JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The largest district in this corner of the state, Duval County, had two contested school board races.
In District 2, April Carney -- a local small business owner -- won the race against incumbent Elizabeth Andersen, a licensed mental health counselor and former teacher, who recently served as the board’s chairwoman.
Here’s how the votes stacked up:
Votes
%
Elizabeth Andersen*
April Carney
Carney has said she’s a conservative -- and a supporter of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education policies.
Carney did not respond to a request for comment on her election win.
Andersen released a statement after the results were tallied:
“While things didn’t turn out the way we wanted, I couldn’t be more proud of the campaign we ran or more grateful for the hard work and support of so many people. I’m disappointed to be leaving the school board when there is so much work to be done, but I know that I will continue to be an advocate for children. I wish the school board and district success, and hope they will continue to protect and respect the rights of all of our students and families.”
Elizabeth Andersen, Duval County School board incumbent candidate
In District 6, incumbent Charlotte Joyce, a former teacher and magnet school coordinator, won the race against her opponent Tanya Hardaker.
Joyce has said she also closely aligns herself with the governor’s policies.
Here’s a look at those results:
Votes
%
Charlotte Joyce*
Tanya Hardaker
Joyce did not respond to a request for a comment on her election win.
Hardaker released a statement conceding her defeat:
“While running for office was never something I envisioned for myself, I am incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support I have received during the past 8 weeks since our launch. Every conversation we had held us firm in our belief that we can use our local school board as a force for good, to bring members of our community together under the idea that providing safe and equitable education is not a partisan issue.
I wish Charlotte well in her next term as a school board member, and hope it will be filled with a commitment to children across the county that provides them safe, inspiring, and diverse opportunities to grow into the future leaders our community desperately needs.”
Tanya Hardaker, Duval County School board candidate
Interested in other school board races? Head to the results page for a county-by-county breakdown and select your region.