St. Petersburg Residents Launch Campaign for Municipal Power Vote
In St. Petersburg, Florida, the group "Dump Duke" has launched a new campaign, "Public Power St. Pete," to gather signatures for a 2028 ballot measure. The initiative aims to allow residents to vote on switching from Duke Energy to a…
Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, September 2, 2026 — In St. Petersburg, Florida, a local group named “Dump Duke” has initiated a new campaign, “Public Power St. Pete.” The primary objective of this campaign is to collect signatures required for a ballot measure slated for the 2028 election cycle.
The proposed ballot measure, if it advances, would give St. Petersburg residents the opportunity to vote on whether to transition the city’s electricity service from its current provider, Duke Energy, to a municipal-run power system. This push for a potential change is driven by reported concerns among residents regarding the current electricity costs.
Organizers of the “Public Power St. Pete” campaign are actively working to gather the necessary signatures from registered voters within the city. The successful collection of these signatures is a prerequisite for the measure to be placed on the official ballot for voter consideration in 2028. The specific number of signatures required is not detailed in the campaign’s publicly available information.
The campaign highlights resident concerns about high electricity costs as the principal motivation behind the effort. The details regarding the projected costs or potential savings associated with a municipal power system, or the specific mechanisms for establishing such a system, were not provided. Similarly, the timeline for the signature-gathering process beyond the 2028 election target was not specified.
Duke Energy currently serves the St. Petersburg area. Information on Duke Energy’s response to the campaign or its perspective on the initiative was not immediately available. The formation of a municipal utility would represent a significant shift in the city’s energy infrastructure and management.
The “Public Power St. Pete” campaign will continue its signature-gathering efforts in the coming months, aiming to build support for the 2028 ballot measure. The outcome of the signature collection and the subsequent voter decision, should the measure qualify, will determine the future of electricity provision in St. Petersburg.
Story summarized from the original created by Casey Albritton on www.tampabay28.com, see more information here.
