Kelly Hayes
With the General Election closing in, candidates vying for a spot on St. Petersburg City Council are prepping for the final stretch.
Up for election: the Council’s District 1, 4, 6 and 8 seats. All the races are open for the taking, except District 6, which includes incumbent Gina Driscoll.
Here’s how they’re preparing:
District 1
The race for the District 1 seat on City Council is between financial planner Copley Gerdes and lobbyist Bobbie Shay Lee. The two are running to replace Robert Blackmon, who is vacating the seat to run for Mayor.
Gerdes told Florida Politics he’s prepping with some volunteer events going into the weekend, as well as canvassing, with a little break to take his kids trick-or-treating. Overall, he said, “I’m just trying to have as many conversations with voters as possible between now and 7 p.m. on Tuesday.”
Lee has similar plans for a last minute push, set on canvassing and meeting neighbors, as well as engaging in local festivities.
Lee expressed excitement heading into Election Day, especially since her daughter will be able to cast her ballot for the first time after turning 18.
“I have met so many interesting and incredible residents across the city. The General Election has been an especially emotional experience because my daughter will vote for the very first time and her mom is on the ballot. I can’t even put into words how that feels,” Lee wrote in an email to Florida Politics.
Gerdes relayed gratitude over support from his family and campaign team, helping him throughout his candidacy.
“I’m feeling really lucky to have this team around me,” he said in an email to Florida Politics. “I’m out with family and friends talking with voters every day at this point and it really drives home how fortunate I am to have these dedicated supporters with me.”
On election night, Gerdes will be hosting a watch party at CD Roma. Lee will be sharing the evening with family, friends and supporters, but does not yet have a set location.
District 4
Former prosecutor Lisset Hanewicz and Raymond James executive Tom Mullins are racing for the District 4 seat on City Council in hopes of succeeding Darden Rice, who is term-limited.
Both candidates will be doing some last-minute campaigning over the weekend, with Hanewicz planning some volunteer events and Mullins continuing to meet with voters to get the message out.
Hanewicz added she’s excited to be accompanied by her daughter, so she can learn firsthand about the process.
“The weekends are great because I can bring my daughter with me so she can see how democracy works firsthand. She was with me when I filed and it’s so nice to see this experience through her eyes,” Hanewicz told Florida Politics.
The pair are also excited about the election, with Mullins predicting a close race between the two.
“We are feeling good about our odds of winning but expect the election to be very close in any event, so we are sticking to our playbook: compete on superior qualifications and track record, and compete on specific ideas and solutions for the city’s challenges, not on a spasm of last-minute insincere ‘endorsements,'” Mullins told Florida Politics.
Hanewicz added that she “feels great” going into the election after receiving a lot of positive responses via phone and door-to-door interactions with city voters.
“I’m really grateful for our supporters and volunteers getting out these last few days to help us share my message,” she said.
Hanewicz will be hosting an election watch party with friends and supporters at Anju, and Mullins plans on watching results come in at home with family and close friends.
District 6
Council member Driscoll is seeking reelection for the District 6 seat, facing challenger Mhariel Summers, who has worked campaigns for several prominent state Democrats.
Driscoll will be campaigning while keeping with the holiday weekend, hosting phone banks and canvassing, and joining in the festivities at Halloween on Central, saying “It’s going to be a busy few days.”
Summers will also be working hard on the pre-election weekend, planning on knocking on doors “and attending as many events as possible.
Both candidates are excited for election day, with Summer comparing it to waiting for Christmas.
“I’m really excited for Election Day, it feels like I’m waiting for Christmas Day,” Summers told Florida Politics. “We’ve worked tremendously hard to run a competitive campaign and the prospect of winning is still very real.”
Driscoll is also hopeful for a positive result Tuesday, she said, expressing that she was very grateful for the support she’s received on the campaign trail.
“Knowing that I have friends and supporters calling, canvassing, waving signs, and talking with their neighbors about why they should vote for me is truly humbling,” Driscoll said. “I believe voters are responding to my message and I’m hopeful for a positive result on Tuesday.”
On Tuesday night, Driscoll will be watching the results at The Big Catch at Salt Creek and Summers will be at Urban Drinkery.
“Win or lose, I’m incredibly proud and we’ll have a great time celebrating together,” Summers said.
District 8
The District 8 race features local teacher Richie Floyd and former Council member Jeff Danner, who are running to replace term-limited Amy Foster.
Floyd and Danner both plan on pushing their campaign this weekend, with Floyd canvassing and attending community events and Danner prepared to wave signs, talk to constituents and make sure people come out and vote.
“I’m proud of the campaign we’ve run. We’ve connected with thousands of people across the city about the issues that are important to them, and I believe our message is resonating,” Floyd told Florida Politics. “Our campaign is working hard every day between now and the close of polls, but I am optimistic about the future of the city.”
Danner shared similar sentiments, saying, “I feel good about this election. It’s been great to get back out in the community and hear how they feel about all that is going on.”
Floyd plans on watching the results with supporters at Punky’s Bar and Grill on Central Ave., and Danner will host his watch party at Hawthorne’s Bottle Shoppe in the Grand Central District with friends and supporters.
