Editing Hillsborough County, Florida (section)

==Politics and government==
{{more citations needed|section|date=July 2022}}

=== Voter registration ===
According to the Secretary of State's office, Republican are a narrow plurality of registered voters in Hillsborough County.
{| class=wikitable
! colspan = 6 | Hillsborough county voter registration & party enrollment as of February 28, 2025<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-county-and-party/ |title=Voter Registration – By County and Party |access-date=November 22, 2022}}</ref>
|-
!colspan = 2 | Political party
!Total Voters
!Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|301,636
|34.52%
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|299,127
|34.23%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent (United States)}}
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|246,390
|28.20%
|-
| {{party color cell|Other party (United States)}}
|Minor parties
|26,713
|3.06%
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!873,866
!100.00%
|}

=== Statewide and national elections ===
Hillsborough County tends to lean [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]], having not been won by a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] presidential candidate from 2004 until 2024. It is part of the politically important [[Interstate 4|I-4 Corridor]] between Tampa Bay and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], an area that historically decides most elections in Florida.  Hillsborough was considered a [[bellwether]] county, voting for the statewide winner in every presidential election from 1964–2012. It has also voted for the winner of the presidency in every election since 1928 except twice, voting for the loser only in 1992 and 2016. The southern portion of the county, around Tampa, is powerfully Democratic, while the northern and eastern portions are heavily Republican.

On the statewide level, the county also tends to lean Democratic with Democrats [[Bill Nelson]] for senator and [[Andrew Gillum]] for governor both winning the county in the 2018 elections. However, Republican senator [[Marco Rubio]] did win the county in his 2010, 2016 and 2022 senatorial campaigns and Republican Governor Ron Desantis won it in his 2022 gubernatorial campaign after the county supported Democrats for the previous three gubernatorial elections since 2010.

In [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]], [[Barack Obama]] won the county by seven points, the first Democrat to capture the county since [[Bill Clinton]]'s re-election victory in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2004&fips=12&f=0|title=2004 Presidential General Election Results – Florida|author=David Leip|work=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref> Obama won Hillsborough again in 2012 over Republican presidential nominee [[Mitt Romney]] by roughly the same margin.

In [[2016 United States presidential election|2016]], [[Donald Trump]] became the first Republican since [[Calvin Coolidge]] in 1924 to win a presidential election without carrying the county.

Donald Trump broke the Democratic streak in the county in 2024, when he carried the county by a narrow majority. This reflects the general trend in Florida towards the Republican Party in recent elections.

{{PresHead|place=Hillsborough County, Florida|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=June 15, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|342,017|321,455|11,435|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|327,398|376,367|10,303|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|266,870|307,896|29,124|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|250,186|286,467|6,776|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|236,355|272,963|5,183|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|245,576|214,132|3,514|Florida}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|180,794|169,576|9,984|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|136,656|144,266|27,349|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|130,643|115,282|64,577|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|150,151|99,014|1,551|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|157,926|86,230|52|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|106,160|88,271|10,883|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|78,504|94,589|2,052|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|106,956|45,305|249|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|49,441|45,848|46,913|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|50,616|71,289|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|48,887|62,240|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|41,889|38,610|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|36,316|33,252|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|13,529|18,854|8,903|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|10,252|31,146|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|7,805|30,738|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|5,361|20,202|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|4,711|19,143|0|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|11,703|9,993|392|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|1,585|4,470|1,125|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|3,772|6,976|1,601|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|691|4,627|1,297|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|159|2,641|1,105|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|367|2,703|624|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|516|1,976|659|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|349|2,257|639|Florida}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|584|2,115|200|Florida}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|0|2,718|125|Florida}}

{| class="wikitable"  style="float:left; font-size:95%;"
|+ '''Gubernatorial Election Results'''
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|[[Florida gubernatorial election, 2022|2022]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|'''54.17%''' ''261,936''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|44.95% ''217,349''
| style="text-align:center;"|0.87% ''4,229''
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|[[Florida gubernatorial election, 2018|2018]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|44.86% ''234,835''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''53.79%''' ''281,598''
| style="text-align:center;"|1.34% ''7,037''
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|[[Florida gubernatorial election, 2014|2014]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|45.59% ''170,127''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''48.29%''' ''180,168''
| style="text-align:center;"|6.12% ''22,837''
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|[[Florida gubernatorial election, 2010|2010]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|46.59% ''148,429''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|'''49.91%''' ''158,995''
| style="text-align:center;"|3.51% ''11,171''
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|[[Florida gubernatorial election, 2006|2006]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|'''52.80%''' ''152,494''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|44.45% ''128,375''
| style="text-align:center;"|2.75% ''7,931''
|-
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|[[Florida gubernatorial election, 2002|2002]]
|  style="text-align:center; background:#fff3f3;"|'''55.81%''' ''175,629''
|  style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0ff;"|42.67% ''134,274''
| style="text-align:center;"|0.76% ''2,378''
|}
{{clear}}

=== Board of County Commissioners ===
A [[home rule]] charter for Hillsborough County was approved by voters in a county-wide referendum held in September 1983, and the first county commissioners elected under this new charter took office on May 28, 1985.

Under a charter ordinance that went into effect May 1985, seven county commissioners are directed to perform legislative functions of government by developing policy for the management of Hillsborough County. The county administrator, a professional appointed by the board, and the administrative staff are responsible for the implementation of these policies.<ref name=BCC>{{cite web |title=Board of County Commissioners |url=https://hcfl.gov/government/board-of-county-commissioners |website=hcfl.gov |publisher=Hillsboro County, Florida |access-date=1 February 2025}}</ref>

The board also serves as the Environmental Protection Commission. Individual board members serve on various other boards, authorities, and commissions such as the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Tampa Bay Water, Aviation Authority, Expressway Authority, Sports Authority, Port Authority, Arts Council of Hillsborough County, Children's Board, Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Council of Governments.<ref name=BCC />

The charter divides the power of county government between legislative and executive branches. The Board of County Commissioners, which composes the legislative branch, sets overall policy by means of ordinances, resolutions, and motions.

The executive powers of county government are vested in the county administrator, appointed by county commissioners and charged by the charter to faithfully implement the powers of the board. The charter provides for a county attorney, to be hired by the county administrator with the advice and consent of the county commissioners. The charter contains a provision for a charter review board appointed by County Commissioners every five years to conduct a study of county government and propose amendments to the charter. These amendments must be presented to voters for approval. One amendment was approved in November 2002, adding the position of County Internal Performance Auditor to the government structure. This position reports directly to the County Commission.

The current administrator is Bonnie M. Wise, who took office on July 1, 2020, replacing Mike Merrill, who had served as administrator since 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hillsborough taps Bonnie Wise as county administrator|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2020/05/06/hillsborough-tabs-bonnie-wise-as-county-administrator/|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=Tampa Bay Times|language=en}}</ref> Wise previously served as the county's deputy administrator and Tampa's chief financial officer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bonnie Wise, Hillsborough's next administrator, almost skipped career in public service|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2020/05/11/bonnie-wise-hillsboroughs-next-administrator-almost-skipped-career-in-public-service/|access-date=February 16, 2021|website=Tampa Bay Times|language=en}}</ref>

Of the seven members of the Board of County Commissioners for Hillsborough County, four are elected from single-member districts, and three are elected county-wide. The board approves the county's operating and capital budgets and the county's capital-improvement program. It may take action on any programs for the improvement of the county and the welfare of its residents.

As of 2025, The members of the Board are as follows:
* Henry Cohen (D): Single-Member District #1
* Ken Hagan (R): Single-Member District #2
* Gwen Myers (D): Single-Member District #3
* Christine Miller (R): Single-Member District #4
* Donna Cameron Cepeda (R): At-Large District #5 
* Chris Boles (R): At-Large District #6 
* Joshua Wostal (R): At-Large District #7

=== Government officials ===
These five countywide elected positions have specific responsibilities under the county charter:
* Clerk of the Circuit Court: Cindy Stuart (D)
* Sheriff: [[Chad Chronister]] (R)
* Property Appraiser: [[Bob Henriquez]] (D)
* Tax Collector: Nancy Millan (D)
* Supervisor of Elections: Craig Latimer (D)

===Taxes===
Hillsborough County's discretionary [[sales tax]] rate increased from 1% to 2.5% in January 2019. When combined with the state of Florida's 6%, the rate is 8.5%, the highest in Florida. The rate includes two surcharges approved by voter referendum in November 2018, 1% for transportation and 1/2% for schools.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Grigg |first1=Nicole |title=Hillsborough County's sales tax to increase Jan. 1, will be the highest in the state |url=https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local-news/hillsborough-countys-sales-tax-to-increase-jan-1-will-be-the-highest-in-the-state |access-date=February 26, 2019 |date=December 28, 2018}}</ref> It is only collected on the first $5000 of any large purchase.