In 1998, more than 2.2 million Florida voters approved a ballot measure to make school board races nonpartisan. Amendment 1 reverses that rule.
What the Amendment says:
Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require members of a district school board to be elected in a partisan election rather than a nonpartisan election and to specify that the amendment only applies to elections held on or after the November 2026 general election. However, partisan primary elections may occur before the 2026 general election for purposes of nominating political party candidates to that office for placement on the 2026 general election ballot.
For the full text, click here.
What that means:
Amendment 1 of the 2024 general election, if passed, will return Florida school board elections to a partisan format starting with the 2026 general election. School board elections in Florida have been nonpartisan since the passing of Amendment 11 in 1998, which prohibited party labels in school board elections. While there is specific language in the amendment stating this effect will only take place starting with the 2026 general election, it will allow for partisan primary elections to be held prior to the 2026 general election in order to nominate candidates for the 2026 general election ballot.
Supporters:
State Senator Joe Gruthers (R-22) and State Representative Spencer Roach (R-76).
Supporters Argue:
- Partisan races are more transparent. Gruthers said races are partisan anyway. "And what happens is, there are games that are played all the time in these races. And what I’m trying to do is pull the bag off of the voters’ heads," he said.
Opponents:
State Senator Bobby Powell Jr. (D-24), State Representative Angela Nixon (D-13), Tina Certain, Alachua County School Board Chair, and Carmen Ward, President of the Alachua County Education Association.
Opponents Argue:
- The move would politize school board races. "We begin to make decisions based on party, instead of focusing on people,” said Sen. Rosalind Osgood.
A 'Yes' vote would:
Support making school board elections partisan beginning in the November 2026 general election and for primary elections nominating party candidates for the 2026 election.
A 'No' vote would:
Oppose making school board elections partisan, thereby maintaining current procedures where school board members are elected in a nonpartisan election.
Sources:
Ballotpedia
News Service of Florida
Find the rest of the amendment explainers here.
