Florida › Polk County › Polk County School Board District 5
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Decided at the 2026 primary — Kay Fields won the seat
DECIDED August 18: incumbent Kay Fields won outright with 57.3 percent (50,007 votes) over Sam Neelam, per the Supervisor of Elections' unofficial results. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.
Winner
Kay Fields
Nonpartisan · Incumbent
Kay Fields is president and CEO of Girls Inc. of Lakeland and the incumbent, serving on the board since 2002; if reelected this would be her final term under Florida's term-limit law, per LkldNow's race coverage.
2026 priorities
- Strengthening academic achievement, per LkldNow's race coverage
- Supporting teachers and staff, per LkldNow's race coverage
- Ensuring safe schools, per LkldNow's race coverage
Also ran in the primary
Sam Neelam
Nonpartisan
Profile
Sam Neelam is a technology entrepreneur with a master's in computer science and math, a founder of technology and real estate companies, and a Florida Polytechnic University trustee, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea questionnaire.
- Centering student needs, per LkldNow's race coverage
- Prioritizing parental involvement, per LkldNow's race coverage
- Accountability on student growth and teacher compensation, per LkldNow and The Citrus Tea
Campaign site →
