Broward School Board member Donna Korn, who could face a suspension by Gov. Ron DeSantis, advanced to a runoff during Tuesday’s elections.
With most precincts reporting, Korn and Fort Lauderdale businessman Allen Zeman were basically tied for first place among four candidates. Under election rules for School Board members, the top two finishers compete again Nov. 8 if no one received more than 50% of the vote. Both were well short of that.
Eliminated were 18-year-old college student Raymond Adderly, possibly the youngest candidate in Broward School Board history, and Mourice Hylton, a program coordinator with the National Scholastic Chess Foundation.
Korn’s future remains uncertain, regardless of what happens in November.
She was one of four current board members a grand jury recommended for suspension, saying they failed to hold former Superintendent Robert Runcie accountable for failures related to a 2014 bond referendum. She’s the only one facing re-election this year.
Two other incumbents won their races, with board member Lori Alhadeff easily defeating lawyer Kimberly Coward in the northwest county District 4 seat. And Nora Rupert defeated Merceydes Morassi, a licensed mental health counselor, in the northeast county District 7 seat.
The School Board will have at least three new School Board members, since board members Laurie Rich Levinson, of District 6, and Ann Murray, of District 1, did not seek re-election, and Daniel Foganholi, appointed by DeSantis to replace District 5 member Rosalind Osgood, was ineligible to run since he doesn’t live in the district he serves.
Steve Julian, a former wrestling coach who is studying for a master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Nova Southeastern University, was leading in a three-person race but was below 50% and will likely face a runoff with conservative lawyer Brenda Fam. John Canter, a grant compliance specialist with Palm Beach County schools, was eliminated.
The seat to replace Murray is also heading to a runoff, with Rod Velez getting the most votes and Murray’s daughter, Marie Murray Martin, a close second. Pastor Paul Wiggins was eliminated.
Velez generated some controversy because he has a felony aggravated battery conviction, a crime that makes him ineligible to be a district employee or volunteer in schools. But state law allows felons who have gotten their rights restored to run for public office, including School Board seats.
For the east central seat now held by Foganholi, seven candidates competed. The runoff will be between Jeff Holness, who owns a tutoring company, and Ruth Carter-Lynch, a longtime education activist. Holness is the cousin of former congressional candidate and former County Commissioner Dale Holness.
Eliminated were Jimmy Witherspoon, an academic adviser at Dillard 6-12; Antonio Burgess, an instructional facilitator with the district; Nathalie Lynch-Walsh, a frequent district critic who serves on several advisory committees; Clifford Coach, Sr., a Lauderhill resident; and Gloria Lewis, 61, a charter school facilities manager and former Lauderdale Lakes commissioner.
