(Editor’s note: This story was updated with new information.)
PALM COAST — The Flagler County School Board will welcome two new faces following the Aug. 18 primary with both Cathy Moon and Rob Wood winning their races outright.
Cathy Moon is heading to the District 1 seat, which has been vacant since 2025, after defeating Jill Woolbright with 57% of the vote. Rob Wood bested Vice Chair Will Furry in the District 2 race, winning 60% of the vote. District 4 was a tight race and will head to a runoff in November.
Trevor Tucker inched out on top with 40% of the vote, while board Chair Christy Chong earned 37% and Ron Long picked up 23%. Since neither candidate earned more than 50%, top vote-getters Tucker and Chong will face off in November’s general election.
As results came in, Wood was celebrating with his wife, Stacy, and alongside friends and other candidates at the Cork & Pint bar at the European Village in Palm Coast.
Wood said he is “humbled and grateful that our electorate would entrust our students, faculty, staff and administrators on my care.”
“I have this new community that has gathered around me, that rallied and supported me. It’s been an amazing four months,” he said.
At the same time, the “worst” side of the race, where “divisive politics” and “difference of opinions leads to distrust.”
“I feel like this race has taught me a lot about how I want to lead and how I want to represent Flagler County Schools,” he added.
Vice Chair Will Furry sent a text to The News-Journal congratulating Wood after the results were read.
“Congratulations to Rob Wood on his win. I am grateful to have served on the School Board, including two terms as chair, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we made together from strengthening district leadership and financial stability to achieving continued academic gains and returning Flagler Schools to an A-rated district,” he wrote. “I sincerely thank everyone who supported me along the way, and I will do everything I can to ensure Rob is prepared to take the seat when my term concludes in November.”
Moon also celebrated her win.
“I am humbled by the level of support, thrilled by the opportunity to serve, and excited to help guide Flagler Schools forward,” Moon wrote in a text to The News-Journal.
Flagler BOCC, Palm Coast City Council primary winners headed to November runoffs
In the Republican primary for Board of County Commissioners, Theresa Pontieri edged out Greg Feldman with 52% in the District 2 race and will face off against Independent candidate Raymond Royer in the November general election.
In District 4, incumbent and County Chair Leann Pennington will also move on to the November election, having earned 55% of the vote against Drew Moss’ 24% and Anna Jones’ 21%. Pennington will face off against write-in candidate Denise Calderwood in November.
Pennington was also at the Cork & Pint and said she is “really grateful for the opportunity to serve Flagler County again.”
“I think it’s going to be a good four years for us,” Pennington said. “Looking forward to delivering on roads, beach (restoration).”
She also thanked opponents Anna Jones and Drew Moss for running “a clean campaign.”
In both Palm Coast City Council races, runoffs are also on the way. Tony Amaral Jr. (45%) and Jeani Duarte (30%) finished ahead of Jimmy Hengy (25%) in the District 2 race, while District 4 candidates Darlene Shelley (32%) and Dylana “Dee” Galery (27%) bested John Kvederis (23%) and Ramon Marrero (17.5%).
Amaral and Duarte will run against each other and Shelley and Galery will run against each other in November.
In a text to The News-Journal, Duarte thanked “everyone who came out to vote in the primary.”
“We have a lot of work ahead of us to reach the numbers needed for the November election,” Duarte said. “I’m feeling good and looking forward to continuing this journey.”
Some Flagler voters stick with party ticket, others weigh in on local races
Flagler County’s primary began at 7 a.m. in 21 precincts countywide.
Though the turnout didn’t yield any big crowds or lines, a steady stream of voters went through the Palm Coast Community Center in the afternoon, greeted by the sea of colorful campaign signs.
Palm Coast resident Ed Sheplan said he supported all the Republican candidates, especially in the congressional and gubernatorial races.
Saying he didn’t “know much about” the local races, Sheplan was opposed to Democratic candidates’ platforms, including issues like illegal immigration, transgender athletes and others.
Theresa Camilleri had the complete opposite perspective.
“Blue, blue, blue and blue,” she said when asked how she had voted.
Camilleri was especially vocal in her criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, calling them “disgusting.”
Chris Everett, a new Palm Coast resident, didn’t say which candidates he would support, but he knew the main issues that had driven him to vote.
“The way Flagler’s developing, the way they’re going to build the tax base, what they’re going to do concerning the property tax – that’s going to be a big deal,” he said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Wood beats Furry, Moon elected to Flagler School Board, runoffs ahead
Reporting by Brenno Carillo and Ashley Varese, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brenno Carillo and Ashley Varese, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
