A third of the Miami-Dade County School Board won’t be running for re-election in 2020

Three of the nine members on the Miami-Dade County School Board won’t be seeking re-election next year. That could shake up the School Board majority with five seats on the ballot in 2020.

Citing family as his reason, Lawrence Feldman announced Wednesday evening during a School Board meeting that he would not be seeking a fourth term. No one has filed to run for his District 9 seat, which covers southeastern Miami-Dade.

Also on Wednesday, Martin Karp, who has represented Aventura and the beaches since 2004, withdrew his election paperwork after speaking with a spiritual adviser, he told the Miami Herald. He held a fundraiser featuring “special guest” Superintendent Alberto Carvalho at Bunbury restaurant near School Board headquarters on July 15.

Karp raised $61,303, including a $50,000 loan to himself, since filing to run for a fifth term in December. Raquel Bild-Libbin filed to run for his District 3 seat in June.

Board member Susie Castillo, who represents the Doral and Miami Springs areas, announced earlier this year that she would not seek a third term on the School Board. Two candidates have filed to run for her District 5 seat: Gianfranco Puppio-Perez and Mara Zapata.

Two other School Board seats are on the ballot in 2020, potentially flipping the board majority. Neither of those incumbents is currently facing a challenger.

District 1 board member Steve Gallon, representing the Miami Gardens and Opa-locka area since 2016, has raised $56,575 for his re-election campaign.

District 7 board member Lubby Navarro, whose district includes most of Kendall and South Miami Heights, has raised $55,325.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Karp’s tenure on the School Board.

This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 6:42 AM.