Polk County, Florida

Polk County School Board District 3

2 candidates are tracked for Polk County School Board District 3, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Victor Sims and Kate Wallace. Candidate information follows official Polk County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

August 18 result: no candidate won a majority, so Kate Wallace (45.1 percent, 39,265 votes) and Victor Sims (35.8 percent, 31,212) advance to a November 3 runoff, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results.

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, Kate Wallace, is on the ballot.

Florida › Polk County › Polk County School Board District 3

Victor Sims

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Access to quality education
Backing educators and teacher retention
Transparent data on student progress

Per LkldNow's race coverage.

Biography

Sims is a former foster youth who spent over a decade in the foster care system, per the campaign site. He has built his career as a social worker advocating for children and families and is running for Polk County School Board District 3, per the campaign site.

Campaign finance

$15,862 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Kate Wallace

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Raising student academic achievement
Modernizing teacher compensation to recruit and retain educators
Parental visibility into curriculum

Per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea.

Biography

Wallace was appointed to the Polk County School Board in 2025 by Governor Ron DeSantis and works as director of state government affairs for Spectrum in Florida, per the campaign site. She previously served as founding executive director of Lakeland Leads, now ConnectED Polk, and has worked on education reform in nine states through the Foundation for Excellence in Education, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Polk County School Board District 3 in 2026?

When is the Polk County School Board District 3 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 Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Polk County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

Florida House District 48 Florida House District 49 Florida House District 50 See all 7 Polk County races

Candidate profiles

Victor Sims, full profile Kate Wallace, full profile Official Florida election office