Referendum 2: Amending the County Charter to Increase Number of County Commissioners, All Elected From Single-Member Districts

Hillsborough voters will decide whether to reshape the County Commission. A Yes vote grows the commission from seven members to nine, and to eleven once the county reaches 2.5 million people, all elected from single-member districts. The three countywide seats would end. Today you vote for four of seven commissioners. Under this change, you would vote for one of nine. A No vote keeps seven commissioners, three of them elected countywide. It needs a simple majority, though one June news report said 60 percent. Sponsor Michael Owen, a Republican state representative, says it creates real term limits and brings government closer to the people. The Hillsborough County Republican Party backs it, as do Republican commissioners Hagan, Miller, Wostal and Boles. Republican Commissioner Donna Cameron Cepeda and Democratic commissioners Cohen and Myers oppose it. Hillsborough Democrats call it a partisan power grab, and the Sierra Club says No. Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's editors say No. The Tampa Bay Times editorial board recommends No, arguing countywide seats can't be gerrymandered. It notes that some voting-rights advocates favor single-member districts as a way to improve minority representation. No public polling was found. Research as of October 23, 2026. Sources and the full picture are on this page.