The race for District Six’s City Council seat is underway. Terri Balliet, one of two candidates for Gina Driscoll’s soon-to-be-vacant office, will launch her campaign kick-off at Voodoo Brewing (220 4th St N, St. Petersburg) Sept. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Former Mayor Rick Kriseman endorsed Balliet early on, citing her long record of service. “Having served on the City Council, I understand how important it is to elect candidates who are committed to making a difference in our community,” Kriseman said in a prepared statement. “Terri Balliet has spent more than 20 years working at nonprofits assisting the elderly, the disabled, those with behavioral health issues, and, most recently, as CEO of the Children’s Network of Hillsborough County.”
“Mayor Kriseman’s leadership helped shape the modern St. Pete we know and love, and I’m honored to have his endorsement,” Balliet responded. In an email to Poliverse, she added: “I’m running to bring results-driven, collaborative leadership to the City Council. My career has been about solving problems, from creating the CALL program that changed how we respond to mental health crises to leading major agencies that protect children and families.”
The CALL program, which Balliet helped design, sends social workers and mental health professionals to handle nonviolent 911 calls involving issues like homelessness, substance use or mental health crises. In August 2023, City Council unanimously approved a $5 million extension to fund the program through September 2026.
Balliet entered the race in June and has raised $7,439.83 as of the June 30 reporting deadline. The effect of Kriseman’s endorsement on her fundraising will be known after the next disclosure on Oct. 10. Her opponent, Linsey Grove, has not filed a financial report.
Grove leads The Hypatia Collaborative, a nonprofit that provides grant writing, evaluation and strategic planning to small organizations. Hypatia was awarded $2.5 million through ARPA funding to pilot a shared-services model supporting nonprofits across St. Petersburg.