St. Petersburg voters face an August 18 mayoral primary with six candidates
St. Petersburg voters will choose among six candidates in the city’s nonpartisan mayoral primary on August 18, 2026. The most urgent deadline is Thursday: requests for a ballot to be mailed must reach the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections by 5 p.m. August 6.
The official municipal ballot lists Kevin Batdorf, Charlie Crist, Brandi Gabbard, Jim Large, Maria Lynne Scruggs and incumbent Kenneth T. Welch. The field reflects the candidates listed for the primary; it does not predict who may advance.
What is on the ballot
The St. Petersburg mayoral contest appears on the nonpartisan and municipal section of the August 18 primary ballot. Voters will not select candidates by political party for this race.
Welch is seeking reelection. Crist, a former Florida governor, is also in the field, along with Gabbard, Large, Scruggs and Batdorf. Recent Associated Press and WUSF coverage has described the contest as a campaign over the city’s leadership and direction.
How St. Petersburg voters can vote
Voters who want a mailed ballot must request one by 5 p.m. Thursday, August 6. Pinellas County says requests can be made through its mail-ballot process or by calling 727-464-VOTE.
Early voting is scheduled for August 8 through August 16. Voters may use any early-voting site in the county. The locations are:
- Supervisor of Elections Office, County Building, 501 First Ave. N., St. Petersburg
- Supervisor of Elections Office, Election Service Center, 13001 Starkey Road, Largo
- Supervisor of Elections Office, Pinellas County Courthouse, 315 Court St., Room 117, Clearwater
The current official schedule lists early-voting hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Voters must present both picture and signature identification when voting early.
On Election Day, August 18, polls are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters should check the Supervisor of Elections site for their precinct-specific polling place, sample ballot and any updated instructions before voting.
Why the runoff matters
The mayoral primary is not necessarily the final election. Under the official ballot instructions, a nonpartisan candidate must receive a majority of the vote—50% plus one vote—to win outright.
If no candidate reaches that threshold, the two top vote-getters advance to a November 3, 2026, runoff. The August election is therefore both a possible final decision and a contest that could determine the two candidates on the November ballot.
Issues raised in the campaign
Current coverage has focused on issues with direct consequences for St. Petersburg residents. The future of the Tampa Bay Rays and redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site are prominent topics. In a WUSF interview, Crist said he would try to persuade Major League Baseball to remain in St. Petersburg.
Property taxes and city services are another point of debate. Crist proposed a 0.4-mill reduction that he said would return nearly $15 million annually to taxpayers while preserving essential services. That is a campaign proposal, not an adopted city budget action.
Coverage has also documented discussion of storm preparation, affordability and infrastructure. Those subjects affect emergency readiness, household costs, housing decisions and the condition of city systems. The candidates’ positions and proposed solutions remain campaign arguments rather than settled city policy.
For St. Petersburg voters, the next concrete dates are August 6 for the mailed-ballot request deadline, August 8-16 for early voting and August 18 for Election Day. Pinellas County’s election information page is the place to check a precinct-specific sample ballot, polling location and updated voting details before casting a ballot.
Sources
- Pinellas County August 18, 2026 Primary Election Information
- WUSF: Charlie Crist on why he's running to be St. Pete's mayor
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