Rocky Hanna to run again for superintendent in 2024

Tallahassee Democrat | By Ana Goñi-Lessan | January 4, 2023

Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna will run for a third term in 2024.

The 35-year career educator, who filed his paperwork with the elections office last Thursday, posted on Facebook that he wasn’t ready to vacate his seat just yet, as the COVID-19 pandemic put two years of priorities on hold.

“I realize this announcement is very early in the process but I felt as though it was important to let our community know my intentions,” Hanna wrote on Facebook. “While I am extremely proud of our accomplishments over the last 6 years my work is not yet finished.

Hanna will run as a Democrat. A recent law requires candidates who are running for a partisan office to run as their party affiliation. Before, a candidate could be registered with a party and run under “no party affiliation,” according to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office.

Senate Bill 90, which passed in 2021, states: In addition, any person seeking to qualify for office as a candidate with no party affiliation shall, at the time of subscribing to the oath or affirmation, state in writing that he or she is registered without any party affiliation and that he or she has not been a registered member of any political party for 365 days before the beginning of qualifying preceding the general election for which the person seeks to qualify.

“I have been a registered Democrat for the past 32 years who is proud of the party’s unwavering support of the public school system,” Hanna wrote.

The majority of counties in Florida elect their superintendents, according to the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. Only 29 counties have board-elected superintendents.

Hanna won the race for superintendent in 2020 against Pam Hightower, another district administrator, with 60% of the vote.

“I am looking forward to continuing our journey to ensure that our schools remain safe and provide for our students a high quality and enriching education,” he wrote.