Partisan school board elections on ballot in Florida

Florida school district board elections are usually nonpartisan
A proposed constitutional amendment could change that
If successful, change wouldn't take effect until November 2026

Updated: May 29, 2024 / 04:55 PM CDT

FILE PHOTO: A voting booth is seen at a polling center inside a fire station in the Coral Gables neighbourhood during the Democratic presidential primary election in Miami, Florida, U.S. March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

(NewsNation) — Florida’s school board elections have historically been nonpartisan, but voters could change that in November.

A proposed amendment to the state constitution will appear on the ballot as Amendment 1. It would require district school board members to run in partisan elections beginning November 2026.

Partisan primary elections, however, may take place sooner to nominate political candidates to office or place them on the 2026 general election ballot, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Those who support the change say they want improved transparency, while those opposed to the amendment worry about alienating independent voters, according to the nonprofit news site the Florida Phoenix.

Amendment 1 would need to win the support of 60% of voters in November to pass. If successful, the change would impact at least 67 nonpartisan Florida school districts.