Florida
Four Candidates Compete for Open Gadsden County School Board District 2 Seat Ahead of August Primary
Gadsden School Board District 2 election overview The post Meet the candidates for Gadsden School Board District 2: Flores, Moore, Stallworth and Washington appeared first on The Florida Trib.
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Key points
- Four candidates are running to fill the open Gadsden County School Board District 2 seat on Aug. 18.
- The candidates are addressing structural issues including declining enrollment, budget strain, and teacher shortages.
- Tracey Stallworth and Rodney Moore lead in campaign funding in the nonpartisan race.
NewsWK — Voters in neighboring Gadsden County will head to the polls on Aug. 18 to elect a new representative for the Gadsden County School Board District 2 seat as the district works through declining student enrollment, fiscal challenges, and ongoing teacher shortages across North Florida.
Four Contenders Enter the District 2 Race
According to a report first published by The Florida Trib, four candidates—Jefferson Flores, Rodney Moore, Tracey Stallworth, and Donnie Washington—are running to succeed outgoing board member Steve Scott.
The candidate field brings varied backgrounds in law enforcement, ministry, business, and educational volunteering to the open North Florida seat.
Candidate Backgrounds and Fiscal Platforms
Rodney Moore, a Gadsden County native with 27 years of law enforcement experience—including service with the Florida Highway Patrol, Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office, and as Quincy Police Chief—is making a second bid for District 2 after competing in 2022. Moore later worked as a local substitute teacher. Campaign finance filings show Moore’s bid has recorded $450 in direct contributions and $2,346 in in-kind support.
Tracey Stallworth, a Quincy pastor holding a doctorate from Jacksonville Theological Seminary, leads campaign fundraising with $2,040 in donations, backed in part by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. Stallworth’s platform emphasizes corporate and business partnerships to supplement teacher pay, recruit educators through collegiate pipelines, and provide classroom resource stipends.
“We have to be a tribe to raise our community,” Stallworth told The Florida Trib. “If we don’t have that, we’re not going to be successful.”
Donnie Washington, a 50-year Gadsden resident and associate minister with a computer information systems degree from DeVry Institute of Technology, has largely self-funded his $1,090 campaign. Washington’s focus includes expanding vocational and adult education programs, creating long-term facility renovation schedules, and bringing in strategies to rebuild district enrollment.
Jefferson Flores, who previously ran for the seat in 2022, has raised $535 in primarily individual contributions while acting as his own campaign treasurer. Flores has stated via public social media posts that his platform centers on giving every student an opportunity to succeed.
Primary Election Set for Aug. 18
Public records indicate no candidate in the District 2 race has received formal political or organizational endorsements. Stallworth noted his intent to bring accountability and practical leadership to the board.
“I believe my experience in education, business, nonprofit leadership, and community service has prepared me to lead in District 2,” Stallworth told The Florida Trib.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Based on reporting by Ashlyn Blalock | Rural News Florida originally published by The Florida Trib. Read the original story.
