Matt Stewart (Florida)
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Matt Stewart ran for election to the Pinellas County Schools school board to represent District 6 in Florida. Stewart lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Stewart was a candidate for an at-large seat on the Pinellas County Schools school board in Florida. Stewart was defeated in the at-large general election on November 8, 2016.
Biography
Stewart is the Deputy Director for the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections and is part of the Adjunct Faculty for St. Petersburg College. He has also worked for St. Petersburg College, Pinellas County Government, and Eckerd Youth Alternatives. Stewart earned his B.A. in philosophy, two M.A.'s in theology and religious studies, respectively, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Pinellas County Schools school board District 6
Bill Dudley defeated Matt Stewart in the general election for Pinellas County Schools school board District 6 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bill Dudley (Nonpartisan) | 50.6 | 46,599 |
 | Matt Stewart (Nonpartisan) | 49.4 | 45,455 | |
| Total votes: 92,054 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 6
Matt Stewart and Bill Dudley defeated Lorena Grizzle in the primary for Pinellas County Schools school board District 6 on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Matt Stewart (Nonpartisan) | 36.9 | 17,379 |
| ✔ | | Bill Dudley (Nonpartisan) | 34.0 | 16,011 |
 | Lorena Grizzle (Nonpartisan) | 29.0 | 13,646 | |
| Total votes: 47,036 | |||
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| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
- See also: Pinellas County Schools elections (2016)
The Pinellas County school board is under critical examination after an investigation of the board and district—titled "Failure Factories"—was published last year. The report described the daily strife of black students in the county, particularly in five elementary schools whose ratings changed from average to failing in just a few years. The investigation tied these students' struggles to a 2007 decision the board made to effectively segregate the district's schools, and the report triggered a still-in-progress civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. "Failure Factories," which won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting, also showed that the board's vote appeared to be a symptom of other deep-seated problems in the district. Three of the board members who voted for the de-integration plan still sat on the board in 2016: Peggy O'Shea, Linda Lerner, and Carol Cook. These incumbents were re-elected to the board multiple times, exemplifying the 100 percent incumbency success rate the district saw from 1998 to 2014. Cook filed for re-election in District 5 and successfully defended her spot on the board against Michael Petruccelli and Eliseo Santana in the race for the seat. O'Shea's and Lerner's seats aren't up for election until 2018.
One of the seven seats on the Pinellas County school board was up for by-district general election and one was up for at-large general election on November 8, 2016. Four newcomers filed in the race for the at-large District 1 seat: Robert Beal, Bill Dudley, Joanne Lentino, and Matt Stewart. A primary election was held on August 30, 2016, in which Lentino and Stewart were the top two vote-getters. Since neither received more than 50 percent of the vote, they both advanced to the general election. In District 5, Cook and Santana both advanced from the primary to the general, leaving Petruccelli behind. The seat of incumbent Ken Peluso was also on the primary ballot. He filed for re-election to the District 4 seat and was joined on the ballot by newcomer Eileen Long. She defeated the incumbent and won outright by receiving a majority of the vote.[2]
Results
| Pinellas County Schools, At-Large District 1 General Election, 4-year term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Joanne Lentino |
55.98% | 222,119 |
| Matt Stewart | 44.02% | 174,676 |
| Total Votes (100) | 396,795 | |
| Source: Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, "Official Results," accessed November 30, 2016 | ||
| Pinellas County Schools, At-Large District 1 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Joanne Lentino |
32.29% | 48,944 |
| Matt Stewart |
30.26% | 45,871 |
| Bill Dudley | 29.25% | 44,340 |
| Robert Beal | 8.19% | 12,412 |
| Total Votes | 151,567 | |
| Source: Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, "Official Results," accessed November 30, 2016 | ||
Funding
Stewart reported $29,190.00 in contributions and $25,793.71 in expenditures to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, which left his campaign with $3,396.29 cash on hand, as of October 10, 2016.[3]
Endorsements
Stewart was endorsed by the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association (PCTA), the Tampa Bay Times, Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice, Clerk of Court Ken Burke, and Tax Collector Diane Nelson.[4][5][6]
Campaign themes
Stewart made the following statement on his campaign website:[7]
| “ | I am running to: (1) create a better education for students (2) be an advocate for teachers and school personnel (3) provide strong leadership and a vision on the School Board (4) be an economic driver for our community.
As a Pinellas County native, I know the difference that a quality education from committed teachers can make. My education in Pinellas County Schools and the teachers who supported me propelled me to continue my education and formed my character. Education is a cornerstone of our community and we continue to face challenges – both local and at the state level - to our mission to effectively serve our children. We cannot ignore the call to action posed by the “Failure Factories” series in the Tampa Bay Times. As a parent, with a middle school foster child, I know that there are strengths and areas where our schools can improve. It is time for leadership and vision on the School Board. As the son of a lifelong educator, I know the difference teachers make in the classroom each day. I saw my mom invest in her kids, bring work home on the weekends, and purchase supplies for children who had none. It is time to support those teachers and staff who give so generously to the children in our communities. I know that quality schools lead to economic growth in our county. We can improve our local economy, create jobs, and sway the interest of new business in relocating to Pinellas by having stronger public schools. It is time to improve our schools so we can create an ‘economic pipeline’.[8] |
” |
| —Matt Stewart (2016)[7] | ||
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Matt Stewart for Pinellas County School Board, District 1, "About Dr. Matt Stewart," accessed July 27, 2016
- ↑ Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, "Candidates For 2016 Election Cycle," accessed July 1, 2016
- ↑ Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, "Contributions and Expenditures," accessed October 10, 2016
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Pinellas teachers' union endorses newcomer school board candidates," April 14, 2016
- ↑ Tampa Bay Times, "Times recommends: Stewart, Long, Santana for Pinellas School Board," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Saint Peters Blog, "Matt Stewart collects endorsements from Pinellas County elected officials," accessed October 31, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Matt Stewart for Pinellas County School Board, District 1, "Home," accessed October 19, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2016 Pinellas County Schools Elections | |
| Pinellas County, Florida | |
| Election date: | Primary: August 30, 2016 General: November 8, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-Large District 1: Robert Beal • Bill Dudley • Joanne Lentino • Matt Stewart District 4: Incumbent, Ken Peluso • Eileen Long |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
