Photo courtesy of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, CC by 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
As Jane Castor’s final year in office begins, Tampa residents will have the opportunity to cast their votes for the next chapter.
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By Jacob Tomaneng
TAMPA, Fla. – Mayor Jane Castor’s second term will conclude on May 1, 2027, marking the end of her eight years as Tampa’s mayor. Castor is notably the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor and a member of the democrat party.
Before her time as mayor, Castor attended The University of Tampa as a dual-sport athlete in basketball and volleyball. She graduated from UTampa with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology, then served as Tampa’s Chief of Police after being elected for the position in 2009. Castor is also a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy and has a master’s degree in Public Administration from Troy University.
Castor’s strategic goals included strengthening resident services, enhancing workplace development, increasing housing affordability, improving infrastructure and mobility, and establishing sustainability and resilience.
In 2019, Castor initiated the Housing Affordability Advisory Team with the goal to recommend approaches to address housing affordability in Tampa. Since then, over $25 million have been invested in this initiative. However, in a 2023 to 2024 report by the U.S Bureau for Labor Statistics, the average Tampa household spends 4.8% more of their annual income on housing than the average U.S. household.
On Nov. 17, 2025, over a year after Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the Tampa Bay Area, Castor launched a hurricane repair program to support affected homeowners. The program awarded eligible residents up to $30,000 to rebuild.
For some Tampa voters, this could be their first election without Castor listed as the mayor or as a candidate on the ballot. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city’s population was 335,709 in 2010 and rose to 414,547 in 2024.
While Castor’s last year in office approaches, some candidates for the 2027 election have already filed paperwork to declare their run for mayor.
One candidate who has started campaigning is Tampa native Alan Henderson. At 23 years old, the Hillsborough Community College (HCC) alum is the youngest candidate to run for mayor in Tampa, and he pairs his technology-based background with an innovative campaign. He would also be the city’s first Black mayor if elected.
Tampa native Julie Magill is another candidate who highlights problems with Tampa roads, storm drainage, and homelessness. Additionally, Magill campaigned for the Hillsborough County School Board in 2024.
Other declared candidates include Reginald B. Strachand and Khadim Abdi. Abdi’s Facebook page actively posts in support of anti-ICE and anti-Trump protests.
Any registered voter who has lived in the city of Tampa for at least a year prior to taking office is eligible to run for mayor. Voters can keep an eye out for additional declared candidates as the election approaches. The mayoral election will begin on Mar. 2, 2027.