St. Lucie County, Florida

St. Lucie County School Board District 1

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, Debbie Hawley, is on the ballot.

Florida › St. Lucie County › St. Lucie County School Board District 1

Decided at the 2026 primary: Debbie Hawley won the seat

DECIDED August 18: incumbent Debbie Hawley won a sixth term outright, 55 to 45 percent over Brian Capp, per WQCS. This race will not appear on the November 3 ballot.

Winner

Debbie Hawley

Nonpartisan Incumbent

Top priorities

Affordable housing programs for teachers to aid recruitment and retention
Align career and technical academies with regional employer needs
Expand school safety and security and student mental health supports

Per TCPalm questionnaire.

Biography

Chief Executive Officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters and a mental health counselor, per her campaign site, and a St. Lucie County School Board member since 2010 who serves as Vice Chairman, per the district's Meet the Board page. She holds a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from South University and a bachelor's degree from Barry University, per TCPalm, and describes herself as a fourth-generation St. Lucie County resident on her campaign site.

Campaign finance

$13,644 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Also ran in the primary

Brian K. Capp

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Restore high academic expectations and accountability in classrooms
Ensure student safety and secure learning environments
Genuine partnership with parents and transparency in district decisions

Per the campaign site.

Biography

City of Port St. Lucie Parks and Recreation employee and U.S. Army veteran, per his campaign site, which also lists earlier work as security director at the Rybovich yacht marina and as a rural postal carrier in Indian River County. He was born in Paterson, New Jersey to Macedonian immigrant parents and is raising his family in St. Lucie County, per the site; TCPalm lists him as a PAL board member. He also sought the seat in 2022, per TCPalm. Brian K. Capp was on the August 18, 2026 ballot for St. Lucie County School Board District 1, per the Supervisor of Elections' official qualified-candidate list.

Campaign finance

$4,925 raised · county campaign-finance filings

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotSt. Lucie County School Board District 3

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for St. Lucie County School Board District 1 in 2026?

The St. Lucie County School Board District 1 race was decided at the 2026 primary - Debbie Hawley won the seat - and does not appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot. 2 candidates were on the primary ballot: Brian K. Capp and Debbie Hawley. Candidate information follows official St. Lucie County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the St. Lucie County School Board District 1 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 September 25, 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

St. Lucie County School Board District 5 Florida House District 84 Florida House District 85 See all 6 St. Lucie County races

Candidate profiles

Debbie Hawley, full profile Brian K. Capp, full profile Official Florida election office