Wellington Councilman John McGovern announced this week that he will seek the Palm Beach County School Board District 6 seat being vacated in 2026 by longtime School Board Member Marcia Andrews.
Andrews told the Town-Crier exclusively in April that she would not seek a fifth four-year term after 50 years in various roles in public education.
McGovern, a personal injury attorney with the firm McGovern Gerardi Law, will be term-limited out of his council seat in March 2026 after 11 years on the dais. He is the first person to declare for the nonpartisan school board seat.
“It’s not about me and me staying in public office,” McGovern said Wednesday. “It’s about service to the western communities and making sure people are properly represented… [and that] they have a fierce advocate at the table.”
McGovern said he decided to announce almost 15 months before the election to ensure that people know he is in the race, and in it to win it.
“Our public schools are the foundation of our community, and I am running for the school board to ensure that every child has access to the best-in-Florida, best-in-the-nation public education,” he said.
The district encompasses most of the county west of State Road 7, all the way to Lake Okeechobee. It includes 41 schools in Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee Groves, Westlake, the Acreage/Loxahatchee area, and the Glades communities of Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay.
McGovern was first appointed to the council in 2015 to fill a vacancy, then ran successfully in 2016, 2018 and 2022. Along the way, he served three one-year terms as vice mayor.
A native Floridian, McGovern first moved to Wellington in 1986 with his parents. He was a member of the first graduating class to have attended Wellington High School for all four years. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Florida, where he served as president of the student body.
After graduating from law school in 1999, McGovern returned to his home county and began his career as a trial attorney.
Since 2012, McGovern has been involved with the Palm Beach County Justice Association, a 350-plus member association of plaintiffs’ trial attorneys. He was president of the group in 2017.
McGovern also was a founding member of the West Palm 100, a young professionals’ service organization. He is an active supporter of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Democratic Party, although school board races are nonpartisan.
Along with his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Emilia and Victoria, McGovern returned to Wellington in 2011. He, his wife and daughters attended Palm Beach County public schools.
“Having been a student and now a parent in this system, I understand the challenges and opportunities firsthand,” McGovern noted in his announcement statement Wednesday. “I am committed most of all to two things: one, working collaboratively with all parents to create safe, supportive schools that are laser-focused on strengthening our kids’ fundamental skills; and two, providing our teachers with the resources and respect they deserve so that they can deliver on that mission.”
McGovern said his platform is focused on school safety and security; support of teachers and staff; responsible and transparent management of the school district’s $5.6 billion budget; improving technology and “closing the Achievement Gap [to] ensure all students, regardless of background or zip code, get a high-quality education.”
“Together, we can continue to elevate our schools and prepare our students to compete and succeed in the ever-changing, 21st-century workforce,” he said.
McGovern added that he has “deep respect” for the work Andrews has done during her 50 years in public education, adding that she has “shaped countless lives.”
“As she once said, ‘We don’t want any child to not know that they can have greatness,’” he continued. “I agree, and I look forward to building upon her legacy of ensuring that the district delivers the best educational outcomes for every student.”
There is still nearly a year before the qualifying period for the seat closes. A primary, if needed, will be held in August 2026. If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to the general election ballot in November 2026.
