Utah Voters Decide Eight State School Board Seats
Eight Utah State Board of Education seats are up in the 2026 midterm election, with four candidates running uncontested.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Should Utah's state government manage federal education funds instead of federal officials?
Utah voters are deciding eight seats on the 15-member Utah State Board of Education in the 2026 midterm election. Four of the eight candidates are running without opposition.
Why it matters
The board has recently split on state policy, including a 10-4 April 2025 vote against a letter supporting sending federal education dollars to the state. Several seats are changing hands or open as incumbents step aside.
Eight Utah State Board of Education seats are up in the 2026 midterm election, and four candidates are running uncontested. The board has 15 members, and the 10-4 vote in April 2025 against a federal education funds letter shows the current split.
The players
Utah State Board of Education
The state body that sets education policy and oversees public schools in Utah, with 15 members elected across districts.
Jennie Earl
Incumbent Republican board member seeking a third term in District 1, who was reelected in 2022.
Cathy Callow-Heusser
Democratic challenger in District 1 whose campaign opposes ending federal management of federal education funds.
The details
Incumbent Republican Jennie Earl is seeking a third term in District 1, where Democrat Cathy Callow-Heusser is challenging her. Republican Christina Boggess is not seeking reelection in District 8, Republican Cindy Bishop Davis is not seeking reelection in District 11, and Democrat Kacee Weaver will take over District 2 after incumbent Joe Kerry withdrew from his race. Emily Green is also not seeking reelection after her first term in District 14.
Timeline
April 2025: Board voted 10-4 against a letter supporting federal education funds for the state.
2025: Erin Longacre was appointed to fill the District 7 seat vacated by Molly Hart.
September 2025: Joe Kerry announced he was stepping down and withdrawing from his reelection race.
November 3, 2026: Midterm election Day with state school board races on the ballot.
Lifestyle Context
The April 2025 federal education funds letter vote, which passed 10-4, set the board's current division on how Utah should handle federal education dollars. The 2026 contests will show whether voters endorse that split as the board's membership changes.
Utah residents in the eight districts with board seats on the ballot can vote for their representatives on November 3, 2026. Voters in the four uncontested districts will have no choice on the ballot for those seats.
The takeaway
Voters who want to know where candidates stand on federal education funding can compare the board's recorded votes with each candidate's campaign statements before November 3, 2026.
What happens next
Voters will decide the contested Utah State Board of Education races on November 3, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration to see how state education boards are structured and run.
Live Poll
Should Utah's state government manage federal education funds instead of federal officials?
