Florida passed Amendment 3, but Tampa Bay voters were divided
Amendment 3 passed by a statewide vote, but support wasn't distributed equally. Why it matters: The property tax exemption performed better in Republican-leaning areas with fewer renters, according to a Tampa Bay Times analysis of voter data . In fact, Gov. Ron DeSantis attributed the measure to helping drive Republican voter turnout. The big picture: About 62% of voters statewide approved the amendment, according to the Florida Division of Elections. That firmly cleared the 60% approval threshold for state constitutional amendments. Yes, but: It fell short of that threshold in nine counties, including both Pinellas and Hillsborough. All nine voted Democrat in top-ticket races, per the Times. Those counties also have more renters. Zoom in: The pattern also played out locally, the Times reported. "Yes" votes were more common in areas with older and wealthier residents and more expensive homes. In Pinellas, that was the beach communities and East Lake. In Hillsborough, look to suburbs in the eastern part of the county like Brandon and Lithia.
