NewsWUSF — Tampa Bay NPR (Local & State)September 6, 2026Hillsborough
Sarasota County school board majority shifts following youth-led election campaign
Liberal-leaning candidates Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry won seats on the Sarasota County School Board in the August election, shifting the board's majority. The results followed a sustained campaign by student-led organizations that mobilized voters and utilized paid canvassers to influence the nonpartisan race.
Read the full story at WUSF — Tampa Bay NPR (Local & State)Why It Matters
The shift in the school board majority changes the governing body responsible for setting district policies, curriculum, and administrative decisions for Sarasota County schools.
Key Facts
- Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry won their school board races by more than 10 percentage points each.
- Jimmy Glover will face Heidi Brandt in a November runoff election.
- The election results shifted the school board from a conservative majority to a 4-1 liberal-leaning majority.
- Next Gen Democrats paid canvassers $60 for three-hour shifts to increase voter outreach.
- The SEE Alliance nonprofit now generates approximately $1 million in annual revenue.
- Supporters distributed 7,000 handwritten postcards to encourage voter participation.
- The school board previously faced controversy over LGBTQ+ inclusion, mask mandates, and Black Lives Matter materials.
Who's Mentioned
personSebastian Martinez“President of Sarasota Next Gen Democrats”personMegan Tennimon“Successful school board candidate”personCarol Lerner“Co-founder of Support Our Schools”personHeidi Brandt“School board candidate backed by the Republican Party”personJimmy Glover“School board candidate heading to a November runoff”personBeth Mayberry“Successful school board candidate”personJodany Del Rosario-Arcadia“Booker High School senior and student activist”