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.

Broward County voters decided four school board seats on Tuesday, while a fifth seat is heading to a runoff on Nov. 3.

Just 16% of voters cast a ballot in Broward, a county with more than 1.3 million registered voters. The school board races come at a time when Broward County Public Schools faces school closures, declining enrollment and a $90 million budget deficit that led the school board to approve cuts that affected 1,000 positions. The district lost nearly five percent of its students between the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.

District 1 incumbent sails to victory

In District 1, incumbent Maura McCarthy Bulman defeated Carmen Jackie Gimenez. Bulman received 71% of the vote while Gimenez garnered 29%, according to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections.

Bulman has served on the School Board since 2024. A longtime Hollywood resident and an attorney, she campaigned for neighborhood schools and more opportunities for students. 

Gimenez, a former candidate for governor and mayor of Hallandale Beach, has criticized the School Board and requested changes to the district’s approach to education.

Morst wins open District 4 seat

In District 4, Nicole Morst received 60% of the vote, defeating Sharry Kimmel who received 40% of the vote, according to the Broward Supervisor of Elections.

Morst will succeed Lori Alhadelff, who currently holds the seat but is not seeking another term. Margate, Coral Springs, Parkland, North Lauderdale and Tamarac all fall under Broward’s District 4.

Morst campaigned on ensuring that students have access to equal education. She pointed to staffing shortages, mental health resources, academic opportunities and school facilities as her priorities. 

Kimmel, who has a doctorate degree in education from Nova Southeastern University, highlighted her experience with school leadership, budgeting, safety, education and teaching. 

DeSantis appointee heads to a runoff in District 6

District 6 featured the most contested race with five candidates competing for the seat; since none received more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote getters will head to a runoff.

Incumbent Adam Cervera and Roberto Fernandez III will face each other in the Nov. 3 election. Cervera received 38% of the votes, while Fernandez garnered 26%, according to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections.

Cervera was appointed to the School Board in the Democratic-leaning county by Gov. Ron DeSantis after the resignation of Brenda Fam. According to Florida Politics, Fam stepped down due to a “toxic working environment.”  

He has received endorsements from local police and firefighter unions, as well as the Broward Teachers Union. He raised about $340,000, including a personal loan of $300,000, making him the most heavily funded school board candidate in the state. Cervera has focused on the district finances, spending and teacher pay. 

Fernandez, who highlights that he is a veteran and honorably discharged Army reservist, highlighted his 20 years of service in the Broward County Schools. He also said that he has lived in District 6 for nearly three decades, and he is a former Florida and Broward Teacher of the Year. His campaign emphasizes tackling the difficult finances, declining enrollment and other challenges public schools face. 

The remaining three candidates and their vote tallies were Jessie Bastos (22%) Makai Aline Henry (7%) and Lester L. Wilks Jr. (6%).

Dominique wins open District 7 seat

In District 7, Cynthia Alceus Dominique defeated Rochelle “Shelly” Soffer. Dominique won with 60% of votes to Soffer’s 40%, according to the Broward supervisor of elections.

Dominique, a nurse and a U.S. Army veteran, focused on the finances and employee compensation in the district. She said that the district needs to address teacher and support staff pay, such as custodians, bus drivers and cafeteria workers. 

Soffer, a former teacher and a school speech-language pathologist, stressed the review of the district’s budget and the importance of tackling the financial challenges.

Incumbent bests challenger for District 8 at-large seat

In District 8 — Broward County’s at-large seat — incumbent Allen Zeman received 55% of the vote, beating Sonja Azim who garnered 45% of votes.

During his first four years, Zeman pointed to the School Board’s record as a district that earned an “A” rating. He is an advocate for artificial intelligence integration, teacher pay and technology. The declining enrollment, he said, is due to changes in demographics and the competition from private and charter schools, vouchers and homeschooling.  

Azmin, a former special education teacher and charter school administrator, centered her campaign around transparency and community trust. She argued that District 8 needs to engage with residents directly rather than just making records available.

Zeman and Azim differed in their responses to the district’s recent controversies regarding budget cuts, attendance reporting and administrator bonuses. Azim said the issues have led to the loss of community trust, but Zeman said the board is being transparent and there is no data presenting otherwise. 

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.