Pinellas County voters head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to decide between incumbent Dawn Peters and challenger Curtis Campogni for the School Board District 3 at-large seat.

Because District 3 is at-large, every registered voter in Pinellas County can cast a ballot in this race. That includes Palm Harbor and Dunedin residents. The seat covers the county from Gandy to Fort de Soto, according to WUSF.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. Voters in line by 7 p.m. can still cast a ballot.

A tight primary

The two candidates advanced from a three-way Aug. 18 primary. Peters earned about 36% of the vote, or roughly 61,000 ballots, while Campogni took about 35%, or roughly 59,000, according to Florida Politics. A third candidate, Dawn Douglas, received about 29%.

The race is officially nonpartisan. Peters is a registered Republican, Campogni has no party affiliation and Douglas ran as a Democrat, WUSF reported.

What's at stake

The winner will help steer a district with 153 schools and more than 91,000 students through declining enrollment, another round of school consolidations and pressure to maintain academic gains, Florida Politics reported.

The Pinellas County School Board adopted a $1,756,805,002 budget for fiscal year 2026–27, according to district budget documents. A larger round of consolidation recommendations is expected this fall as part of the district's Planning for Progress initiative, according to Pinellas County Schools.

Where they stand

Peters, 51, was first elected in 2022. She points to the district earning an "A" rating from the Florida Department of Education and record graduation rates during her first term, Florida Politics reported. She has argued that consolidating underused schools can free up money for teacher and staff pay.

"Now, as a seasoned and experienced school board member, I will continue into the next term with focus and without disruption," Peters said in a Florida Public Media candidate survey, as reported by WUSF.

Campogni, 42, lives in Safety Harbor and owns a consulting business focused on child welfare and juvenile justice. He and his wife adopted two children through Florida's foster care system. He said board members have not done enough to question the administration's consolidation recommendations, according to Florida Politics.

He also wants to reduce screen time in kindergarten through eighth grade and has called for an audit of classroom software, Florida Politics reported.

"It all connects to teacher engagement and retention. If your teachers are unhappy, or they don't feel supported … that is just going to trickle down to the students," Campogni told WUSF.

Endorsements and money

Peters has endorsements from Republican state Reps. Kim Berfield, Linda Chaney and Berny Jacques, along with School Board member Eileen Long and former board member Carol Cook, Florida Politics reported.

Campogni has endorsements from the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, SEIU Florida and the Suncoast Tampa Association of Realtors, plus a recommendation from the Tampa Bay Times, according to Florida Politics.

Campaign finance reports through Oct. 2 showed Campogni had raised about $19,100 and had about $7,300 on hand. Peters had raised about $15,700 with about $1,600 remaining, Florida Politics reported.

How to vote

Voters must go to their assigned precinct on Election Day and bring a photo ID with a signature. Polling locations can be found on the VotePinellas.gov website or by calling 727-464-VOTE (8683).