Thomas Scott and Naya Young Advance to Runoff in Tampa’s District 5 Special Election
Thomas Scott and Naya Young Advance to Runoff in Tampa’s District 5 Special Election
TAMPA, FL — The race for Tampa’s District 5 city council seat is heating up as Thomas Scott and Naya Young emerge as the top contenders following a special election held on August 15, 2025. With the untimely passing of first-term councilwoman Gwen Henderson, the election drew significant attention, culminating in a runoff scheduled for next month.
In a field of 12 candidates, Scott, a former city council and county commission member, secured first place with 27% of the vote. His campaign was notably well-funded, raising over $51,000. Young, the former executive director of the Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, followed with 13.29% of the vote, demonstrating her grassroots appeal despite a smaller campaign budget of just over $20,000.
Voter turnout for the election was notably low, with only 12% of the 45,000 registered voters in District 5 participating. A total of 5,411 ballots were cast, including 2,137 mail-in votes and 923 early votes. The Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections reported that many candidates received between 1 and 29 votes, resulting in several candidates being marked with a dash (-) in the official results.
Among the candidates, Ariel Amirah Danley, daughter of the late Gwen Henderson, campaigned on a platform of continuing her mother’s legacy, garnering 9.7% of the vote. Other notable candidates included Tom DeGeorge, owner of Ybor City’s Crowbar, who received 9.7%, and Fran Tate, a longtime East Tampa advocate, who finished with 10.13%.
The runoff is particularly significant as it ensures that District 5 will continue to be represented by a Black individual, a tradition maintained since the seat’s inception. While the race is officially nonpartisan, both Scott and Young are Democrats, reflecting the district’s heavy Democratic registration.
As the community prepares for the runoff, which kicks off with early voting on October 23, local leaders are urging residents to engage in the electoral process. The district, which stretches from DeSoto Park in Palmetto Beach to the First Church of God near Busch Gardens, encompasses diverse neighborhoods including Ybor City, downtown, and Davis Islands.
With the stakes high and the community’s future at play, the upcoming runoff promises to be a pivotal moment for Tampa’s District 5. Only registered voters in the district will be eligible to cast their ballots, making every vote count in this closely watched election.
Stay tuned for updates as the candidates ramp up their campaigns in the lead-up to the runoff.