St. Johns School Board Race Heats Up | Jacksonville News

School Board race in St. Johns County’s District Four is heating up as three candidates—Leif Jonassen, Tammie McClafferty, and Jillian Tozer—vie for control amid a looming budget shortfall. With early voting starting August 8th, the winner of the August 18th primary will either win outright or face off in November. Tozer, a newcomer with nonprofit roots, pushes for audits and expanded programs while donating half her salary to the community. McClafferty, the longtime resident with preschool and faith-based experience, leans on lobbying and warns against school vouchers. Jonassen, a real estate pro, champions budget discipline through “smart efficiencies.” But campaign cash tells a different story: Tozer’s raised just $5K, Jonassen $7K (mostly self-funded), while McClafferty leads with over $28K from PACs and the incumbent she’s challenging—sparking accusations of “dark money” and ideological battles. The stakes? Keeping schools strong, but the path to get there is sharply divided. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4994be477815dd37