Republican Commissioner Kathleen Peters has launched her campaign for reelection to the Pinellas County Commission, District 6. She is seeking a third term in 2026. Peters was last reelected without opposition in 2022 and currently serves on a 6–1 Republican supermajority.
Her campaign kick-off is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23, at Island Way Grill in Clearwater Beach, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Beach renourishment has been a major focus. Peters supported the county’s $125 million shoreline restoration plan after repeated hurricane damage and joined a Pinellas delegation to Washington to push for the return of federal funding. She lobbied both the Trump and Biden administrations on the issue, including a 2019 letter to President Trump signed by the full commission.
Peters has made mental health and addiction treatment another priority during her time in office. On her campaign website, she cites the toll of the opioid epidemic and other crises, writing that “it’s imperative that we reform access to care for mental illness and substance abuse and renew prevention efforts.”
In May 2024, the county launched Care About Me, a confidential hotline that connects residents with mental health and addiction services. Peters, then Commission Chair, called the program “the culmination of years of research, community partnerships and work with providers,” and said its goal is to ensure residents in need “are not alone and that help is available.”
Before joining the commission, Peters represented Southwest Pinellas County in the Florida House from 2012 to 2018. She chaired the Energy and Utilities Committee and served on Commerce, Ways & Means, and the Children, Families & Seniors Subcommittee. Her legislative record includes reforming Florida’s mental health system, securing funding for beach protection and tightening sewage spill reporting rules.
According to campaign finance reports, Peters has raised $32,650 for her 2026 reelection bid.