Pinellas County Election: 1 Commission, 2 School Board Seats Open

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — When voters head to the polls in Tuesday’s general elections, they’ll make choices in several county races.

Voters will determine the winner of two Pinellas County School Board run-offs, as well as one Pinellas County Commission race.

Pinellas County Commission

For the District 2 at-large seat, Democrat incumbent Pat Gerard faces Republican challenger Brian Scott.

Gerard was first elected to the District 2 seat in 2014. Before that, she was the first female mayor of Largo and also served as a victim advocate for the Largo Police Department, director of the Spouse Abuse Shelter of Religious Community Services, and COO and chief grants officer of Family Resources Inc., according to her campaign website.

Since she was first elected, she “has championed efforts to make county facilities and offices run more efficiently, increase the availability of affordable housing, sustainable jobs and behavioral health services, and make government more accessible to citizens and businesses,” she wrote.

According to Scott’s campaign website, “From serving as a director of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and president of the Florida Motorcoach Association to testifying before Congress twice regarding transportation issues, Brian has gained a deep understanding of public service and business advocacy. On the Pinellas County Commission, he will fight for the conservative values that make Pinellas great.”

He's the president of Escot Bus Lines, which operates throughout Florida.

Pinellas County School Board

After the August primary election, two school board races went to a run-off on Tuesday.

In District 3, Dr. Keesha Benson and Dawn Peters are vying for one seat on the board.

Benson wrote on her campaign website, “I am running for the school board because I believe in healthy children, strong families, and engaged communities. As an educator, I know what student-centric quality education looks like. As a Pinellas County resident, I want to ensure an educated citizenry as the future of our community. As a parent, I will advocate for the needs of every child in Pinellas County as if they were my own.”

She earned a doctorate in social and served as an educator for more than a decade. She’s also served as the director of Thrive by Five Pinellas and the manager for the Grow Smarter Initiative.

“Because schools are the foundation of our community, state and nation, Dawn believes it is critical to have the best education system for all children and families. Dawn is committed to transparency and achieving real change in our schools that will provide equal opportunity for all students to receive the best education possible,” according to Peters’ campaign website.

She previously served as a certified substitute preschool teacher, an elementary school mentor and a PTA officer. She’s currently president of a volunteer group that serves Pinellas County veterans and is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist.

Two candidates — Brian M. Martin and Stephanie Meyer — hope to be elected to represent District 6 on the school board.

Martin earned a degree in chemical engineering and is a small business owner with four children enrolled in public schools. He’s worked as a process and application engineer in the water and wastewater treatment industry.

Among his primary goals is ignoring “divisive politicization” of public schools, school safety, educational access, and support for teachers and staff, according to his campaign website.

“Florida deserves dedicated public servants on our school boards that won’t inject politics into the classroom, but rather work every day to fight for the best interests of our students and educators,” he wrote.

Meyer, who previously worked for a Fortune 100 company, is now a high school advanced placement social studies teacher and college professor.

According to her campaign website, her primary initiatives include redirecting funds directly into the classroom, and recruiting and retaining teachers by offering better pay, providing students educational opportunities that reflect their individual needs, and protecting parental rights in education.

Where and how to vote

In order to cast your ballot in the 2022 general election, you’ll need to bring a valid and current photo and signature ID to your polling station. Without proper identification, you may still vote a provisional ballot, which will later be evaluated by a canvassing board for eligibility.

If you’re not sure where to vote, you can look up your polling station on the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections website. Sample ballots are also available at that link.

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 8. If you are in line at 7 p.m., you will be allowed to vote, but if you arrive at the polling place after 7 p.m., you will not be allowed to vote.