Pasco County, Florida

Pasco County School Board District 5

What this office does

School board member. The school board is the governing body of a public school district. It hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts the district budget, sets policies on curriculum, discipline, attendance boundaries and facilities, and approves contracts and collective bargaining agreements. Day-to-day operations belong to the superintendent; the board sets direction and holds the administration accountable.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels. The sitting officeholder, Megan C. Harding, is on the ballot.

Florida › Pasco County › Pasco County School Board District 5

Decided at the 2026 primary: Megan C. Harding won the seat

DECIDED August 18: incumbent Megan C. Harding won outright with 72.1 percent over Michelle Mandarin, per unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

Winner

Megan C. Harding

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Competitive teacher and staff compensation
Rigorous academics with career-technical and civics education
Decisions based on facts and data, not politics

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Megan C. Harding is a certified educator with a master's in reading education who works as a substitute teacher and Saint Leo University adjunct professor; a former district elementary teacher, she is the incumbent, first elected in 2018, per her campaign site and the Tampa Bay Beacon.

Campaign finance

$16,000 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Also ran in the primary

Michelle R. Mandarin

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Stronger academic standards and sustainable teacher pay
Transparency in district decision-making
Safe schools with parental involvement and school choice

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Mandarin describes herself on her campaign site as a dedicated parent, community advocate, and entrepreneur, per the campaign site. A longtime school board meeting attendee, she has been active in education advocacy on issues facing students, teachers, and families, per the campaign site.

Campaign finance

$2,105 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Pasco County School Board District 5 in 2026?

The Pasco County School Board District 5 race was decided at the 2026 primary - Megan C. Harding won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Megan C. Harding and Michelle R. Mandarin. Candidate information follows official Pasco County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Pasco County School Board District 5 election in Florida?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Florida are on the Florida election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Pasco County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Pasco County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified September 25, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Florida election office, or see the full Pasco County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Pasco County ballot

8 tracked races in Pasco County, Florida. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Florida House District 53 Florida House District 55 Florida House District 56 See all 8 Pasco County races

Candidate profiles

Megan C. Harding, full profile Michelle R. Mandarin, full profile Official Florida election office