Sahara Hayes

Office held

On the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot

Sahara Hayes is a candidate for Utah House, District 32. The ballot lists Sahara Hayes, Democratic. The district covers all or part of Salt Lake County.

Everyone on the ballot for this seat

Listed in ballot order. Source: Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office, Amended 2026 General Election Certification (PDF). 2026 election guide

Voting record

All votes by Sahara Hayes

Grant writing and community ties

Sahara Hayes works in grant writing, with experience in local government and nonprofit organizations, according to her House Democratic caucus biography. The official roster lists a bachelor's degree and a Master of Public Administration but does not identify the institutions in that field. Her caucus biography places her home in Millcreek and describes interests in reading, hiking, knitting and aerial arts. ^{[1] [2]}

District 32 and Democratic leadership

Hayes began legislative service in January 2023 and represents House District 32 in Salt Lake County. Her caucus biography identifies parts of Millcreek, Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake within the district. The current roster lists her as minority assistant whip, a caucus leadership responsibility alongside her elected role. The service date is checked against the Legislature rather than inferred from the biography's election wording. ^{[2] [1]}

Schools, mental health and civil rights

The House Democratic caucus describes LGBTQ+ rights, student mental health, firearm safety, public education and the environment as Hayes's priorities. It also identifies work on youth suicide prevention and procedures for updating names and gender markers. These are attributed descriptions of policy activity, providing context for her interests while leaving each bill's text, action history and implementation as separate evidence of what it did. ^[1]

In the 2026 General Session, Sahara Hayes was chief sponsor of H.B. 102, Victim Privacy Amendments. It lets a crime victim ask that initials replace their name in publicly available criminal justice documents, while requiring entities to keep the name on hand so they can answer a court order. The governor signed it on March 26, 2026. ^[3]

In the 2026 General Session, Sahara Hayes was chief sponsor of H.B. 112, Political Advertising Amendments. It would have extended political advertising rules to social media platforms and let election officers fine violators. It did not become law, and it was filed on March 6, 2026. ^[4]

Education budgets and government operations

Her current assignments include House Education, House Government Operations, Executive Appropriations and Higher Education Appropriations. She also serves on Legislative Management and interim committees for education and economic development and workforce services. That mix combines school policy and university spending with the administration of public institutions, extending her portfolio beyond the individual civil-rights and mental-health topics highlighted in her caucus biography. ^[2]

Profile sources

Profile refreshed October 20, 2026. Candidate statements describe the candidate's own experience or positions; official records and reporting are labeled separately.

1. Utah House Democrats — Sahara Hayes biography · Official record
2. Utah Legislature — official member biography and assignments · Official record
3. Utah Legislature, H.B. 102 Victim Privacy Amendments · Official record
4. Utah Legislature, H.B. 112 Political Advertising Amendments · Official record

From the Legislature's roster

Profession

Grant Writer

Education

B.S., M.P.A.

Committees

• Executive Appropriations Committee
• Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee
• House Education Committee
• House Government Operations Committee
• Education Interim Committee
• Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee
• Legislative Management Committee

As listed by the Utah Legislature.

In the news

No Utah Ledger stories name Sahara Hayes yet.