Florida midterm primary elections are right around the corner on Tues., Aug. 23 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., where registered voters can choose who they want to advance to the general election in November. This year, four school board seats are up for grabs. Keep reading to learn who the candidates in each district are.
There are over 150 Polk County public schools that educate 110,000+ students, making Polk one of the 30 largest school districts in the country. There are seven school board members elected to set school policies, oversee finances, and serve the community. Get to know the candidates before the elections next month.
School Board District 3
- Sarah Fortney, the incumbent candidate with 33+ years of education experience
- Rick Nolte, a retired teacher with four grandchildren in Polk public schools
School Board District 5
- Terry L. Clark, who wants to bring the board’s focus to education
- Kay Fields, the incumbent who is running for the sixth time
School Board District 6
- Sara Estelle Jones, an attorney and Polk County native
- Justin Sharpless, a parent + assistant professor at Warner University
School Board District 7
- Lisa Miller, the incumbent candidate dedicated to helping students with disabilities
- Dell Quary, who brings over two decades of experience in school district roles
- Jill Sessions, who wants to increase transparency + fiscal responsibility
Be in the know before you go. Make sure you’re registered to vote and know your polling location (heads up, yours may have changed due to recent redistricting). Pro tip: Head to this site to see which district you live in and know the schools in your district.
** We tried our best to include links to the candidate’s election website or election Facebook account. If you know of a better source that represents any of the above candidates, please let us know.
