5 seat. In District 2, incumbent Charlie Miranda faces two challengers. District 6 incumbent Guido Maniscalco and District 7 incumbent Luis Viera each face one challenger in their bids for re-election.

 

In 2015, an average of two candidates ran per city council seat. Only one seat—District 6—required a runoff election to determine the winner.