Seven St. Tammany Parish School Board Seats Are Contested in November Election

by | Slidell News & Guides

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Voters Will Decide Contested School Board Races Across St. Tammany Parish on Nov. 3

Seven St. Tammany Parish School Board seats have contested races heading into the Nov. 3, 2026 election, putting nearly half of the 15-member board before voters in competitive contests. The contested School Board elections are in Districts 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12, while the other districts have only one qualified candidate.

St. Tammany Parish voters will be selecting representatives for the board that governs the parish public school system. School Board members handle responsibilities that include adopting district policies, approving budgets and contracts, addressing facilities and overseeing the superintendent. Those decisions can have substantial effects on students, parents, teachers, other school employees and taxpayers across St. Tammany Parish.

1. District 1 School Board Race

District 1 voters will choose between Republicans Geoffrey “Geoff” Hingle and Brandi Lopez. The contested election gives residents a choice over who will represent District 1 while participating in broader School Board decisions involving public education throughout St. Tammany Parish.

District representatives do more than address concerns from schools and residents within their individual boundaries. Each member also casts votes on parishwide policies, spending, contracts and other matters affecting the St. Tammany Parish Public School System, making every contested district race part of the larger direction of the school system.

2. District 5 School Board Race

District 5 features a three-candidate contest involving Democrat Miranda Buras and Republicans C. Brandon Harrell and Tammy Harwell Penton. Harrell currently represents District 5 on the St. Tammany Parish School Board, making this one of the races in which voters will decide between an incumbent and challengers.

Three candidates in the District 5 election also create a different ballot dynamic from the parish’s two-candidate School Board contests. Louisiana voters can confirm the candidates appearing on their individual ballot through the Secretary of State’s Voter Portal as election information becomes available.

3. District 6 School Board Race

Republicans Amanda Reed Martin and Erin Oramous are competing for the District 6 School Board seat. Martin currently represents District 6 and is identified by St. Tammany Parish Public Schools as the School Board president for 2026.

District 6 voters are therefore deciding whether to retain their current representative or select a new member. The person elected will represent District 6 while joining the rest of the 15-member board in considering budgets, policies, contracts, facilities and administrative matters affecting schools across St. Tammany Parish.

4. District 7 School Board Race

District 7 voters will choose between incumbent Republican Isabelle Moore and Ben Banchs, who qualified with no party affiliation. The race is another contest featuring a current School Board member and a challenger during the 2026 election cycle.

The successful District 7 candidate will have a dual responsibility: representing residents and schools within the district while voting on decisions that apply across the St. Tammany Parish Public School System. That parishwide role makes individual School Board elections relevant to families beyond a single neighborhood or community.

5. District 9 School Board Race

Republicans Reid Mahne and Samantha Ronquille are running for the District 9 School Board seat. Current District 9 member Gia Baker is not listed among the candidates seeking the position, meaning the district is set to have a different representative following the election.

District 9 is notable because voters will be selecting between candidates seeking to become the district’s next representative rather than deciding whether to return the current member. The winner will join the School Board in considering financial, operational and policy matters for the St. Tammany Parish Public School System.

6. District 11 School Board Race

Republicans Pamela Hotard and Jesse “Bert” Stephens are seeking the District 11 seat currently represented by Tammy Lamy. St. Tammany Parish Public Schools identifies Bayou Woods Elementary, Carolyn Park Middle and Mayfield Elementary among the schools associated with District 11.

District 11 residents will select a representative who can bring concerns from that portion of St. Tammany Parish to the full School Board. The elected member will also participate in decisions involving the entire public school system, including spending priorities, facilities, contracts and district policy.

7. District 12 School Board Race

District 12 features a contest between incumbent Republican Michelle Hirstius and Republican challenger Heath Panks. The district covers part of eastern St. Tammany Parish and includes multiple precincts in the Slidell area.

District boundaries are especially important for voters to check because School Board districts do not simply follow municipal boundaries. Residents should verify their individual registration and sample ballot through Louisiana’s Voter Portal to determine whether the District 12 contest, or another School Board race, appears on their ballot.

What the St. Tammany Parish School Board Does

The St. Tammany Parish School Board serves as the governing body for the St. Tammany Parish Public School System. Its responsibilities include establishing district policies, approving budgets and contracts, considering facility needs and overseeing the superintendent, giving elected board members a significant role in the operation of the parish’s public schools.

School Board decisions can reach classrooms and communities in numerous ways. Budget votes can determine how public funds are allocated, facility decisions can influence school buildings and capital projects, and policy decisions can establish rules affecting students and employees throughout the district.

The 15 members represent separate geographic districts, but the School Board acts collectively when making parishwide decisions. Residents who do not have a contested School Board race in November can still be affected by decisions made by members elected from other parts of St. Tammany Parish.

Key Dates for the Nov. 3 Election

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Louisiana’s election calendar lists Oct. 5 as the registration deadline for people registering in person, by mail or through an Office of Motor Vehicles location. The online voter registration deadline through the state’s GeauxVote system is Oct. 13.

Early voting is scheduled for Oct. 20 through Oct. 27, excluding Sunday, Oct. 25. Early voting hours are scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., providing St. Tammany Parish voters several days to cast ballots before Election Day.

Most voters seeking an absentee ballot face an Oct. 30 deadline at 4:30 p.m. to submit their request. Completed absentee ballots generally must reach the registrar of voters by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2, although voters should review Louisiana Secretary of State guidance for rules and exceptions that may apply to their circumstances.

Election Day polling places are scheduled to operate from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Voters who are in line when polls close should follow instructions from election officials, and residents can use the Louisiana Voter Portal to confirm their polling location before traveling to vote.

Why the School Board Election Matters Across St. Tammany Parish

Seven contested races represent a substantial portion of the 15-member St. Tammany Parish School Board. The results will determine who represents those districts during a period when board members will continue making decisions involving school finances, facilities, policies, contracts and oversight of the parish school system.

St. Tammany Parish contains communities with different school populations, development patterns and facility needs. Individual board members represent those geographic districts, but their votes become part of decisions affecting the school system as a whole. That structure gives residents a reason to understand both their local School Board contest and the broader composition of the board.

Voters should verify their School Board district instead of assuming their district based solely on their city, ZIP code or mailing address. Louisiana’s Voter Portal provides personalized voter information and can be used to check registration details, polling locations and available ballot information.

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