Hernando County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

DECIDED August 18: this ran as a universal primary open to all voters, and Kathryn Birren won the open seat with 31 percent (10,329 votes) over Maxwell Glenn (26 percent), Diane Greenwell, Silvia Dukes and James Scavetta, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results.

• Kathryn Birren · Republican▾

  Kathryn Birren is a small business owner and chair of the county Planning and Zoning Commission, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A and qualifying-week coverage. Her campaign reports the largest fundraising total in the race, per Supervisor of Elections filings.

  Priorities: Regular evening town halls for constituent engagement, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Managing growth while preserving county character, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Fiscal discipline in budgeting, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $94,200 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Silvia Dukes · Republican▾

  Silvia Dukes is a realtor and community volunteer with more than 20 years in the county, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Fiscal responsibility and transparency, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Smart planning for affordable housing, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · An environment for small business growth, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $23,350 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Maxwell Joseph Glenn · Republican▾

  Maxwell Joseph Glenn is a lifelong Hernando resident and 2018 Springstead High graduate who describes himself as a conservative conservationist, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Preventing overdevelopment, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Preserving the Nature Coast, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Transparent stewardship of tax dollars, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $8,031.28 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →
• Diane M. Greenwell · Republican▾

  Diane M. Greenwell is a longtime community volunteer with more than 10 years of volunteer service who qualified hours before the deadline after the incumbent withdrew from the race, per the Hernando Sun.

  Priorities: Responsible growth management, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Public safety, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Fiscal accountability and transparency, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $27,102 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• James Scavetta · Republican▾

  James Scavetta is a gun shop owner and 40-year county resident, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A and his campaign site.

  Priorities: Stop the rezoning of farmland, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Oppose tax increases, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · A permanent ban on data centers, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $7,400 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →

August 18 primary result: Jeff Holcomb won the closed Republican primary 59.1 to 40.9 percent over Marvin Baynham, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results, and faces only the write-in line on the November 3 ballot.

• Jeff Holcomb · Republican▾

  Jeff Holcomb is the sitting state representative for House District 53, a Spring Hill realtor, and a U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer who previously served eight years as a Hernando County commissioner; he withdrew from House re-election to run for this seat, per the Hernando Sun and Tampa Bay Beacon.

  Raised $24,150 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →
• Donald Bigelow · Write-In▾

  Donald Bigelow qualified as a write-in in Hernando County Commission District 4, per Supervisor of Elections filings. Write-in names are not printed on Florida ballots; voters write the name in the space provided.

DECIDED August 18: Dana Pearce won with 52.2 percent, unseating incumbent Mark Johnson, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

• Mark JohnsonIncumbent▾

  

  Mark Johnson owns a private investigation agency and is the District 1 incumbent, first elected in 2014 and returned to the board in 2022, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Remove programs he calls divisive from schools, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Support school choice, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Reduce teacher paperwork burden, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $11,327.01 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Dana Lynne Pearce▾

  Dana Lynne Pearce is the recently retired principal of F.W. Springstead High School with more than 30 years in education, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Strong academics plus expanded career-technical and arts programs, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Teacher retention through reduced paperwork and mentorship, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Protect classroom instruction and student safety in tight budgets, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $5,485 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

DECIDED August 18: incumbent Shannon Rodriguez was reelected outright with 65.3 percent over Luciano Vignali, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

• Shannon RodriguezIncumbent▾

  

  Shannon Rodriguez owns Dynasty Collision and Auto Repair in Weeki Wachee and is the District 3 incumbent and board vice chair, first elected in 2022, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Increase teacher salaries and educator retention, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Expand career and technical education, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Improve academic achievement and school safety, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $38,300 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Luciano Vignali▾

  Luciano Vignali has a background in human resources and operations and serves on his church vestry; he ran for county commission in 2024, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Fresh ideas, respect, and common-sense leadership on the board, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Enhanced teacher support and professional autonomy, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Expanded student government and civic engagement, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $3,980 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

  Campaign site →

August 18 result: Kara Champion (38.96 percent) and incumbent Susan Duval (38.95 percent), separated by three votes, advance to a November 3 runoff, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results; the pairing is subject to the canvass.

• Kara Leigh Champion▾

  Kara Leigh Champion is a local business owner, lifelong Floridian, and mother, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Parental choice and transparency in school decisions, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Teacher retention through less bureaucracy and stronger classroom discipline, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Back to fundamentals: reading, writing, math, and civics, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $28,795.76 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Susan DuvalIncumbent▾

  

  Susan Duval is a career educator with a bachelor's in social science education, a master's in administration, and an educational specialist degree from USF; she is the District 5 incumbent, first elected in 2014, per the Hernando Sun's candidate Q&A.

  Priorities: Continuous improvement through a shared board focus, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Teacher recruitment via programs like Para to Pro, per the Hernando Sun Q&A · Funding well-qualified classroom instruction, per the Hernando Sun Q&A

  Raised $2,815 · per Supervisor of Elections filings

This race was not on the August 18 primary ballot: Betty Erhard and Robert D. Watson meet on the November 3 general ballot, per the Supervisor of Elections' primary results, which do not list it.

• Betty Erhard▾

  Betty Erhard is a former two-term Brooksville councilwoman who served from 2014 to 2022, including as mayor in 2018, per NatureCoaster coverage of the outgoing council.

  Raised $1,000 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Robert D. Watson▾

  Robert D. Watson is on the qualified candidate roster in the nonpartisan Brooksville City Council Seat 1 race in the 2026 cycle, per Hernando County Supervisor of Elections filings.

This race was not on the August 18 primary ballot: Noah Hodges and Jennifer McCoskrie meet on the November 3 general ballot, per the Supervisor of Elections' primary results, which do not list it.

• Noah Hodges▾

  Noah Hodges is on the qualified candidate roster in the nonpartisan Brooksville City Council Seat 4 race in the 2026 cycle, per Hernando County Supervisor of Elections filings.

  Raised $5,250 · per Supervisor of Elections filings
• Jennifer McCoskrie▾

  Jennifer McCoskrie is on the qualified candidate roster in the nonpartisan Brooksville City Council Seat 4 race in the 2026 cycle, per Hernando County Supervisor of Elections filings.

  Raised $1,000 · per Supervisor of Elections filings