Dawn Peters, the incumbent on the Pinellas County School Board representing District 3, is running for a second term in the Nov. 3 general election. The at-large seat covers all of Pinellas County.
Peters faces Curtis Campogni in the runoff.
The race is nonpartisan. In the August 2026 primary, Peters finished first in a three-way field with 59,783 votes, or 36.35%, according to WTSP. No candidate cleared 50%, sending Peters and Campogni to the runoff.
Peters said her incumbency gives her a better understanding of the school system. "Now, as a seasoned and experienced school board member, I will continue into the next term with focus and without disruption," she told Florida Politics.
Candidate information
- Age: 51
- Party registration: Republican (the school board race is nonpartisan)
- Residence: Lifelong Florida native, according to her campaign website
- Occupation: Self-employed personal trainer, according to WUSF
- Family: Peters says both of her daughters completed higher education through dual enrollment and Bright Futures scholarships and work locally
Experience and public service
Peters has held the District 3 at-large seat since 2022, according to BallotReady. She says she serves as vice chairperson of the Pinellas County School Board.
Her school board profile lists her as president of a Pinellas County volunteer group serving veterans. Peters says she has also served as a PTA officer, an elementary and middle school mentor in Pinellas County Schools, and a volunteer and mentor coordinator at Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School. She has also worked in property management and as a substitute preschool teacher, according to BallotReady.
On the issues
Student preparation: Peters says she supports educational pathways that prepare students for success after graduation, according to her campaign website. Those pathways include college readiness, career and technical education, skilled trades, military service and direct entry into the workforce.
Teacher pay: Peters told WUSF it is important to support students in their academic growth, maintain stability and increase teacher and staff pay and support through the budget and advocacy.
Transparency: Peters says she is committed to transparency, accountability and responsible governance, ensuring families have a voice and that tax dollars are used wisely, according to her campaign website.
Endorsements
Peters lists the following endorsements on her campaign endorsements page:
- Bruce Rector, mayor of Clearwater
- Kathleen Peters, Pinellas County commissioner
- Vincent Nowicki, Pinellas County commissioner
- Brian Scott, Pinellas County commissioner
- Eileen Long, Pinellas County School Board member
- Carol Cook, former Pinellas County School Board member
- Berny Jacques, Florida state representative
- Linda Chaney, Florida state representative
- Kim Berfield, Florida state representative
Peters also lists endorsements from Mike Twitty, Pinellas County property appraiser; Ken Burke, Pinellas County clerk of the court; and Adam Ross, Pinellas County tax collector, according to WUSF.
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