Daly, Hollingsworth Win Fort Wayne School Board Seats
Two first-time candidates won at-large seats on the Fort Wayne Community Schools board, while incumbent Julie Hollingsworth earned a fifth term.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Administration
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Lee Daly and Brandon Foster, both running as independents, won the two at-large seats on the Fort Wayne Community Schools board, ousting incumbent Noah Smith. Julie Hollingsworth defeated Jeannette Jaquish in District 1 to earn a fifth term.
Why it matters
The results replace an incumbent on the at-large board and give Fort Wayne families a new set of at-large representatives. Staggered terms approved this spring mean the two new winners will serve different lengths.
Results came from 613 voting machines and remain unofficial. Foster withdrew from the race on Oct. 19 after accepting an out-of-state job, but his name appeared on the results as reported.
The players
Julie Hollingsworth
Hollingsworth is a longtime member of the Fort Wayne Community Schools board who won a fifth term representing District 1 on the northwest side.
Noah Smith
Smith is an incumbent at-large member of the Fort Wayne Community Schools board who finished fourth and lost his seat.
The details
Daly and Foster ran as independent candidates and received the top at-large vote totals. Under established rules for two first-time winners, the top vote-getter serves four years and the other serves two years, so Daly will likely hold the longer term.
Timeline
Oct. 19: Brandon Foster announced he was withdrawing from the race.
Spring 2026: The FWCS board approved a plan to stagger at-large terms.
Nov. 3, 2026: Election night, with unofficial final results reported.
2028: The shorter-term seat reverts to a four-year post.
Seasonal Patterns
The staggered at-large terms approved by the FWCS board this spring take effect with this election, so one seat will return to a four-year term in 2028 under the plan's schedule.
Fort Wayne families will have new at-large representatives on the school board, and the staggered terms mean the board's makeup will shift again in 2028. Residents who want to follow board decisions can track the board's meetings as the new members take office.
The takeaway
Staggered terms keep experienced members on the board while bringing in new voices, so Fort Wayne residents should watch how the new at-large members approach their first board votes.
What happens next
The seat with the shorter term will revert to a four-year post in 2028.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration to see how Fort Wayne school boards are run.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fort Wayne Journal Gazette.
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