TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) \u2014 Naya Young will be the next Tampa City Council member representing District 5, defeating former councilman Thomas Scott with nearly 61% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.<\/p>\n
With all 28 precincts reporting, Young secured 3,116 votes, compared to Scott\u2019s 1,995. The district saw 5,122 ballots cast out of 44,678 registered voters, putting turnout at 11.46%.<\/p>\n
WATCH: Naya\u00a0Young wins Tampa City Council District 5 seat, promising \u2018collaboration and shared growth’<\/p>\n
Naya Young wins Tampa City Council District 5 seat, promising \u2018collaboration and shared growth’<\/p>\n
All Election Day, early voting, and vote-by-mail ballots have been fully reported, though the results remain unofficial until provisional and cured mail ballots are processed.<\/p>\n
Celebrating her win Tuesday night, Young said she was feeling a mix of gratitude and determination.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel great. I\u2019m excited, I\u2019m happy, I\u2019m hopeful, I\u2019m grateful,\u201d Young said, moments after the results came in. \u201cI\u2019m ready to get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked if she was surprised by the margin, she admitted the campaign came with moments of doubt.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have those feelings where you think, yes, I can do this, and then it\u2019s like, can I do it? But then it\u2019s like, yes, I can,\u201d Young said with a laugh. \u201cI\u2019ve spoken to so many people, and the sentiments are the same. We want something new. We want you. We need new. And I think that was reflected in the numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young campaigned on collaboration and inclusivity, pledging to bridge divides within a district that spans East Tampa, Ybor City, Channel District, and Sulphur Springs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve talked about collaboration from the beginning of my campaign,\u201d she said. \u201cThings work better when we all work together. When we have that shared growth and shared progress across the district and across Tampa as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n
For voters like Teri Gay, casting a ballot wasn\u2019t just a civic duty; it was personal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always vote. I even taught my son to vote,\u201d Gay said outside a precinct Tuesday afternoon. \u201cIf you don\u2019t vote, you can\u2019t change nothing. What\u2019s the point of talking about stuff that\u2019s going on if you haven\u2019t even voted?\u201d<\/p>\n
Gay said she weighed both candidates carefully but made her choice based on long-term commitment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI decided on who I was voting for because I looked at which one has actually been putting in work into the community throughout the years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
While Gay said she didn\u2019t receive any personal outreach from the campaigns, she did receive mailers from both. Still, she added that she was glad for the competitive race.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s important because we need change,\u201d Gay said. \u201cA lot of stuff that should have been happening in District 5 hasn\u2019t happened. I\u2019m glad that the seat opened up. I’m sorry for the way it had to open up, but I\u2019m glad we had the chance to bring some change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason Marlow, who worked closely with Young\u2019s campaign, said the results show voters wanted a new voice at City Hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWinning is a lot more fun than losing,\u201d Marlow said, smiling. \u201cNaya is the right person for this seat. She worked extraordinarily hard, and I think the people spoke. This is a change election.\u201d<\/p>\n
District 5 is Tampa\u2019s only majority-minority district and one of its most economically and geographically diverse, stretching from Ybor and Channel District to Sulphur Springs and Seminole Heights.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think people absolutely chose fresh perspective,\u201d Marlow said. \u201cThey looked at the cycle of problems that have afflicted this district for generations and said it\u2019s time for somebody from the next generation to take on that mantle of leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young said she hopes her term can bring \u201cshared growth\u201d and investment to long-neglected parts of East Tampa.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had some areas that have had a lot of investment, and some that maybe have not,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping to really see a plan to put in place that brings that shared growth across those areas that haven\u2019t seen investment in some time.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Young, Tuesday\u2019s results weren\u2019t just about victory; they were about opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just so happy, so excited, and I\u2019m ready to work,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can really see some positive things happen in our district and across the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
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