TAMPA, Fla. — After several months and a tough special election process which whittled down the race from 14 candidates to two, Tom Scott and Naya Young have arrived at Election Day.
With today’s results, either Scott or Young will take a seat on the Tampa city council representing District 5, which includes downtown, East Tampa, Ybor City and parts of West Tampa.
The winner of the election will serve the remainder of Gwendolyn Henderson’s term through 2027. Henderson’s death last June prompted the city council seat opening.
Scott was the top vote-getter in the special election, earning 1,454 votes (27.1%). Young followed with 712 votes, outpacing the third-place finisher, Fran Tate. She received 544 votes.
Chair of the East Tampa Community Redevelopment agency and Chief Strategy Officer for the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa Bay Dr. Jeffery Johnson says whoever wins the District 5 seat will need to enter city council as a fighter.
“This is where a lot of your families are,” Johnson said. “This is where some of your lower, marginalized communities are. And they need the support, they need the economic development, they need affordable housing. They need opportunities that other areas may see often, that District 5 may not see, so they have to fight immediately.”
Young’s connection to Tampa runs deep. As a teenager, she was a volunteer on the Tampa Green Artery, a pedestrian and bike-friendly trail that encourages outdoor activity and links neighborhoods throughout the city.
She said she is focused on ensuring the communities she grew up in aren’t left behind by the city’s rapid growth.
Young, 33, is a graduate of Howard University and currently serves as executive director of the Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association, where she leads youth and family-focused programming.
“Working with children, I’ve had families, entire families, who’ve had to move out of the city, even out of state, because they can’t afford to live here anymore,” she said.
Meanwhile Scott represents a familiar face for some voters.
Scott, 72, previously served a combined 14 years in public office — 10 years as a Hillsborough County Commissioner and four years as a member of the Tampa City Council. He says that experience is critical during this pivotal time for the city.
“I love people. Love talking to people, love meeting with people, love trying to solve problems,” he said. “That’s been my life.”
He is no stranger to the communities that make up District 5. Scott was a key figure in helping to establish the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), which he says has generated over $200 million in revenue over the last 30 years to reinvest directly into the neighborhood.
“Here was an opportunity to get a CRA so we could redevelop and reinvest in the community — bring in economic development, affordable housing, workforce jobs and redo the whole landscape of East Tampa,” he said.
Outside of politics, Scott has been a longtime faith leader in the community, and is entering his 45th year as senior pastor at the 34th Street Church of God.