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NewsWUSF (NPR Tampa Bay) — EducationSeptember 6, 2026Hillsborough

Sarasota County youth organizers influence school board election results

Student-led organizing efforts contributed to the election of two progressive-leaning candidates to the Sarasota County School Board, shifting the board's majority. These campaigns utilized paid canvassing and grassroots mobilization to focus voter attention on school board policies.

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Read the full story at WUSF (NPR Tampa Bay) — Education

Why It Matters

The shift in school board control impacts district policy decisions regarding curriculum, student conduct, and administrative priorities for the Sarasota County school system.

Key Facts

  • Megan Tennimon and Beth Mayberry won their school board races by more than 10 percentage points each.
  • The election results shifted the school board majority from conservative to four out of five seats held by liberals.
  • Jimmy Glover will face Heidi Brandt in a November runoff election.
  • Next Gen Democrats paid canvassers $60 for three-hour shifts to increase voter outreach.
  • The SEE Alliance nonprofit organization generates approximately $1 million in annual revenue.
  • A group of volunteers known as 'the Fountaineers' distributed 7,000 handwritten postcards to voters.
  • The school board previously passed policies regarding cooperation with ICE and penalties for student protests.

Who's Mentioned

personSebastian Martinez“President of Sarasota Next Gen Democrats”other7,000“Number of handwritten postcards sent to voters”personMegan Tennimon“Successful school board candidate”personCarol Lerner“Co-founder of Support Our Schools”personHeidi Brandt“School board candidate advancing to November runoff”personJimmy Glover“School board candidate advancing to November runoff”personBeth Mayberry“Successful school board candidate”personJodany Del Rosario-Arcadia“Booker High School senior and student organizer”personZander Moricz“Founder of Social Equity through Education (SEE) Alliance”organizationSarasota County School Board“Local governing body for public schools”