Meet the Candidates: Polk County’s 2026 School Board Races
Three Polk County Public Schools board seats are on the line in the August 18 primary, and each one is a head-to-head between an incumbent and a challenger. The contests are nonpartisan, which means every registered voter in Polk County can weigh in, no matter their party affiliation. Here is who is running, where they come from, and how to learn more about each candidate before you vote.
A fourth seat, District 7, was not contested this cycle. Incumbent Lisa Bone Miller drew no opponent and was reelected by default, so that race will not appear on the ballot. Under a 2023 state law limiting board members to two terms, this will be Miller’s final term.
District 3
The District 3 seat covers 23 schools across Alturas, Bartow, Lakeland, Mulberry, and Winter Haven, and it drew the largest field this cycle with three candidates.
Kate Wallace is the incumbent, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in November 2025 to fill the vacancy left by the death of board member Rick Nolte. A Bartow native and product of Polk County Public Schools, Wallace earned an International Baccalaureate diploma from Bartow High School and has worked in education policy, including roles with the Foundation for Excellence in Education and as founding executive director of Lakeland Leads, now known as ConnectED Polk. She is seeking a full term.
Sarah Corona of Lakeland is challenging for the seat. She is bilingual and has more than 20 years of experience as a mental health professional working with local families.
Victor Sims of Winter Haven is also in the race. Sims brings a personal connection to the education and child-welfare system. He spent 11 years in Florida’s foster care system before being adopted at age 11, an experience that has shaped his advocacy.
District 5
Kay Fields is the longtime incumbent in District 5, first elected in 2002. She is the executive director of Girls Inc. and one of the most experienced members on the board. Because her first term began before the 2023 term-limit law took effect, she remains eligible to run, but if reelected, this will be her final term. More about her is available at facebook.com/KayFieldsDistrict5.
Sam Neelam is the challenger. He is the founder and CEO of a Central Florida real estate development firm and a member of the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees, running on a platform that emphasizes parental rights and school choice. More about his campaign is available at samneelam.com.
District 6
District 6 features one of the most striking contrasts on the ballot: two Lake Wales residents, a generation apart.
Justin Sharpless is the incumbent and current board chair. Born and raised in Lake Wales and a 2002 graduate of Lake Wales High School, he is an assistant professor of agricultural studies at Warner University and previously taught agriculture in Polk County schools. He is serving his first term. More about his campaign is available at facebook.com/SharpieForStudents.
Kasen Hampton is the challenger. At 19 and also from Lake Wales, he is one of the youngest candidates seeking office in Polk County this year. More about his campaign is available at hampton4schoolboard.org.
Why these races matter
While each member is elected from a geographic district, Polk County board members are chosen in at-large elections and govern the entire system together. Once seated, all seven set policy and budget for a district of more than 160 schools, over 100,000 students, and roughly 13,000 employees. They hire and evaluate the superintendent and weigh decisions on school construction, attendance zones, curriculum, and how hundreds of millions of dollars in local education funding gets spent.
Voters who want to see exactly which schools and neighborhoods fall within each board member’s zone can use the district’s interactive zone map at polkschoolsfl.com. To confirm registration, find a polling location, and view a sample ballot when it becomes available, the Check Your Information tool is available at PolkElections.gov. The deadline to register or update party affiliation for the August primary is July 20, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is intended as a general civic explainer and not as legal advice. Candidate lineups and zone boundaries are subject to change, and voters with questions about their registration status, eligibility, or specific ballot should contact the Polk County Supervisor of Elections office directly.
Update: This article has been corrected to reflect that Justin Sharpless is the board chair, not vice-chair.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Polk County, Florida, elections, 2026, and Polk County Public Schools, ballotpedia.org
LkldNow, Ballot Set for August Election, lkldnow.com
Florida Politics, Gov. DeSantis appoints Kate Wallace to Polk County School Board, floridapolitics.com
Polk County Public Schools, Board Members and School Zones, polkschoolsfl.com
Polk County Supervisor of Elections, polkelections.gov
