Three of the seven seats on the Duval County School Board are up for grabs, but no candidates achieved the majority needed Tuesday to avoid a runoff.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three of seven Duval County School Board seats are up for grabs in 2026, but no winners were decided Tuesday.
April Carney (District 2), Darryl Willie (District 4) and Charlotte Joyce (District 6) will retire from the school board, opening up the seats to new leadership. However, none of the candidates reached the 50% threshold needed to secure election.
This story continues below.
District 2 candidate Donovan Bradley finished just shy of 50%, and will face Donna Mae Westrich in a runoff election.
In District 4, James Jacobs and Rhodesia Butler will go to a runoff.
Lindsey Denmark led in Tuesday’s election for District 6, but will also need to win a majority of votes another day.
The election comes as the district faces budget pressures, school consolidation decisions, and concerns about political influence in local education.
First Coast News has the live election results.
*If you cannot see the results below, click here.
District 2
District 2 encompasses the Beaches and Intracoastal West area of Jacksonville.
Meet the District 2 Candidates
Former DCPS student Donovan Bradley is running on a platform that champions school choice, access to technical and career training, school safety improvements, parental rights and teacher retention.
Bradley’s campaign advocates for the Advanced Internship Program (AIP), which allows juniors and seniors to participate in paid internships credited as Career and Technical Education coursework.
When it comes to student safety, Bradley says he plans to address a crossing guard shortage in the district.
His campaign references his mother’s challenges as an educator while advocating for the elimination of “needless bureaucracy” in the district and more resources and freedom for teachers in hopes of increasing employee retention.
Terence Myers is a military veteran and current DCPS Dean of Students who has taught students of different age groups in both public and private schools. Prior to his current role, he worked in the district’s Student Services Department and within the juvenile justice system.
Myers lists four main priorities for his candidacy:
School safety and positive learning environmentsSupporting teachers and student achievementAccountability, transparency and fiscal responsibilityStrong parent and community partnerships
One of his focuses is on increasing opportunities for technical education, real-world experience and career mentorship.
Donna Westrich is a career public school teacher with more than 20 years of educator experience.
Westrich lists three main priorities for her candidacy:
Improving teacher retention by advocating for competitive pay and sustainable workloads.Creating strong public schools through “stronger community partnerships, parent engagement and open public workshops”Promoting transparency, accountability and smart spending
One of her plans to increase public engagement is to host workshops throughout District 2 as a way for community members to share any concerns, questions or ideas they may have.
District 4
The District 4 school board member represents areas of the Northside and northwest side of Duval County.
*If you cannot see the results below, click here.
Meet the District 4 Candidates
An educator, entrepreneur, and youth mentor, Rhodesia Butler currently serves as an Area Director with the Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida’s Club Services Team.
Butler is the CEO of the SimplyRho Performance Academy, a school focused on technical dance training and leadership skills development.
As a public school educator, Butler says she taught at several Duval County schools, including Jean Ribault High School and Highlands Middle School. She also took on leadership roles as assistant principal and dean.
Alfreda Denson-Butler is an educator with over 20 years of experience with the Duval County Public Schools.
Denson-Butler also serves as the founder and Executive Director of The Al Denson Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to improve student achievement across the First Coast.
Currently, she serves as a Testing Coordinator and Chairperson with DCPS at Eugene J. Butler Middle.
James “Coach” Jacobs is campaigning as an educator with nearly 25 years of experience.
He says he earned the title “Coach” due to being “the one who shows up, listens, and pushes every student to reach their potential.”
Jacobs bases his campaign on three top priorities:
Teacher Pay: Creating a competitive and livable wage for teachers and staff.Teacher Retention: Supporting and training teachers to keep them in the classroom.Student Achievement: Pushing for academic excellence for every student and reviewing investment for schools.
Currently, Jacobs serves as the Dean of Students at the Duval Charter School at Westside.
District 6 Results
The District 6 school board member represents the westmost area of Duval County, including Baldwin.
*If you cannot see the results below, click here.
Meet the District 6 Candidates
Duval County School Police Sergeant Clarence “CJ” James has a long history in public safety, having served in the U.S. Navy and as a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office lieutenant for more than 20 years.
A self-described fiscal conservative, James promises to focus on financial oversight of the district’s budget. One of his funding priorities is the Duval County Public Schools’ police department, where he wishes to see more officers employed and with better salaries.
When it comes to education, James’ campaign is focused on increasing literacy rates, graduation rates, and positive outcomes for students.
Lindsey Denmark, a realtor and former Florida-based infrastructure grant consultant, is running to represent the Westside on the Duval County School Board.
While she lacks academic educational experience, Denmark is a volunteer children’s ministry director with her local church. According to her campaign, Denmark also launched a literacy program at Rutledge Pearson Elementary School, establishing weekly reading goals for kindergartners.
Her campaign prioritizes safe campuses, parental rights, early reading proficiency and including lessons in financial literacy and civics in schools.
Michelle Petty
Michelle Petty describes herself as an active DCPS mom and Florida Registered Paralegal.
Her campaign says she served on a School Advisory Board for more than a decade and participated in other district efforts, including Chaffee Trail Middle’s ACE planning process, Master Facility Plan focus groups and the Save Baldwin Initiative.
She is running on a platform of bringing “transparency, fiscal responsibility, academic excellence, strong family
engagement, and safe learning environments” to Duval County schools.
Robert Stafford describes himself as a Navy veteran and former engineer who has spent his retirement advocating for budget responsibility by the Duval County School Board.
His campaign priorities are encouraging fiscal responsibility and transparency, fostering safe learning environments and creating strong parent-school partnerships.
Tammyette Thomas describes herself as an educator, business owner and healthcare professional.
She says she has 20 years of education and workforce development experience, including through her own healthcare-related vocational school.
On the school board, she promises to fight to:
Support teachersRaise academic achievementExpand career and workforce readinessPromote transparency and accountabilityCreate safe and welcoming schoolsAnd build strong partnerships between schools, families and the community