Hurricane recovery, city services and personal connections with residents have figured into the final days of St. Petersburg’s mayoral race, as incumbent Ken Welch and challenger Charlie Crist prepare for Tuesday’s election.

Asked about his conversations with voters, Welch returned to the damage Hurricane Milton caused in October 2024, particularly the torn roof of Tropicana Field and a construction crane that struck a downtown building.

“The central theme is of resilience,” Welch said, noting the Tampa Bay Rays’ World Series run, which lifted the city’s spirits, and despite being adversaries, the Milwaukee Brewers fans who came to St. Petersburg brought needed sales to local businesses during a typically slow time of year.

The series led to a charitable wager with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson to raise money for nonprofits in both cities. Welch said Johnson recently reminded him about wearing a Brewers jersey at the Nov. 14 St. Pete Fools Charity Ride.

Crist’s conversations have included residents frustrated by utility bills and delays in repairing storm-damaged homes.

“A retired teacher in Bahamas Shores showed me a water bill that had tripled with no explanation,” Crist said. “A couple in Shore Acres told me they waited six months for a permit to fix their home after Helene and Milton.”

“Those aren’t political conversations. They’re about whether City Hall is working for the people who pay for it.”

Crist has been giving residents his cellphone number, which he said has caught some people by surprise.

“More than one person has told me they’ve never had a mayor’s cell phone number before. Well, now they do.”

Others have recognized Crist through his father, Dr. Charles Crist, who practiced medicine in St. Petersburg.

“I’ve had people tell me my dad delivered them, or treated their mother, or taped their ankle on the St. Pete High sideline,” Crist said. “That means the world to me.”

Crist said he has enjoyed speaking with Democrats, Republicans and independents during the campaign. He plans to continue meeting voters through Election Day and said he would hold open “Meet the Mayor” hours if elected.

“You can run all the ads you want, but nothing replaces looking someone in the eye and asking what they need from their city,” he said.

Welch is seeking a second term. Crist, a former governor and congressman, is seeking a return to elected office in his hometown.

Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.