Joseph Kerry

Joseph Kerry Withdraws Reelection Bid to Care for Mother
By The Ogden Valley News Staff – 23 September 2026
 
Utah State School Board member Joseph Kerry has withdrawn his reelection bid and vacated his seat. The sudden departure of the Republican incumbent reshapes the race for District 2, leaving Democrat Kacee Weaver as the sole certified candidate on the ballot for the seat encompassing parts of Weber County. Kerry’s final official day representing the district was Monday, September 21.
 
Kerry announced his resignation on social media Friday September 11, citing pressing family circumstances that require a geographic move from Weber County to Utah County. Because state law mandates that board members and candidates reside in the districts they represent, the relocation renders him ineligible to retain the office or seek reelection. Joseph Kerry is relocating from Weber County to Utah County to care for his mother, who has been experiencing increasing age-related physical and memory challenges. 
 
Kerry indicated that vacating his position on the board was a difficult but necessary choice. Emphasizing his family obligations, he noted that his mother is a North Korean refugee who has dedicated her life to her children.
 
The vacancy immediately triggers a succession process shaped by state election statutes. Because Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson officially certified the general election ballot on August 28, the political party cannot legally replace Kerry with a new candidate for the upcoming election. To fill the current administrative void, Governor Spencer Cox must appoint a temporary replacement to complete the remainder of Kerry’s term, which concludes in January. The governor will select the appointee from three nominees advanced by the Utah Republican Party’s central committee, operating without a statutory deadline for his final choice.