Election results: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education agenda helped him win a second term Tuesday, as he defeated Democratic challenger Charlie Crist in a landslide with nearly 60 percent of the vote. It was the largest margin of victory in a Florida governor’s race since Democrat Bob Graham won by more than 29 points in 1982. All six of the school board candidates DeSantis endorsed also won, giving him victories in 25 of the 30 board races in which he backed someone. Florida voters also weighed in on school board seats in many state districts, school tax issues and a constitutional amendment intended to award an extra property tax exemption to teachers.
School closings: At least 25 school districts and 17 colleges and universities have announced they are closing schools this week because of the threat from Tropical Storm Nicole, which could develop into a hurricane before coming ashore along the southern east coast of the state early Thursday and then moving in a northwesterly direction across the state. Schools in Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Palm Beach, Brevard, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Pasco, St. Johns, Volusia, Flagler, Putnam, Clay, St. Lucie, Polk, Marion, Alachua, Sumter, Martin, Indian River, Okeechobee, Hardee, Highlands and Glades counties will be closed for at least one day this week. Universities and colleges closing are the University of Forida, Florida Atlantic University, University of Central Florida, New College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Tech, Nova Southeastern University, Daytona State College, Lake Sumter State College, Seminole State College, Palm Beach State College, Broward College, Indian River State College, Valencia State College, Eastern Florida State College, Santa Fe College and Florida SouthWestern State College. Miami Herald. Sun-Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. WPTV. WPEC. Florida Today. WFOR. WKMG. WESH. WOFL. WCJB. Space Coast Daily. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Tampa Bay Times. WFLA. WTSP. WFTS. Florida Times-Union. WTLV. WJAX. WJXT. WWSB. Orlando Sentinel. Lakeland Ledger. Lakeland Now. Gainesville Sun. Independent Florida Alligator. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Suncoast News. Florida Department of Education.
Around the state: There were other education-related stories in the state on Tuesday, including the state FHSAA deciding to retain menstrual history questions on annual athlete registration forms, at least for now, and the Pasco school district declining a Jewish employee’s request to remove a biblical verse painted on a high school teacher’s parking spot. Here are details about those stories and other election results from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: Voters have overwhelmingly renewed a slightly higher property tax increase that is expected to raise about $400 million a year for teacher salaries and school safety. The increase of the tax from 0.75 mills per $1,000 in assessed property value to 1 mill was approved by a vote of 65 percent to 35 percent. It was first passed by voters in 2018, and school officials had warned that if it wasn’t renewed the district would begin to lose teachers and school resource officers. Miami Herald. WPLG. Supervisor of elections.
Broward: A school board member who was suspended by Gov. DeSantis in August after a scathing report from a statewide grand jury has lost her re-election bid. Donna Korn was defeated by Allen Zeman for the District 8 at-large seat by slightly more than 13,000 votes out of 471,000 cast. In District 1, Rodney Velez received 52.37 percent of the vote to defeat Marie Murray Martin. Jeff Holness received 54.1 percent of the vote to beat Ruth Carter-Lynch for the District 5 seat, and Brenda Fam won the District 6 position, receiving 51.6 percent of the vote to Steven Julian’s 48.4 percent. WPLG. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald. Florida Politics. Supervisor of elections.
Orange: Alicia Farrant, a member of Moms for Liberty who has pressured school libraries to remove books she considers inappropriate, was elected to the District 3 seat on the school board. She won 53 percent of the vote to defeat college administrator Michael Daniels. In Tuesday’s other race, for the District 2 seat, venture capitalist Maria Salamanca received 50.4 percent of the vote to edge Heather Ashby, a counselor at Timber Creek High School. Orlando Sentinel.
Palm Beach: A special property tax that is expected to generate about $270 million a year for the school district was renewed for another four years Tuesday with the backing of about 74 percent of voters. About $124 million was used last year for boosting teacher pay, while $64.7 million went into hiring teachers for elementary art, music, physical education, magnet programs and career academies. Mental health services for students received $18.6 million, and $19 million went for school security officers and equipment. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. Two school board seats also were decided Tuesday. In District 6, school board incumbent Marcia Andrews received 56.7 percent of the vote to defeat challenger Jennifer Showalter, and in District 7, Edwin Ferguson edged Corey Smith, 52.55 percent to 47.45 percent. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel. Supervisor of elections.
Polk: District 7 school board incumbent Lisa Miller collected 55.6 percent of the vote to defeat Jill Sessions in a bitterly contested race in Tuesday’s runoff. Lakeland Ledger. Lakeland Now. Supervisor of elections.
Pinellas: Two conservatives were elected to school board seats on Tuesday. In District 3, Dawn Peters turned back Keesha Benson by a margin of 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent. In District 6, Stephanie Meyer received 53 percent of the vote to defeat Brian Martin. Tampa Bay Times. Supervisor of elections.
Lee: Nearly 63 percent of voters decided Tuesday that they want to elect the school superintendent instead of having the school board appoint one. Lee County becomes the 27th district in the state to elect a school leader. The first election under the new system will be in November 2024. Three school board races also were decided Tuesday. In District 1, Sam Fisher edged Kathy Fanny with 51.7 percent of the vote to 48.3 percent for Fanny. Fisher had been endorsed by DeSantis. District 4 incumbent Debbie Jordan cruised over Dan Severson by a vote of 55.6 percent to 44.4 percent, and Jada Langford Fleming squeaked by Denise Nystrom, 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent, to claim the District 6 seat. Fort Myers News-Press. Supervisor of elections.
Pasco: Almost 65 percent of voters favored the renewal of the Penny for Pasco sales tax for another 15 years. Part of the money goes to the school district for construction projects, and part goes to the county for traffic improvements. In the only school board race, Al Hernandez, who was removed from the ballot because of residency questions and then reinstated by an appeals court late last week, easily won the District 1 school board race Tuesday. He collected 65 percent of the vote to James Washington’s 35 percent. Hernandez was another candidate backed by DeSantis. Tampa Bay Times. Supervisor of elections. District officials said they won’t remove a Christian biblical verse painted on a teacher’s reserved parking space at Wiregrass Ranch High School in Wesley Chapel despite a complaint from a Jewish school employee. The woman said the verse made her uncomfortable, but school officials consider it a freedom of speech issue. Jewish Press.
Brevard: A 1-mill increase in property taxes to raise pay for teachers and other school employees was approved Tuesday by a margin of 58-42 percent. About $36 million of the projected $43 million a year the tax will raise will go toward salaries and benefits, and $4.5 million would pay supplements for coaches and other extracurricular jobs. About $2.8 million will be used for employment incentives and recruitement and retention. Florida Today. In the race for the District 2 school board seat, Gene Trent defeated Erin Dunne, 53.6 percent to 46.4 percent. WKMG. Florida Today. Supervisor of elections. School board members may now be subject to be recalled for acts of malfeasance after voters approved a change in the county charter. The measure received the support of nearly 79 percent of voters. Florida Today.
Osceola: In the only school board election not decided in the Aug. 23 primary, Heather Kahoun slipped past Will Fonseca to win the District 4 seat. Kahoun got 51.6 percent of the vote to Fonseca’s 48.4 percent. Supervisor of elections.
Seminole: Kelley Davis and Autumn Garick were elected to the school board Tuesday in close races. Davis received 52 percent of the vote to defeat Sean Cooper for the District 2 seat, and Garick was chosen by 51.4 percent of voters to beat Dana Fernandez for the District 5 seat. Orlando Sentinel. Supervisor of elections.
Volusia: District 1 school board incumbent and DeSantis endorsee Jamie Haynes was re-elected Tuesday, whipping Albert Bouie by a margin of 58.5 percent to 41.5 percent. In District 3, Jessie Thompson received 54.9 percent of the votes cast to beat Justin Kennedy. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Supervisor of elections.
Manatee: In the only school board race that wasn’t decided in the August primary, Cindy Spray slipped by Harold E. Byrd Jr., 53.4 percent to 46.6 percent, to win the District 2 seat. Spray was one of the candidates endorsed by DeSantis. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Supervisor of elections.
Collier: All three school board incumbents were soundly defeated by voters Tuesday. In District 1, incumbent Jory Westberry was buried by Jerry Rutherford by a vote of 65 percent to 35 percent. District 3 incumbent Jen Mitchell lost to former school board member Kelly Lichter, 58 percent to 42 percent, and District 5 incumbent Roy Terry was beaten by Timothy Moshier, 60.5 percent to 39.5 percent. Naples Daily News. Supervisor of elections.
Lake: About 60 percent of the county’s voters approved the continuation of the added 0.75-mill property tax for the school district, which uses the money generated to pay for expanded mental-health services for students, school safety officers and more nurses. In the District 2 school board race, incumbent Tyler Brandeburg was re-elected with 57.6 percent of the vote against Jim Miller, who drew the support of 42.4 percent of voters. WKMG. Supervisor of elections.
St. Johns: School board incumbent board member Bev Slough retained her District 1 seat by edging Racheal Hand, 52 percent to 48 percent, while District 3 was also a tight race, with Jennifer Collins also getting 52 percent of the vote to Lauren Abell’s 48 percent. St. Augustine Record. Supervisor of elections.
St. Lucie: By a margin of 67 percent to 33 percent, voters renewed a 1-mill property tax that generates funding for teacher salaries, school security, mental-health services and educational programs. The tax was first approved in 2019, and will go into effect in July for four more years. TCPalm. Supervisor of elections.
Escambia: District 2 school board incumbent Paul Fetsko was easily re-elected with just under 60 percent of the vote against challenger Raymond Guillory. Pensacola News Journal. Supervisor of elections.
Clay: The renewal of a 1-mill property tax to enhance school security and support district operational costs was approved by voters by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin. The tax funds “safety and security for public students and staff, and provide(s) operating expenses of the district, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending June 30, 2027,” the ballot measure read. WJXT. Supervisor of elections.
Leon: Retired physical education teacher Laurie Cox defeated Godby High School assistant principal Alex Stemle in a heated race to succeed Dee Dee Rasmussen as the District 4 representative on the school board. The final vote was 54.2 percent for Cox and 45.8 percent for Stemle. Tallahassee Democrat. Supervisor of elections.
Santa Rosa: Scott Peden drew 58.44 percent of the vote to claim the District 5 school board seat over Pete Peters. It was the only school board race without an incumbent running. Pensacola News Journal. Supervisor of elections.
Hernando: One incumbent school board member was re-elected and another was defeated in Tuesday’s runoff election. District 5 board member Susan Duval received 52.4 percent of the vote to get by Monty Floyd, who got 47.6 percent. District 1 incumbent Kay Hatch lost to Mark Johnson by the same margin. Hernando Sun. Suncoast News. Supervisor of elections.
Indian River: Incumbent District 2 school board member Jacqueline Rosario, also supported by DeSantis, cruised to re-election over Cynthia Gibbs in the runoff Tuesday by a margin of 55 percent to 45 percent. TCPalm. Supervisor of elections.
Charlotte: The renewal of a tax of 1 mill for every $1,000 in taxable property value was approved by voters Tuesday, 77 percent to 23 percent. The tax provides the school district with funds for additional security, teacher pay raises and recruitment, and more music, art and career programs. Charlotte Sun. Supervisor of elections.
Citrus: District 5 school board incumbent Linda Powers lost her seat Tuesday in resounding fashion to challenger Joseph Faherty, who also had collected more votes in the August primary. Faherty got 57 percent of the votes to Powers’ 43 percent. Citrus County Chronicle. Supervisor of elections.
Flagler: Voters overwhelmingly renewed the extra half-cent on the sales tax to help the school district pay for technology upgrades, improved school safety and security, classroom renovations and more. The vote was 69 percent in favor, and 31 percent opposed. In the only school board race on the ballot, Will Furry beat Courtney VandeBunte in District 2 by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Flagler Live. Supervisor of elections.
Nassau: A 1-mill property tax increase to raise teacher salaries and help the district recruit and retain educators was narrowly approved by voters. Just over 53 percent voted for the tax hike, while almost 47 percent voted no. It is expected to raise about $14 million a year. WJXT. Two school board races were also on Tuesday’s ballot. In District 1, Emma Love Hardee Elementary reading coach Shannon Hogue defeated Jamie Deonas, the current District 3 board member whose home was moved into District 1 by redistricting, by a vote of 51.6-48.4 percent. In District 3, former West Nassau High School principal Curtis Gaus received 58.7 percent of the vote to wallop Albert Wagner, an assistant principal at Windy Hill Elementary in Duval County. Florida Politics. Supervisor of elections.
Putnam: More than 54 percent of voters approved a ballot proposal to issue up to $300 million in bonds to finance the construction and renovation of schools and upgrade school security. The district will repay the bonds over 30 years, using its property tax revenue. Supervisor of elections.
Columbia: Voters gave a slim majority to raising the sales tax by a half-cent. The vote was 50.45 percent in favor, and 49.55 percent against. Money raised by the tax will go toward facilities, safety and security, and technology. In the only school board race on the ballot, Hunter Peeler was elected to the District 5 seat by defeating Elizabeth Porter, 52.1-47.8 percent. Supervisor of elections.
Hendry: An extra half-cent sales tax was approved by 53 percent of voters. The money it produces will be used for improvements such as flooring, HVAC, surveillance equipment, access control, school technology and to pay off debt on large capital projects. In the school board race, District 4 incumbent Stephanie Busin, who narrowly missed getting enough votes to win outright in the Aug. 23 primary, won by just 13 votes over Joseph Whitehead after Tuesday’s runoff with all the precincts reporting. Busin, who was also backed by DeSantis, received 1,103 votes to 1,090 for Whitehead. Supervisor of elections.
Gadsden: Two incumbents were re-elected to school board seats Tuesday. Current District 2 board member Steve Scott defeated Rodney Moore by a vote of 55-45 percent, and in District 4, incumbent Charlie Frost got 52 percent of the vote to finish ahead of Cynthia Hayes-Riley, who was supported by 48 percent of voters. Supervisor of elections.
Wakulla: By a 52.5-47.5 percent margin, voters approved the addition of an extra half-cent to the sales tax to finance the replacement and repair of school facilities, improve safety and security, upgrade technology and retire debt. Collection of the tax begins Jan. 1 and continues for 10 years. In the lone school board race, Eddie Hand was elected to the District 1 seat, beating Dod Walker by a margin of 53-47 percent. Supervisor of elections.
Hardee: District 4 school board incumbent Garry McWhorter lost his bid for re-election to Marie Dasher, 55.2 percent to 44.8 percent. Supervisor of elections.
Baker: District 5 school board incumbent Michele Hodges will be replaced by Mandi Canaday, who collected 54.8 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s runoff. Supervisor of elections.
Madison: Two new school board members were elected. In District 1, Katie Knight received 54.7 percent of the vote to knock off Marvin Mattair in the race to replace Suzie Williamson, who finished third in the August primary. Devin Thompson was easily elected to the District 5 seat, defeating Donnell Davis by a vote of 65-35 percent. Supervisor of elections.
Franklin: Voters have approved two tax measures to benefit the school district. One is a renewal of a half-mill property tax that is used for salaries, benefits and other operating costs. It passed on a vote of 72-28 percent. It continues through June 30, 2028. The other raises the sales tax by half a cent, and the estimated $1.2 million a year it will generate will be used solely for capital costs such as constrution and technology purchases. It was approved by 55 percent of voters, and will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2042. Supervisor of elections.
Lafayette: District 3 incumbent Marion McCray was easily re-elected to a third term on the school board by defeating sister-in-law Mary Anne McCray. The vote was 56.4 percent for Marion McCray and 43.6 percent for Mary Anne McCray. WUFT. Supervisor of elections.
Constitutional amendment: A constitutional amendment that would have awarded an extra property tax exemption to teachers, first responders and other public workers won the approval of 58 percent of voters. But it failed, because approval from more than 60 percent of voters is required for amendments to be added to the state constitution. Tampa Bay Times.
Menstrual questions remain: Five questions about the menstrual history of female student-athletes will remain on the Florida High School Athletic Association’s annual athlete registration forms for now, association board members decided this week. The questions have sparked outrage from critics about propriety and schools keeping students’ medical histories. Board members said they will seek advice from their sports medicine committee before making a final decision. Palm Beach Post.
