5 Pinellas Municipalities Choosing Leaders Tuesday

CLEARWATER - Voters in five of Pinellas County's 24 cities will be deciding municipal leadership races and an array of ballot questions Tuesday while county Republicans and Democrats cast ballots in the presidential preference primary.

Many voters aren't waiting for Election Day, though, with in-person early voting and absentee ballot requests both up this year.

Residents of Clearwater, Gulfport, Safety Harbor, Redington Shores and South Pasadena will be going to the polls to decide the races for city seats and referendums. In all cities, the races are nonpartisan.

Also on Tuesday's ballot are the proposed statewide property tax amendment and a local referendum on whether to continue for four years a Pinellas County School District property tax approved in 2004. All registered voters can vote on those tax-related items, county elections officials emphasized.

In Clearwater, the Tampa Bay area's third-largest city, first-term Mayor Frank Hibbard is being challenged by former Mayor Rita Garvey in what is the biggest local race on the ballot. Hibbard, 40, has been mayor since 2005. He was elected to the city council in 2000. Garvey, 62, was Clearwater's mayor from 1987 to 1999. She previously served as a council member for eight years.

Besides the mayoral race, Clearwater voters will decide on six proposed charter amendments, including one that would lengthen from three years to four the terms for the mayor and council members.

In Gulfport, two city council seats are on the ballot. In Ward 1, Rick Gilbert faces Judy Ryerson. Ward 3 pits Robert Worthington against Angela Leiner.

In Safety Harbor, two city commission seats are up for grabs. Nadine Nickerson is vying against Mark Taylor for Seat 3. The race for Seat 4 pits Nina Bandoni against Robin Forino.

Voters in Redington Shores and South Pasadena will be asked ballot questions that would amend their city charters.

Early voting began Jan 14 and runs through Saturday. So far the turnout has been higher than usual.

Through Tuesday, 4,727 people had cast early ballots in person, compared with 1,130 during the 2004 presidential preference primary, figures from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office show.

The number doesn't include absentee voting, for which 40,877 ballots have been requested, figures show.