Tampa, Florida, City Council Term Limits Amendment (March 2023)

Tampa City Council Term Limits Amendment
Election date March 7, 2023
Topic Local charter amendments and Local term limits
Status Approved
Type Referral

Tampa City Council Term Limits Amendment was on the ballot as a referral in Tampa on March 7, 2023. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported limiting members of the Tampa City Council to serving four consecutive four-year terms beginning in 2027.

A "no" vote opposed limiting members of the Tampa City Council to serving four consecutive four-year terms beginning in 2027.

Election results

Tampa City Council Term Limits Amendment
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		17,415	55.74%
No		13,830	44.26%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for City Council Term Limits Amendment was as follows:

“

Shall the amendment to section 2.02 of the Tampa Charter, revising the term limits of city council members to limit the ability of members of city council to serve more than a total of four consecutive, full terms, effective with the City of Tampa election in 2027, as set out and proposed by City of Tampa Ordinance No. 2023-3, be ratified and approved?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Media editorials

Support

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Opposition

• Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board: "Tampa’s charter already restricts council members to two consecutive terms. Some members termed out of a district seat have sought election citywide, or vice versa, thus enabling them to serve beyond eight years. Generally speaking, we believe voters should use the ballot box to decide who is qualified for office. Term limits may be reasonable in some partisan races, especially at the state level, given how the major parties control primaries, fundraising and messaging. But city offices in Tampa are nonpartisan. And the stated need for this measure — more fresh blood running for council — is debunked by the very ballot it’s on, as four of the six council members up for election this year face three or four challengers apiece."

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in Florida

The Tampa City Council referred the measure to the ballot through Resolution 2023-3.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Florida

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Florida.

How to vote in Florida

Poll times

In Florida, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Florida is divided between the Eastern and Central time zones. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Florida, one must be at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a legal resident of Florida and the county in which he or she intends to vote. Pre-registration is available beginning at 16 years of age.

Voters may retrieve registration applications at the following locations:

• Local elections offices
• Public assistance agencies
• Disability services agencies
• Independent living centers
• Military recruitment offices
• Public libraries
• Drivers license office
• Tax collector's office
• The office of any entity authorized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to issue fishing, hunting, or trapping permits

A registration form is also available online. The form can be printed and submitted via mail.

Click here to find your county Supervisor of Elections.

Automatic registration

Florida does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Florida has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Voters may also apply for or modify their voter registration status while renewing their driver's license through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ online renewal system here.

Same-day registration

Florida does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Florida, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Florida does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "it is a 3rd degree felony to submit false information."

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The page Voter Information Lookup, run by the Florida Department of State, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Florida requires voters to present photo identification with a signature while voting.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of July 2024. Click here for the Florida Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

• Florida driver’s license
• Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• United States passport
• Debit or credit card
• Military identification
• Student identification
• Retirement center identification
• Neighborhood association identification
• Public assistance identification
• Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
• License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06
• Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the federal government, the state, a county, or a municipality

A voter who presents an ID without a signature must show a second form of identification that includes the voter’s signature.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2023
• Local term limits on the ballot

Florida

• Florida 2023 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Florida
• Tampa, Florida

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas