Candidate, State Board of Education, District 8 · Democratic
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Araueni Olivares is a candidate for State Board of Education, District 8. The ballot lists Araueni Olivares, Democratic. The district covers all or part of Salt Lake County.
Araueni Olivares's BallotReady candidate profile lists this work history: Redwood Elementary, PE Specialist Granite School District. [1]
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Olivares supported multilingual learners in the Granite School District and has worked with several other districts in various education roles. For the past 14 years he has worked for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, according to the Tribune. [2]
In his own words: Tribune education questionnaire
The Tribune sent both District 8 candidates the same questionnaire. Olivares names educator shortages and increasing workloads as pressures on schools and says the priority is giving every school the resources to serve its students, including investment in the people who make schools work. The seat covers parts of Taylorsville, Kearns and West Jordan and is open because incumbent Christina Boggess is not seeking reelection. [2]
Olivares opposes the Utah Fits All program, saying it diverts public money to private school tuition and homeschooling providers not held to the same standards. On Utah's sensitive materials law, he says intellectual freedom in schools honors Utah values and that students need access to diverse viewpoints. On immigration enforcement, he says schools should be places where families come together. He answered no on third grade retention and yes on bell-to-bell cellphone bans. His favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo. [2]
His opponent, Republican Nicole McDermott, president of the Granite School District board, answered the same questions. The Tribune's article lists both candidates' answers side by side; McDermott also answered no on retention and yes on the cellphone ban. [2]
In the candidate's own words
Araueni Olivares has worked for the Utah Department of Workforce Services for 14 years and has supported multilingual learners and worked with several school districts in education roles, according to the Tribune. [3]
In the survey, Olivares says schools serve increasingly diverse needs while facing staff shortages and heavier workloads, and calls for adequate resources and investment in educators. Olivares supports students' access to diverse viewpoints and partnering with parents, opposes the Utah Fits All program because it diverts money from public schools to private providers that are not held to the same standards, opposes third-grade retention and supports bell-to-bell cellphone bans. [3]
These are the candidate's own survey answers as printed by the Tribune, not checked by The Utah Ledger. [3]
Profile sources
Profile refreshed October 30, 2026. Candidate statements describe the candidate's own experience or positions; official records and reporting are labeled separately.
