Spotlight: Dr. Linsey Grove, candidate for St. Petersburg City Council District 6
Photo: Linsey Grove campaign headshot
Dr. Linsey Grove, a public health practitioner and nonprofit-support business owner, faces Trevor Mallory in the Nov. 3, 2026 runoff for the open St. Petersburg City Council District 6 seat. District 6 is the council's downtown seat. She finished first in the five-candidate Aug. 18 primary, and every voter in the city can now cast a ballot in the race.
Who she is
Grove holds a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) from the University of South Florida College of Public Health, earned in 2018. The "Dr." in this profile refers to that doctorate. According to the same USF profile, she earned a bachelor's in public health from Central Michigan University in 2010 and a USF master of public health in 2013. Her doctoral dissertation focused on sex education for people with intellectual disabilities.
She is co-owner and CEO of The Hypatia Collaborative, a St. Petersburg shared services organization for nonprofits. USF reported that Hypatia received a $2.5 million grant from the City of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas Community Foundation for a three-year pilot. USF also lists her as co-founder of Carriage House Consulting, a St. Petersburg nonprofit consulting firm that offers evaluation, grant-writing and research services. The LGBTQ Victory Fund says she has taught public health students at USF's St. Petersburg campus.
Her campaign site describes her as a former president of the League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area and a Roser Park homeowner of at least 12 years. A July 23 campaign press release says she was vice chair of the Pinellas County Charter Review Commission and has served on the county's Council for Persons with Disabilities. The same release says she has lived in District 6 for more than 13 years. It also says that, as League president, she helped pass a City Council resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. The Tampa Bay Beacons reported she is 39 years old. Her campaign site does not discuss her family.
The race for District 6
According to the city, District 6 includes downtown, Tropicana Field, the EDGE District, the Innovation District, parts of South St. Petersburg and coastal neighborhoods. Axios describes it as running from downtown and Historic Uptown south from Roser Park to Bayou Shores and east to Coquina Key.
The seat is held by Gina Driscoll, whose second term expires in January 2027. She is leaving because of term limits.
The election is in 2026, an even year, because voters changed the calendar. In 2022, about 70% approved a charter amendment that moved city elections to even-numbered years. The amendment lined city races up with state and national elections.
Only District 6 residents could vote in the primary. Under the city's system, if no candidate wins a majority, the top two advance to a citywide vote in November. In the Aug. 18 primary, Grove received 28% and Mallory 23%. GoodParty.org lists the District 6 candidates as nonpartisan.
The Tampa Bay Beacons reported that the next council member will face decisions on Tropicana Field, the city's Duke Energy contract and water and sewer upgrades.
Where she stands
Why she is running. Grove told Axios "the city is at a crossroads," citing rising costs, a changing downtown and more extreme weather.
Housing and affordability. In a January op-ed, Grove called for affordable housing through new construction, rehabilitation, rentals and homeownership. In the same piece, she called for protections against displacement and for zoning updates that encourage mixed-use development and density near transit. At a forum, WUSF reported, she backed incentives for developers to build housing for artists.
Investor-owned homes. In an April op-ed about Campbell Park, Grove argued that institutional investors are reducing the supply of single-family homes. She wrote in support of the federal ROAD to Housing Act's proposed limits on large investors. She also backed local policies modeled on state House Bill 401, which died in committee. Her campaign site says she supports a policy to limit private equity purchases of single-family homes.
Tropicana Field and the Gas Plant. Mayor Ken Welch has chosen Blake Investment Partners' "Burg Bid" to redevelop the 86-acre Tropicana Field site in the Historic Gas Plant District. The council will vote on any final deal. Grove said the council must ensure that recommendations from the Community Benefits Advisory Council and accountability measures are included. She called the site "a taxpayer asset" and asked for more transparency in the community benefits program.
Flooding and infrastructure. Grove's site calls for stormwater upgrades, complete streets, bike lanes and better bus routes, especially in South St. Petersburg. In her April op-ed, she noted that 41% of the city is designated a Coastal High Hazard Area.
Small business and neighborhoods. Her site says she would work with small businesses on health insurance, rent and shared resources. It also lists more support for neighborhood associations, youth prevention programs and community gardens. Her January op-ed proposed bus pass programs for downtown workers and help for legacy businesses.
What she says she will do
Her campaign site lists these goals:
Add affordable housing and expand home repair programs to reduce displacement.
Upgrade stormwater systems and invest in preventive resilience.
Make city programs easier for residents and small businesses to use, including by holding after-hours meetings and offering childcare.
She has also called for a comprehensive plan for growth shaped by resident input.
The money
According to an April campaign release, Grove qualified for the ballot by petition rather than paying a filing fee. The release says she submitted 679 valid petitions against the 500 required. The July 23 campaign press release claimed she led the field in cash on hand and small local donors. The release gave no dollar figures. FMNN could not independently confirm her totals from city campaign finance filings before publication.
Who's backing her
Her campaign site lists endorsements from groups including Florida NOW PAC, Ruth's List Florida, SEIU Florida, Stonewall Pinellas, the LGBTQ Victory Fund and Run for Something. The Sierra Club's Florida chapter lists her among its endorsed candidates. A campaign release names former Pinellas County Commissioner Pat Gerard, Gulfport council member Jennifer Webb and community leader Gwen Reese as supporters.
After the primary, two eliminated candidates, Doug Homeyer and Jameka Williams, endorsed Mallory.
Others in the race
Trevor Mallory, 54, leads a nonprofit that offers first-time homebuyer help, prepurchase counseling and foreclosure prevention. WUSF identifies it as Neighborhood Home Solutions. At a forum, WUSF reported, he called for investing in shelters that offer health care, food and showers. Axios reported that his plan includes investment in youth and healthier food in food deserts. On the Gas Plant, he said Welch had the right to make the decision as the sitting mayor, but called the election-season timing unfortunate because the next mayor may not honor it.
Three candidates were eliminated in the primary: Terri Balliet, CEO of the Children's Network of Hillsborough County; financial planner Doug Homeyer; and community organizer Jameka Williams.
How to vote
The runoff is on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot, and all St. Petersburg voters can vote in it. The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections has information on mail ballots, early voting and polling places. Its Elections Service Center can be reached at 727-464-8683.
How we reported this: This profile was drafted with AI assistance from the sources linked above, and every fact was checked against those sources. FMNN Spotlight profiles are not endorsements. We invite every candidate in this race to share their positions with us. See an error? Contact us and we'll correct it.
Florida Man News Network endorsed Grove in a separate opinion piece; this profile is straight news.
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