Pasco County Elections: 1-Cent Sales Tax Referendum On Ballot

PASCO COUNTY, FL — In addition to the U.S. Senate, governor, attorney general and other members of the Florida Cabinet, Pasco County voters who plan to head to the polls on election day will vote for a member of the U.S. House, three state senators, three state House members and whether to levy an additional 1-cent sales surtax.

The referendum asks voters to approve a sales tax from 2025 to 2039 with 45 percent of the proceeds going to Pasco County schools, 45 percent going to Pasco County and 10 percent going to Pasco's incorporated cities of Zephyrhills, Dade City, New Port Richey and Port Richey.

The sale tax will be used to pay for new and improved schools, transportation and parks, purchase environmentally sensitive lands and pay for economic development projects to create jobs.

While early voting ended in Florida counties over the weekend, residents with vote-by-mail ballots have until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to turn them in. Election day polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. statewide.

If you’re not sure where to vote, you can look up your polling station here.

Voting On Election Day

Voters who wait until election day must vote in the polling place assigned to their precinct. Click here to find election day precincts.

To avoid delays at the polling place, voters should bring one or two forms of current identification that include their signature and photo. Without proper identification, residents may still vote a provisional ballot, which will later be evaluated by a canvassing board for eligibility.

Any of the following forms of photo identification are acceptable:

• Florida driver's license
• Florida ID card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• U.S. passport
• Debit or credit card
• Military ID
• Student ID
• Retirement center ID
• Neighborhood association ID
• Public assistance ID
• Veteran health ID issued by the Veterans Administration
• Concealed weapons license
• Government employee ID

If your photo ID does not include your signature, you will be asked to provide another ID that has your signature.

See related stories:

• Penny For Pasco Sales Tax To Be On November Ballot
• FL Governor's Election 2022: DeSantis, Crist Tour State To Sway Voters
• Aramis Ayala Will Challenge GOP Attorney General Ashley Moody In Fall

To keep voting lines moving, Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley advises voters to fill out a sample ballot in advance. Residents can download a sample ballot here.

If you received a vote-by-mail ballot but have decided to vote in person instead, your vote-by-mail ballot will be canceled.

When you arrive at the polls:

1. Check in with your valid and current photo and signature ID.
2. Receive your paper ballot and proceed to a privacy booth.
3. Using the black pen provided, completely fill in the oval next to each of your selections.
4. Review your ballot. If you wish to make changes, request another ballot.
5. If you have any questions, ask a poll worker before you insert the ballot in the scanner. Once a ballot has been accepted, it cannot be retrieved.

If you are satisfied with your selections:

• Take your ballot to the optical scanner in the secrecy folder provided.
• Insert your ballot into the optical scan feeder.
• The scanner will record your votes and place your ballot into the locked ballot box.
• The scanner will alert you if your ballot appears blank or if it detects too many votes.
• You will have the option to either submit the ballot as is or make changes.
• You are not required to vote in every race or for every issue on the ballot; therefore, the scanner will not alert you of instances in which you did not vote.

Who's On The Ballot?

United States Senator

• Marco Rubio-Republican
• Val Demings-Democrat
• Dennis Misigoy- Libertarian Party of Florida
• Steven B. Grant-no party affiliation
• Tuan TQ Nguyen-no party affiliaton

Representative in Congress District 12

• Gus Michael Bilirakis-Republican
• Kimberly Walker-Democrat

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

• Ron DeSantis and Jeanette Nunez-Republican
• Charlie Crist and Karla Hernandez-Democrat
• Hector Roos and Jerry "Tub" Rorabaugh-Libertarian Party of Florida
• Carmen Jackie Gimenez and Kyle "KC" Gibson-no party affiliation

Attorney General

• Ashley Moody-Republican
• Aramis Ayala-Democrat

Chief Financial Officer

• Jimmy Patronis-Republican
• Adam Hattersley-Democrat

Commissioner of Agriculture

• Wilton Simpson-Republican
• Naomi Esther Blemur-Democrat

State Attorney 6th Judicial Circuit

Bruce Bartlett-Republican
Allison Miller-Democrat

State Senator District 11

• Blaise Ingoglia-Republican
• Brian Patrick Moore-Green Party

State Senator District 21

• Ed Hooper-Republican
• Amaro Lionheart-Democrat

State Senator District 23

• Danny Burgess-Republican
• Mike Harvey-Democrat

State Representative District 53

• Jeff Holcomb-Republican
• Keith G. Laufenberg-Democrat

State Representative District 54

• Randy Maggard-Republican
• Brian Staver-Democrat
• Ryan S. Otwell-no party affiliation

State Representative District 55

• Kevin M. Steele-Republican
• Charles "C.J." Hacker Jr.-Constitution Party of Florida

County Commissioner District 4

• Gary Bradford-Republican

Justices of the Supreme Court

Shall Justice Charles T. Canady of the Supreme Court be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Justice John D. Couriel of the Supreme Court be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Justice Jamie Grosshans of the Supreme Court be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Justice Jorge Labarga of the Supreme Court be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Justice Ricky Polston of the Supreme Court be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Second District Court of Appeal

Shall Judge Patricia Joan Kelly of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• N0

Shall Judge Nelly N. Khouzam of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Judge Suzanne Y. Labrit of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Judge Matt Lucas of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Judge Robert Morris of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Judge Stevan Travis Northcutt of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained inoffice?

• Yes
• No

Shall Judge John K. Stargel of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

Shall Judge Craig C. Villanti of the Second District Court of Appeal be retained in office?

• Yes
• No

School Board Member District 1

• Al Hernandez
• James Washington

No. 1 Constitutional Amendment Article VII, Section 4; Article XII, Section 42

Limitation on the Assessment of Real Property Used for Residential Purposes

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution, effective January 1, 2023, to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to prohibit the consideration of any change or improvement made to real property used for residential purposes to improve the property's resistance to flood damage in determining the assessed value of such property for ad valorem taxation purposes.

• Yes
• No

No. 2 Constitutional Amendment Article II, Section 5; Article XI, Sections 2 and 5

Abolishing the Constitution Revision Commission Proposing an amendment to the State

Constitution to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission, which meets at 20-year intervals and is scheduled to next convene in 2037, as a method of submitting proposed amendments or revisions to the State Constitution to electors of the state for approval. This amendment does not affect the ability to revise or amend the State Constitution through citizen initiative, constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, or legislative joint resolution.

• Yes
• No

No. 3 Constitutional Amendment, Article VII, Section 6; Article XII

Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Specified Critical Public Services Workforce

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to authorize the Legislature, by general law, to grant an additional homestead tax exemption for nonschool levies of up to $50,000 of the assessed value of homestead property owned by classroom teachers, law enforcement officers, correctional officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, child welfare services professionals, active duty members of the United States Armed Forces, and Florida National Guard members. This amendment shall take effect January 1, 2023

• Yes
• No

County Referendum

2025 Penny for Pasco: To Fund Job Creation, Public Safety, Environmental Lands, Education and Infrastructure

Shall a one-cent sales surtax continue to be levied, beginning in 2025 and continuing through 2039, and shared among Pasco County Schools (45%), Pasco County (45%), and Pasco's cities (10%) for: job creation and economic development projects (pursuant to Section 212.055(2)(d)3, Florida Statutes); public safety infrastructure; acquiring environmentally sensitive lands; infrastructure for new schools, renovations, additions, athletics, instructional technology and security; parks and recreation infrastructure; transportation infrastructure; and public infrastructure within the cities?

• Yes
• No