Tracy J. Nuttall, a Republican, is running for Utah State Board of Education District 11 in the Nov. 3 general election. She faces Democrat Lacey Peterson.
Nuttall said on her campaign website that she is a parent of children in elementary, middle and high school in Alpine schools. She said she has been closely involved through PTA, School Community Council and community events.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Utah State Board of Education, District 11
- Education: Bachelor's degree in philosophy, Brigham Young University (2002); juris doctor, BYU (2010)
Experience and public service
Nuttall said she worked as a legislative attorney and drafted education laws for the Utah Legislature. She said she helped reorganize and clarify the state's education code, provided counsel on policy and governance to the State Board of Education, and built tools to help local schools and educators understand their legal requirements.
According to BallotReady profile data, Nuttall's professional history includes:
- Associate general counsel, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (2011–2019)
- President, Sunburst Strategies (2019–present)
- Adjunct professor, BYU Law School (2022–2025)
- Director of policy, Utah State Tax Commission (2025–present)
- Adjunct professor, Utah Valley University (2010–2011)
- Law clerk, Utah 2nd District Court (2011)
- Caseworker, BYU Center for Conflict Resolution (2009)
She listed PTA and School Community Council volunteer work at Alpine schools on her campaign website.
On the issues
Nuttall's policy positions, as stated on her campaign website, focus on parent involvement, student support, school safety, fiscal responsibility and keeping politics out of classrooms.
Parent and family partnerships: Nuttall said she will promote open communication and strong partnerships between parents, families and educators so students receive consistent support at home and at school.
Student-centered policy: She said she will propose and support policies that meet students where they are and empower those on the ground to help every child reach their potential.
School safety: Nuttall said she will work with legislative leaders, local elected officials and school board members to address the physical safety of students. She said she will work with staff to identify gaps and ensure the state is prepared to address emerging safety needs.
Fiscal responsibility: She said she will work with stakeholders to ensure responsible budgeting that gives classrooms the resources they need while protecting taxpayers and focusing spending on what works.
Keeping politics out of classrooms: Nuttall said she will ensure policies support learning and opportunity, not political agendas.
Endorsements
The following endorsements appear on Nuttall's campaign endorsements page:
- Cindy Bishop Davis, Utah State Board of Education District 11 incumbent
- Ann Millner, Utah state senator
- Lowry Snow, Utah state representative
- Diane Knight
- Amber Bonner
- Wendy Aston, Bluffdale City Council
- Guy Fugal, former mayor of Pleasant Grove
- Lorin Palmer, mayor of Herriman
Davis, the outgoing District 11 incumbent, said she trusts Nuttall "to dig into the details to make sure our communities and values are truly represented." Millner, who said Nuttall served as her counsel at the state Legislature, said she was impressed with Nuttall's efforts leading the education code recodification under Millner's direction.
Candidate responses were gathered from the candidate's campaign website and BallotReady. This profile does not constitute an endorsement.
