The Ballot Brief
St. Lucie County, Florida

St. Lucie County School Board District 5

See where Ingersoll and Kessler stand on housing, schools and the budget. Names follow official St. Lucie County election filings.

About this race

August 18 result: Lisa Kessler (37.5 percent) and incumbent Troy Ingersoll (37.2 percent) advance to a November 3 runoff, per WQCS.

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, Troy Ingersoll, is on the ballot.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Florida › St. Lucie County › St. Lucie County School Board District 5

Troy Ingersoll

Troy Ingersoll

NonpartisanIncumbent

Top priorities

From other published sources

  • Safe and secure schools with positive learning environments, per VOTE411 responses
  • Raise student achievement with funding for accelerated programs, interventions and teacher development, per VOTE411 responses
  • Fiscal responsibility through transparent budgeting and efficient use of resources, per VOTE411 responses
Biography

Pool business owner and pastor, owning Pinch A Penny Pools and Spas in Vero Beach and serving as pastor of Midway Road Baptist Church, per his VOTE411 profile, and a St. Lucie County School Board member since 2006 who serves as Chairman, per the district's Meet the Board page. He holds a criminology degree from FSU and a master's from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, per VOTE411. He is seeking a sixth term in a November 3 runoff against Lisa Kessler, per TCPalm. No campaign website was found as of September 3, 2026.

Campaign finance

$9,770 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Lisa Kessler

Lisa Kessler

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

From the campaign site

  • Strong academic standards in reading, math, science and career readiness
  • Support and retain excellent teachers
  • Transparent budgeting that protects taxpayers, with parents respected as partners
Biography

Small business owner and bestselling author who serves on the City of Fort Pierce Arts and Culture Board, per her campaign site, which also describes her as the daughter of two lifelong public school teachers and an 11-year Girl Scout troop leader. She spent 26 years in sales and marketing management before writing full time, per her VOTE411 profile.

Campaign finance

$6,021 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
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Questions about this race

Who is running for St. Lucie County School Board District 5 in 2026?

2 candidates are tracked for St. Lucie County School Board District 5, headed to a November 3, 2026 runoff: Troy Ingersoll and Lisa Kessler. Candidate information follows official St. Lucie County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below. See where they stand on housing, schools and the budget.

When is the St. Lucie 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 St. Lucie 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 St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified October 16, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your St. Lucie County ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Florida House District 85St. Lucie County Commissioner District 2St. Lucie County Commissioner District 4See all 6 St. Lucie County races
Candidate profiles
Troy Ingersoll, full profileLisa Kessler, full profileOfficial Florida election office