2013 St. Petersburg, Florida, mayoral election

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2013 St. Petersburg, Florida, mayoral election
Flag of St. Petersburg, Florida.svg
←  2009 August 27, 2013 (first round)
November 5, 2013 (runoff)		 2017  →
  State Representative Rick Kriseman.jpg Bill Foster (mayor).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Rick Kriseman Bill Foster Kathleen Ford
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
First round19,470
38.90%		20,336
40.63%		9,648
19.27%
Runoff 29,701
55.90%		23,427
44.10%		Eliminated
Mayor before election

Bill Foster
Republican

Elected Mayor

Rick Kriseman
Democratic

St. Petersburg, Florida, held an election for mayor on August 27 and November 5, 2013. A non-partisan primary election was held on August 27, 2013. No candidate won a majority of the vote, so the top two finishers, incumbent Mayor Bill Foster and former State Representative Rick Kriseman, advanced to a runoff.

Contents

After a campaign described as "nasty", [1] "partisan", [2] "contentious" and "the costliest in [St. Petersburg] history", [3] Foster lost to Kriseman by 56% to 44%, becoming the first incumbent mayor of St. Petersburg to lose a race for re-election in more than 26 years.

Adam C. Smith of the Tampa Bay Times wrote that although 70% of voters approved of where the city was heading and Foster was "a good man who presided over no corruption scandal, no violent racial unrest", he only proved to be "adequate" at the job. He also "underestimat[ed] voters' intelligence, talking about a secret plan to keep the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg", had an "ever-shifting" position on the St. Petersburg Pier and alienated African-American voters in Midtown. Kriseman, Smith wrote, capitalized on this to win "considerable" African-American support and ran as a "safe, credible alternative for those unimpressed with the incumbent", promising to govern like popular former Mayor Rick Baker. [4]

Primary election

Candidates

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Bill
Foster (R)		Rick
Kriseman (D)		Undecided
St. Pete Polls [5] February 18, 2013690± 3.4%38%34%28%

Results

2013 St. Petersburg, Florida, mayoral primary election [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Bill Foster (inc.) 20,336 40.63%
Nonpartisan Rick Kriseman 19,470 38.90%
Nonpartisan Kathleen Ford9,64819.27%
Nonpartisan Anthony Cates III3760.75%
Nonpartisan Paul Congemi2250.45%
Total votes50,055 100.00%

Endorsements

Bill Foster

Elected Officials

Organizations

Rick Kriseman

Elected Officials

  • Charlie Crist, former Republican Governor of Florida and Independent Candidate for Senate in 2010 [10]
  • Leslie Curran, St. Petersburg city council member [11]
  • Paula Dockery, former Republican state senator [12]
  • Dwight Dudley, state representative [13]
  • Pat Gerard, Mayor of Largo [12]
  • Charlie Gerdes, St. Petersburg city council member [13]
  • Charlie Justice, Pinellas County Commissioner [13]
  • Steve Kornell, St. Petersburg city council member [11]
  • Susan Latvala, Pinellas County Commissioner [12]
  • Janet C. Long, Pinellas County Commissioner [13]
  • Bill Nelson, US Senator [14]
  • Karl Nurse, St. Petersburg city council member [11]
  • Darryl Rouson, state representative [13]
  • Alex Sink, former Chief Financial Officer and nominee for Governor in 2010 [12]

Organizations

Runoff election

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered		Sample
size		Margin of
error		Bill
Foster (R)		Rick
Kriseman (D)		Undecided
St. Pete Polls [16] October 24, 20131,397± 2.6%42.6%48.3%9%
Braun Research [17] October 17–21, 2013809± 3.4%34%40%19%
Braun Research [18] September 14–16, 2013410± 4.8%39%40%16%

Results

2013 St. Petersburg, Florida, mayoral general election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Rick Kriseman 29,701 55.90%
Nonpartisan Bill Foster (inc.)23,42744.10%
Total votes53,128 100.00%

References

  1. ↑ "St. Pete mayoral candidates Foster and Kriseman defend nasty campaign mailers". WMNF. October 25, 2013. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  2. ↑ "St. Pete mayoral race turns nasty, partisan as vote nears". The Tampa Tribune. November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Rick Kriseman tops Bill Foster in St. Petersburg mayor's race". The Tampa Bay Times. November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Good-enough mayor not good enough for St. Petersburg voters anymore". The Tampa Bay Times. November 5, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  5. ↑ St. Pete Polls
  6. ↑ "ST. PETERSBURG PRIMARY - AUGUST 27, 2013". Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. August 29, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Gov. Rick Scott Endorses St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster". Tampa Bay Times. September 30, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Pinellas Realtor Organization endorses St. Petersburg candidates". Tampa Bay Times. June 22, 2013. Archived from the original on October 26, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Foster for mayor of St. Petersburg". Tampa Tribune. October 13, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Former Gov. Charlie Crist endorses Rick Kriseman in St. Petersburg mayor's race". Tampa Bay Times. October 7, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 "St. Pete City Council chairman backs mayor's opponent". Tampa Tribune. August 26, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Susan Latvala and Paula Dockery endorse Rick Kriseman for mayor". Creative Loafing. March 20, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Five Democrats endorse Rick Kriseman in nonpartisan St. Petersburg mayoral race". Creative Loafing. February 27, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Bill Nelson endorses Rick Kriseman in St. Pete mayor's race". Tampa Tribune. August 22, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Times recommends: Kriseman for mayor". Tampa Bay Times. October 18, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  16. ↑ St. Pete Polls
  17. ↑ Braun Research
  18. ↑ Braun Research
  19. ↑ "MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS - NOVEMBER 5, 2013". Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. November 8, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
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