MANATEE COUNTY — The 2026 Manatee County School Board races are taking shape with three seats open for election—Districts 2, 4, and 5. Seven candidates have already filed across the races.
School Board elections in Manatee County are nonpartisan and will be decided during the primary election, meaning all registered voters in the district, regardless of party affiliation, can cast ballots in these races.
Should any candidate receive more than 50 percent of the vote in the August primary, they will be declared the winner and will take office in late November. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the top two vote-earners will advance to the November 3, 2026, general election.
Because the races are nonpartisan, candidates’ party affiliations do not appear on the ballot. School Board candidates are also listed in alphabetical order, rather than by party designation as in partisan contests.
District 2
The Manatee School Board District 2 seat is currently represented by Cindy Spray, who was elected in 2022. Spray, who serves as the current board chair, is running as the incumbent, seeking reelection to a second term.
Before her election to the school board, Spray worked in accounting and later moved into manufacturing and operations roles. She has also been involved in mentoring students exploring technical careers.
Spray will face challengers James Golden, Sharon Jefferson, and JT White in the August primary.
James Golden has experience serving on the Manatee County School Board after having served one full term from 2018 to 2022. Golden is also a former Bradenton City Councilman—elected in 1999 and 2003—who made unsuccessful bids for the Manatee County Commission, the Florida House of Representatives, District 73, and the U.S. Congress. A Jacksonville native and former pastor, Golden served in the U.S. Army before earning his undergraduate degree from Stetson University. He then earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida in 1974.
In 2024, Golden brought a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Supervisor of Elections appointee, James Satcher, over the SOE's decision not to hold an election for the District 5 Manatee School Board. A circuit court judge dismissed the case.
Dr. Sharon Jefferson, a Manatee County native, has spent more than 25 years as an educator in the district, serving as a classroom teacher, department chair, and team leader. In a recent press release, Jefferson shared that she is a National Board-Certified Teacher and clinical educator who has contributed to districtwide initiatives, including curriculum development, technology integration, and instructional support. She also previously worked as a Title I specialist supporting multiple schools.
For the past decade, Jefferson has led RECESS Education, Inc., a nonprofit focused on supporting students and families outside the classroom.
The final candidate in the District 2 School Board race is lifelong Manatee County resident JT "Church" White. According to the candidate’s website, after attending local schools, White attended Hillsborough Community College, where he studied mass communications. He has worked within the Manatee County School District in roles ranging from classroom support to technology and school administration. White also built a radio career and was a part-owner of a radio station.
District 4
There is only one candidate filed in the School Board District 4 race, incumbent School Board member Chad Choate. The lifelong Manatee County resident was appointed to the board in 2021 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, but later ran a successful campaign to remain in the seat in 2022.
He is a former teacher and coached within the Manatee County School District. Should Choate head to the August primary unopposed, he will automatically be reelected to serve a second term.
District 5
There are two active candidates in the School Board’s District 5 race, Dr. Jonathan Mullis and Camden Bedinghaus.
Mullis is a physical therapist and the owner and CEO of Physical Therapy Doctors of Florida in Bradenton. According to his campaign website, he earned degrees from Northeastern University and Simmons University and has been a small business owner for more than 16 years.
A Lakewood Ranch resident since 2017, Mullis has been active in the local community, serving in leadership roles with organizations such as Leadership Manatee, Manatee Tiger Bay Club, the Bradenton Kiwanis Club, and participating in various education-focused initiatives. Mullis and his wife have two children attending Manatee County District schools.
Mullis’ opponent, Bedinghaus, is the youngest school board candidate in 2026, filing to run at age 22. Bedinghause is a lifelong resident of Manatee County and a recent graduate of the University of South Florida, where he earned a degree in Economics and served on the Campus Council.
Bedinghaus is the Director of the Turning Point USA Manatee County chapter, which was officially launched earlier this month. The group’s “kick-off” event can be replayed here.
According to his campaign website, Bedinghaus also previously served as a Youth Coordinator at Bayside Community Church. He is one of six children and reports his home address as his family’s residence in Lakewood Ranch. His social media includes that he is an “independent journalist” and author.
Important Primary Election Dates
The candidate qualifying week ends on June 12. Primary Election Day will be on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The last day to register to vote is Monday, July 20, 2026.
For all other election information and important dates, please visit the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website, or www.votemanatee.gov/election-dates/.
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