1956 Tampa mayoral special election

The 1956 Tampa mayoral special election took place on September 25, 1956, following a primary election on September 11, 1956. Mayor Curtis Hixon, who was re-elected to a fourth term in 1955, died on May 21, 1956. The chairman of the City Board of Representatives, J. L. Young, Jr., became mayor following Hixon's death. Young ran in the special election to serve out the remainder of Hixon's term. He was challenged by County Commissioner Nick Nuccio, who had unsuccessfully challenged Hixon in the previous year's election, and Justice of the Peace W. Harion Hendry.

In the primary election, Young placed first, winning 37 percent of the vote. Nuccio placed second with 32 percent of the vote and they both advanced to the general election. Nuccio narrowly defeated Young, winning 50.1 percent of the vote to Young's 49.9 percent, a margin of 125 votes. The initial count had Nuccio leading Young by 325 votes, and Young requested a recount, which revealed a tabulation error that cut Nuccio's lead by 200 votes but nonetheless upheld his victory.