McClafferty wins St. Johns school board District 4 seat

Tammie McClafferty won the St. Johns County School Board District 4 race on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with 17,030 votes, or 60.7%, to Jillian Tozer's 11,036 votes, or 39.3%. All nine of nine reporting units had reported as of 7:42 p.m., according to unofficial results from the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections. McClafferty's margin was 5,994 votes, or 21.4 percentage points. The seat is open because incumbent Vice Chair Kelly Barrera is not seeking re-election.

What was at stake

The District 4 seat is one of five on the St. Johns County School Board, which oversees a district that ranks first in the state in total accountability points, according to the district's website. The district operates 54 schools and has an operating budget of $654,773,987.

The key issues:

• Fiscal accountability: Both candidates called for auditing district spending. McClafferty said in a News4Jax voter questionnaire that she would push for an independent forensic review of district finances. Tozer said she would audit district operations to maximize efficiency.
• Teacher retention: Tozer said the district had lost more than 60 teachers because of stagnant wages and rising living costs. McClafferty said she would support professional development and work to retain high-quality educators.
• Growth management: Tozer, who holds a degree in community and regional planning, said she would bring data-driven infrastructure modeling to address school overcrowding. McClafferty said she would advocate in Tallahassee for funding and policies that match the county's growth.

A little history

McClafferty, 53, is CEO of Lifework Leadership First Coast and holds a doctorate in organizational leadership in education, according to her candidate questionnaire. She said she has lived in the Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee area for 18 years and served as a teacher, principal, school owner and university professor.

Tozer, 40, is a small business owner who lives in Nocatee with her husband and two daughters enrolled at Valley Ridge Academy, according to her questionnaire. She moved to St. Johns County in 2020. Neither candidate had held elected office before.

The two advanced from an August primary in which no candidate received a majority, according to News4Jax.

What's next

The 28,066 votes counted are unofficial. School board meetings are held on the second Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at the School Board Administration Building at 40 Orange Street, according to the district's website.

Election results: St. Johns County School Board - District 4 (Florida General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 7:42 p.m. EST. Reporting: 9 of 9. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.