School Board Member, District 5
August 18, 2026 · Pasco County School District, Florida · School district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 25 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 611,444 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,738,356 ÷ 611,444) ÷ ln(2,738,356 ÷ 7,687) = 25.52, comparing unified school districts in FL (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
School Board Member is responsible for:
- Setting policy for the school district
- Approving the district budget and spending
- Hiring and reviewing the superintendent
- Deciding school boundaries, calendars, and curriculum choices within state rules
Affected Areas: Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Public Education Quality, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Megan Harding
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Megan Harding is the District 5 member of the Pasco County School Board, first elected in 2018, and a candidate for a third term. A former district elementary teacher with a master's degree in reading education, she also substitutes in district schools, teaches as an adjunct at Saint Leo University, and has twice chaired the school board.
Michelle R. Mandarin
Nonpartisan · declared
Michelle R. Mandarin is an entrepreneur, parent, education podcast host, and nonpartisan candidate for Pasco County School Board District 5. She unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Pasco superintendent of schools in 2024 and campaigns on academic standards, parental involvement, classroom discipline, and sustainable teacher compensation.
Election sources
Source: pascovotes.gov
Source: pascovotes.gov
Source: dos.fl.gov