Another School Board candidate emerges

A third candidate has emerged in the race for the Sarasota County School Board District 1 seat Carol Todd vacated earlier this month.

Former Sarasota County School District Director of Long-Range Planning Ken Marsh joins Geoffrey Griswold Fisher and Bridget Ziegler in the race for the position. 

Marsh spent more than a decade as a planning administrator with the Sarasota County School District, with experience in other areas of the organization since 1995. Prior to that, Marsh rose through social work department with the Manatee County School District, according to a news release.

Current School Board members discussed Todd’s replacement at a work session last week, ultimately agreeing to advocate leaving the vacancy unfilled until August. Gov. Rick Scott has the authority to appoint Todd’s replacement, but Sarasota School Board members cautioned the appointment of a candidate intending to run Aug. 26 would give him or her an unfair advantage in the election.

Ziegler is married to State Committeeman Christian Ziegler, and has endorsements from local Republicans, including State representatives Doug Holder, Jim Boyd and Greg Steube, as well as Sarasota GOP Chairman Joe Gruters, according to her website.