GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – On Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, the residents of the City of Gainesville voted overwhelmingly in favor of returning control of Gainesville Regional Utilities–which oversees electric, water, sewer and internet services within the city–to the City Commission.
Back in 2023, the Florida Legislature’s moves to lessen “home rule”–the concept that municipalities throughout the state had the right to manage themselves, to greater or lesser degrees–and create more homogenous statewide control over various elements of civic infrastructure led to the creation of the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority. Through HB 1645 and a change to the city’s charter, control of Gainesville’s utilities was transferred from the City Commission to a five-member board appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Yesterday, Gainesville’s citizens voted to undo that change to the city’s charter and return control of GRU to the city. According to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections, it wasn’t even close–more than 75 percent of the votes cast were in favor of putting the city back in charge.
Unless the state asks the courts to intervene, the results of the referendum will be certified on Thursday, Nov. 6. The result has statewide implications, as local governments and the state itself continue to grapple over how much independence municipalities should be granted with regard to governance.