Who is running for Miami-Dade School Board District 1 in November 2026?
Miami-Dade County School Board, District 1 — general election, Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Last updated: September 1, 2026
Two candidates: Linda Cothiere Aristide and Katrina Wilson. They were the top two finishers among seven candidates in the August 18, 2026 primary, and they now face each other in the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
School board races in Florida are nonpartisan, so every registered voter in District 1 gets a vote in November — whether or not you voted in August.
August 18 results
Miami-Dade School Board District 1 was a nonpartisan special election with seven candidates on the ballot. No candidate reached a majority, so under Florida Statute 105.051(1)(b), the top two advance to a runoff at the November 3, 2026 general election: Katrina Wilson (1st) and Linda Cothiere Aristide (2nd). The other five candidates, listed in the table below, were eliminated and are not on the November ballot.
| Candidate | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katrina Wilson | 9,957 | 32.7% | Advances to Nov. 3 runoff |
| Linda Cothiere Aristide | 6,390 | 21.0% | Advances to Nov. 3 runoff |
| Joy L. Jackson | 5,835 | 19.2% | Eliminated |
| James Wright | 2,801 | 9.2% | Eliminated |
| Erhabor Ighodaro | 2,480 | 8.1% | Eliminated |
| Bernard W. H. Jennings | 1,549 | 5.1% | Eliminated |
| Wrendly Mesidor | 1,299 | 4.3% | Eliminated |
| Write-in | 139 | 0.5% | — |
| Total | 30,450 | 100% | — |
Source: Miami Times, updated August 27, 2026 (head-to-head coverage); WLRN, August 19, 2026 (runoff results).
Meet Linda
Linda Cothiere Aristide was born in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, and grew up in Carol City, graduating from Miami Carol City Senior High School — a home-grown daughter of District 1. She has more than a decade of classroom teaching experience in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and is a certified mediator, holding an associate degree from Miami Dade College and a bachelor’s degree in education from St. Thomas University. She is a Deaconess at Good News Church of North Miami and has co-hosted “The Reyni Talk Show” on 1360 AM for five years.
Her platform priorities: empowering teachers in the classroom, safe and modern campuses, and parents as partners in their children’s education. A win would make her the first Haitian American elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board.
Fundraising: approximately $21,000 raised as of late August 2026, per Florida Trib.
About Katrina Wilson
Katrina Wilson is the Miami Gardens City Councilwoman for Seat 4, elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022; she is term-limited in 2026. Source
She served as principal and CEO of Liberty City Charter School, before it closed in 2008, and is Vice President of the Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools. Source
As a Miami Gardens councilwoman, Wilson backed a 2024–25 push to extend city council term limits from two terms to three; the proposal was rejected after resident and Charter Review Committee opposition. Source
She is endorsed by District 1 school board member Steve Gallon. Source
Fundraising: more than $48,000 raised, as of late August 2026, per Florida Trib.
Campaign website: winwithkatrinawilson.com
Information last reviewed: September 1, 2026.
Where they stand
This table lists only positions each candidate has stated publicly. Where no public statement was located, the cell is left blank rather than guessed.
| Topic | Linda Cothiere Aristide | Katrina Wilson |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher pay & retention | Empower teachers in the classroom; supports a fast, fair teachers’ contract. | |
| School closures | Wants community input and public debate before any school closure decision. | |
| Charter schools | Vice President, Florida Consortium of Public Charter Schools; former charter school principal/CEO. | |
| Parental involvement | Parents as partners — “Education is a team sport.” | |
| School safety | Safe and modern campuses. |
Sources: Miami Times head-to-head, lindaforschoolboard.com, winwithkatrinawilson.com.
What the School Board actually controls
The Miami-Dade County School Board is the elected body that governs Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Its members adopt the district budget, set district policy, and hire and evaluate the superintendent. The board approves major contracts, sets attendance boundaries, and decides whether schools open, consolidate, or close. Board members do not manage day-to-day school operations; that responsibility belongs to school administrators and the superintendent.
Key dates
- Voter registration deadline: Monday, October 5, 2026.
- Vote-by-mail request deadline: 5:00 p.m., Thursday, October 22, 2026.
- Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026 — a postmark is not enough.
- Early voting: Miami-Dade Elections has not yet published the November early-voting sites and hours as of September 1, 2026; the window is expected in late October. Check the county early-voting page for updates.
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
For registration deadlines, polling locations, and a sample ballot, see the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections. To request a vote-by-mail ballot, use the Supervisor of Elections’ vote-by-mail request page.
FAQ
Who is running for Miami-Dade School Board District 1 in November 2026?
Two candidates: Linda Cothiere Aristide and Katrina Wilson. They finished first and second in the August 18, 2026 primary and face each other in the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Who won the August 18, 2026 primary?
No candidate reached a majority. Katrina Wilson led with 9,957 votes (32.7%), and Linda Cothiere Aristide finished second with 6,390 votes (21.0%), out of 30,450 votes cast. Under Florida law, the top two advance to the November 3 general election.
When is the Miami-Dade School Board District 1 election?
The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The winner serves the unexpired term through November 2028.
Can I vote in November if I didn't vote in the August primary?
Yes, as long as you are registered to vote in Miami-Dade County District 1 by the registration deadline of Monday, October 5, 2026. School board races are nonpartisan, so every registered voter in District 1 may vote regardless of party.
Do I need to request a vote-by-mail ballot again for November?
Request a vote-by-mail ballot from the Miami-Dade Supervisor of Elections at votemiamidade.gov or by calling 305-499-8683. Requests must be renewed each election cycle — even if you voted by mail in August, confirm your request is active for November 3, 2026.
Where do I vote in the November 3 election?
See the Where to Vote page for vote-by-mail deadlines and Election Day information. Miami-Dade County has not yet published the November early-voting sites and hours; check votemiamidade.gov for updates.
Methodology and corrections
This page draws on official Miami-Dade County election results, candidate campaign materials, official government biographies, and the news coverage linked throughout, current as of September 1, 2026. We do not infer positions a candidate has not publicly stated; where no statement was located, this page leaves the cell blank rather than guessing.
If you are a candidate or campaign representative and believe any information on this page is inaccurate or out of date, contact info@lindaforschoolboard.com and we will review and correct it.
Learn more about Linda Cothiere Aristide’s plan for District 1
Linda Cothiere Aristide is a classroom teacher running for this seat.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Linda Cothiere, nonpartisan, for Miami-Dade School Board District 1.
Support Linda’s campaign
Help put a home-grown daughter of District 1 on the school board — chip in or volunteer your time.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Linda Cothiere, nonpartisan, for Miami-Dade School Board District 1. Contributions are limited to $1,000 per election under Florida Statute §106.08 and are not tax-deductible.