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Miguel Cuevas
Miguel Cuevas was an at-large member of the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona. He left office in 2012.
Cuevas (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Pima County Board of Supervisors to represent District 3 in Arizona. He lost in the Democratic primary on July 30, 2024.
Cuevas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Miguel Cuevas was born in Tucson, Arizona. He graduated from Cholla High School. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona in 2018 and a graduate degree from Grand Canyon University in 2021. His career experience includes working as a director in customer service and technology fields.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Pima County, Arizona (2024)
General election
General election for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3
Jennifer Allen defeated Janet Wittenbraker and Iman-Utopia Layjou Bah in the general election for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jennifer Allen (D)  | 52.5 | 48,583 |
 | Janet Wittenbraker (R) | 43.1 | 39,888 | |
 | Iman-Utopia Layjou Bah (Independent) | 4.2 | 3,896 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 102 | ||
| Total votes: 92,469 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3
Jennifer Allen defeated Edgar Soto, April Hiosik Ignacio, and Miguel Cuevas in the Democratic primary for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3 on July 30, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jennifer Allen | 53.0 | 9,767 |
 | Edgar Soto | 19.0 | 3,509 | |
| April Hiosik Ignacio | 16.9 | 3,117 | ||
 | Miguel Cuevas | 10.9 | 2,006 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 40 | ||
| Total votes: 18,439 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3
Janet Wittenbraker advanced from the Republican primary for Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3 on July 30, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Janet Wittenbraker | 98.7 | 12,734 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 172 | ||
| Total votes: 12,906 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cuevas in this election.
2014
Incumbents Michael Hicks and Adelita Grijalva faced a wide field of challengers in the November 4, 2014, general election. Don Cotton, Jen Darland, Betts Putnam-Hidalgo, Debe Campos-Fleenor, Francis Saitta, Rene Bernal and Miguel Cuevas ran to unseat the at-large board members.[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Adelita Grijalva Incumbent |
19.5% | 34,347 | |
| Nonpartisan | Michael Hicks Incumbent |
16.3% | 28,708 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jen Darland | 16% | 28,191 | |
| Nonpartisan | Don Cotton | 10.7% | 18,944 | |
| Nonpartisan | Debe Campos-Fleenor | 10% | 17,647 | |
| Nonpartisan | Betts Putnam-Hidalgo | 9.6% | 16,927 | |
| Nonpartisan | Rene Bernal | 8.7% | 15,424 | |
| Nonpartisan | Miguel Cuevas | 6.6% | 11,581 | |
| Nonpartisan | Francis Saitta | 2.2% | 3,952 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 585 | |
| Total Votes | 176,306 | |||
| Source: Pima County Elections, "Official Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
Funding
As of October 28, 2014, Cuevas had reported no contributions or expenditures according to the Pima County Elections Department.[3]
Endorsements
Cuevas did not receive any official endorsements.
2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kristel Ann Foster |
13% | 41,372 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mark Stegeman Incumbent |
12.4% | 39,538 | |
| Nonpartisan | Cam S. Juarez |
10.6% | 33,863 | |
| Nonpartisan | Miguel Cuevas Incumbent | 9.6% | 30,757 | |
| Nonpartisan | Debe Campos-Fleenor | 9% | 28,776 | |
| Nonpartisan | John A. Hunnicutt | 8.9% | 28,326 | |
| Nonpartisan | Betts Putnam-Hidalgo | 8.1% | 25,802 | |
| Nonpartisan | Don Cotton | 7.7% | 24,418 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ralph E. Ellinwood | 7% | 22,287 | |
| Nonpartisan | Alexandre Sugiyama | 6.5% | 20,609 | |
| Nonpartisan | Robert Medler | 4.7% | 14,874 | |
| Nonpartisan | Menelik Bakari | 2.2% | 6,993 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.4% | 1,406 | |
| Total Votes | 319,021 | |||
| Source: Pima County Elections Department, "General Election November 6, 2012, Results," accessed August 29, 2014 | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released June 28, 2024 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Miguel Cuevas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cuevas' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
County, is proudly a first-generation college graduate and homeowner. While he has traveled around the world, he always calls Tucson home and is a loving dad to two furbabies, Salchi and Wonton.
Miguel fought for equity for LGBTQIA+ and minority students during his tenure on the TUSD Board.
With over 19 years of experience in the private sector, Miguel has helped both local businesses and
multinational tech companies grow- Strengthening our Local Economy: I will support our local economy by promoting growth through technology and manufacturing jobs, and enhancing small business onboarding services.
- Working on the Homelessness Crisis: We need to support and actively participate in initiatives aimed at fostering community safety amidst the opioid and migrant crisis, with an emphasis on integration services.
- Fixing our County Roads: I am committed to working tirelessly as an advocate to the RTA and the County for the prioritization of much needed improvements on our county roads.
Maintain ongoing commitment to safeguard the Sonoran Desert through the implementation of conservation plans and protection measures.
Represent Constituents' Interests: Advocate for the needs and concerns of our diverse communities and ensure their voices are heard in decision-making processes.
Promote Social Equity: Strive to create policies that support equal opportunities for all residents, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or gender, while prioritizing initiatives that uplift marginalized communities.
Support Sustainable Development: Balance growth with environmental protection by encouraging policies that promote responsible land use, environmental conservation, and renewable energy initiatives.
Enhance Public Services: Ensure that critical services such as public health, infrastructure, and emergency response are adequately funded and effectively delivered to all residents.
Practice Fiscal Responsibility: Manage the county's budget transparently and accountably, prioritizing spending that enhances public welfare.
Collaborate: Work with other local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private organizations, to create partnerships that effectively address regional issues such as water resource management, transportation, and economic development.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2014
Cuevas provided the following statement in English and Spanish to the Pima County School Superintendent's office:
| “ | During Miguel's tenure (2009-2012) on the TUSD Governing Board, TUSD made DRASTIC improvements in student achievement from an underperforming school district to almost a "B" rated district. If Miguel is elected he will continue to focus on the
following issues: Raising the Academic Bar It is our obligation as a community to see that students face the future with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in college and their future career goals. Setting and enforcing high academic standards is paramount for students’ success! More Money in the Classrooms The top priority is student achievement. TUSD must focus its budgetary resources on the classroom and continue a strong focus on academic goals. Supporting Good Teachers Setting higher academic expectations for students, requires strong support of those tasked with providing the education. Teachers are a vital part of our future; they shape and educate our children. To set higher expectations for students, is to set higher expectations for teachers. We need to ensure that we retain teachers who’s students achieve those standards. Encourage Parent Participation Parental participation is imperative to our children’s educational success. From homework help to holding their child accountable for participation, we need to work together to fill in the gaps and make sure that we are educating our children as a team.[4] |
” |
| —Miguel Cuevas (2014)[5] | ||
| “ | Durante el mandato de Miguel (2009-2012) en la Junta de Gobierno del TUSD, el TUSD realizó DRÁSTICAS mejoras en los logros de los estudiantes pasando de un distrito escolar con un rendimiento más bajo de lo esperado a casi un distrito de clasificación "B". Si Miguel es elegido continuará enfocándose en los siguientes asuntos:
Subir el nivel académico Es nuestra obligación como una comunidad ver que los estudiantes se enfrentan al futuro con el conocimiento y capacidades necesarias para tener éxito en la universidad y en sus futuros objetivos de carrera. ¡Fijar e imponer estándares académicos altos es primordial para el éxito de los estudiantes! Más dinero en las clases La principal prioridad es el logro de los estudiantes. El TUSD ha de enfocar sus recursos presupuestarios en las clases y continuar un fuerte enfoque en los objetivos académicos. Apoyar a los buenos maestros Fijar expectativas académicas más elevadas para los estudiantes, requiere un fuerte apoyo de aquellos encargados de proporcionar la educación. Los maestros son una parte vital de nuestro futuro; ellos modelan y educan a nuestros niños. Fijar expectativas más elevadas para los estudiantes es fijar expectativas más elevadas para los maestros. Necesitamos asegurar que retenemos a aquellos maestros cuyos estudiantes consiguen esos estándares . Animar la participación de los padres La participación de los padres es indispensable para el éxito educativo de nuestros niños. Desde ayudar con la tarea escolar hasta hacer responsable al niño de su participación, necesitamos trabajar juntos para rellenar los huecos y asegurarnos que estamos educando a nuestros niños como un equipo .[4] |
” |
| —Miguel Cuevas (2014)[5] | ||
What was at stake?
While the governing board is a nonpartisan political body, all nine candidates' political affiliations were known with two Republicans, Michael Hicks and Debe Campos-Fleenor, and seven Democrats, Adelita Grijalva, Miguel Cuevas, Rene Bernal, Don Cotton, Jen Darland, Betts Putnam-Hidalgo and Francis Saitta.[6] Prior to the general election, Grijalva and Darland were leading the race in campaign finance contributions and expenditures.
Issues in the election
Proposition 420
In addition to voting on governing board members, residents of the school district voted upon Proposition 420 which would authorize the district to sell or lease nine schools that were closed in 2013. The proposition's official ballot language was as follows:
| “ |  [4]
|
” |
| —Office of the Pima County School Superintendent (2014)[7] | ||
Yard sign stealing
Adelita Grijalva, "Sign Thief Caught on Camera Targeting Adelita Grijalva For TUSD," October 27, 2014 |
According to candidate Adelita Grijalva, over $7,000 worth of yard signs for her campaign had been stolen as of October 27, 2014. Grijalva captured video of one her signs being stolen and posted it to YouTube on October 27, 2014.[8]
Campaign finance reports for activity through September 15, 2014, were available when the sign stealing was accused. As of those reports, Grijalva had two expenditures explicitly for signs. One to The Gloo Factory on August 30, 2014, which was for the amount of $2,224.94 with a description of "INVOICE #0935, YARD SIGNS, h FRAMES, BUTTONS, BANNER." The other expenditure was to The Home Depot on the same day for $148.22, which was described as "SIGN SUPPLIES".[9] She had made an earlier expenditure to The Gloo Factory on March 17, 2014, for $108.60, which was described as "PALPAL PAYMENT." Therefore, as of September 15, 2014, Grijalva had maximally spent $2,481.76 on yard signs.[10]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Pima County Board of Supervisors District 3 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 7, 2024
- ↑ Pima County School Superintendent's Office, "Official list of 2014 governing board candidates," accessed August 18, 2014
- ↑ Pima County Elections Department, "Welcome to Campaign Finance Web," accessed October 28, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Pima County School Superintendent, "GOVERNING BOARD CANDIDATE STATEMENT TUCSON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1: MIGUEL CUEVAS," accessed September 30, 2014
- ↑ Blog for Arizona, "5 of 7 Democratic TUSD board candidates to speak at DGT," September 13, 2014
- ↑ Pima County School Superintendent, "Voter Information Pamphlet: Tucson Unified School District No. 1 of Pima County, Arizona, Special Election, November 4, 2014," accessed October 29, 2014
- ↑ Tucson Weekly, "Who Is This Grijalva Campaign Sign Thief?" October 27, 2014
- ↑ Pima County Political Committee Campaign Finance Report, "Adelita Grijalva for TUSD: Post-Primary Report," September 25, 2014
- ↑ Pima County Political Committee Campaign Finance Report, "Adelita Grijalva for TUSD: June 30 Report," June 30, 2014
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