This story is part of a statewide partnership of 27 nonpartisan newsrooms and universities working to help Florida voters make informed decisions in the 2026 school board elections. Learn more about the Florida Elections Reporting Partnership.

The District 1 Monroe County School Board race is proof that every vote matters. Incumbent Darren Horan defeated former school superintendent Theresa Axford — by 435 votes.

The vote count had been tight all night since the polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Horan, the school board vice chair, received 8,016 votes to Axford’s 7,581 votes. In percentages, Horan received 51.4% of votes. Axford took in 48.6%, according to the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections.

In District 5, incumbent Sue Woltanski earned 64% of votes to beat Chelyn Shaw who tallied 36%. Woltanski received 10,141 votes; Shaw received 5,693. 

Voter turnout in Monroe County hit 32%, with 17,549 votes cast out of 54,628 registered voters, the elections department said, with all 33 precincts counted. 

A close race in District 1

Horan was first elected to the Monroe County School Board in 2022, serving a district that covers Key Haven, Stock Island and the eastern part of Key West. Since he took office, he has served as vice chair and oversees budgets, long-term planning and district policies. 

Axford argued her time leading the district is what qualified her to serve on the board, while Horan said his first term positioned him to continue initiatives that focus on student nutrition, teacher housing and district planning. Axford served as superintendent from 2020 to July 31, 2025.

During the campaign, Axford and Horan emphasized commitment to preserving Monroe County’s reputation as one of Florida’s highest-performing school districts.

During her tenure as superintendent, Axford said the district doubled its reserve fund to about $28 million and secured millions of dollars in federal funding. Axford said these accomplishments showcase her ability to manage finances and prepare Monroe County Schools for future obstacles. 

Horan said he ran for reelection to pursue initiatives that he started in his current term, efforts to address workforce housing for support staff and teachers. In a countywide candidate forum hosted by A Tight-Knit Florida Key, Horan said that housing is one of the biggest challenges in the district because the Florida Keys has a high cost of living.

In District 5, the incumbent won re-election by a wide margin

District 5 incumbent Sue Woltanski earned 64% of votes to beat Chelyn Shaw who tallied 36%. Woltanski received 10,141 votes; Shaw received 5,693. 

The District 5 school board seat includes Ocean Reef, Key Largo and Tavernier.

Woltanski won a bid for a third term on the board after first being elected in 2018 and again in 2022. Shaw ran for public office for the first time. Both candidates said they wanted to help the students, but differed on the educational and financial future of the district.

Woltanski, a physician, said she ran for another term because, in her opinion, Monroe school district has made a great deal of progress in recent years. Progress, she said, includes that the district has earned two consecutive A’s, has more students graduating, has developed more educational programs, and has fewer teacher vacancies.
Shaw said she supported school choice, emphasizing that educational funding belongs to the student and not the district. Shaw, according to her campaign, ran on Christian values, leadership and business acumen and collaboration. 

Brianna Duardo is a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Digital Journalism at the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University in Miami.