The El Paso Times is here to provide all you need to know about the general election leading up to Election Day on Nov. 8, when you can cast your ballot.
We sent questionnaires to candidates in contested races. Click the names for the complete questionnaires.
What's on my ballot?
- El Paso District Attorney:
- James Montoya (D)
- Bill Hicks (R)
- El Paso County Sheriff:
- Oscar Ugarte (D
- Minerva Torres-Shelton (R)
- El Paso Mayor:
- Renard Johnson
- Cassandra Hernandez
- Brian Kennedy
- Marco Contreras
- Steven Winters
- Jacob Chavira
- Roberto Houle
- Ben Mendoza
- Elizabeth Cordova
- Isabel Salcido
- El Paso County Commissioner, Precinct 1:
- Jackie Arroyo Butler (D)
- Claudia Rodriguez (R)
- Ryan Woodcraft (L)
- El Paso City Council, District 1:
- Alejandra Chavez
- Monica Reyes
- Sam Armijo
- Tom Handy
- El Paso City Council, District 2:
- Josh Acevedo (incumbent)
- Isabel Ceballos Otten
- El Paso City Council, District 3:
- Kenneth Bell Jesus Romero
- Fabiola Arellano
- Deanna Maldonado-Rocha
- Jose Rodriguez
- El Paso City Council, District 4:
- Joe Molinar (incumbent)
- Wesley Lawrence
- Dorothy Byrd
- Cynthia Trejo
- El Paso City Council, District 5:
- Ivan Niño
- Amanda Cunningham
- Felix Munoz
- Sean Orr
- Tamara Davis
- El Paso City Council, District 7:
- Lily Limón
- Fabiola Campos-Lopez
- Alan Serna
- Chris Hernandez
- U.S. House of Representatives:
- U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D)
- Irene Armendariz-Jackson (R)
- Texas State Senate:
- State Sen. Cesar Blanco (D)
- Texas State House of Representatives:
- State Reps. Joe Moody, Claudia Ordaz and Mary Gonzalez (D), unopposed; Vince Perez (D) will replace outgoing state Rep. Lina Ortega (D) after winning a May runoff
5 propositions on the ballot
The five bond propositions on the Nov. 5 ballot.
- Proposition A: Parks and recreation - $95.6 million to improve, expand and upgrade county parks. Prop A would increase county taxes on the average-value home of about $200,000 by nearly $18 a year.
- Proposition B: Medical examiner - $26.7 million to build, reconstruct or expand the county’s Office of the Medical Examiner in a yet-to-be determined location. Prop B would increase county taxes on the average-value home of about $200,000 by nearly $5 a year.
- Proposition C: Courthouse and annexes - $63.3 million. Prop C would increase county taxes on the average-value home of about $200,000 by nearly $12 a year.
- Proposition D: County Coliseum renovation - $105.5 million in improvements to the coliseum and its adjacent buildings. Prop D would raise county taxes on the average-value home of about $200,000 by about $20 a year. The projects would include renovating seating, improve ADA accessibility, new air-conditioning system, new roofing; renovating the Sherman Barn into an event and music venue; reconstruct roller rink into open air pavilion; improve parking lot, pedestrian connectivity, lighting and more.
- Proposition E:County Animal Shelter - $32.7 million to build a facility adjacent to the jail annex on Montana Avenue on the Far Eastside. Prop E would raise county taxes on the average-value home of about $200,000 by just over $6 a year. The county’s first animal shelter will provide shelter services, low- to no-cost vaccinations, and spay and neuter services. The shelter would also offer animal training programs for inmates at the jail. It would tentatively open in 2030.
Click here to learn more about the five propositions. Source: El Paso Matters
Early voting locations:El Paso County residents can vote early in person at these locations starting Oct. 21
Click the names below for complete questionnaires.
Early voting locations in El Paso
Any registered voter may vote at any location. For more information, visit epcountyvotes.com or call (915) 546-2154.
- Agua Dulce Community Center, 15371 Kentwood Ave.
- Arlington Park Shelter, 10350 Pasadena Circle
- Bassett Place, 6101 Gateway Blvd.
- Bowling Family YMCA, 5509 Will Ruth Ave.
- Canutillo Nutrition Center, 7351 Bosque Road
- Chayo Apodaca Community Center, 341 N. Moon Road
- City of San Elizario Municipal Court, 12004 Socorro Road
- Clint ISD Annex Building, 125 Brown St.
- Commissioner's Corner, 10700 Montana Ave.
- Dorris Van Doren Library, 551 Redd Road
- EPCC Administrative Services Center, 9050 Viscount Blvd.
- El Paso County Eastside Annex, 2350 George Dieter Drive
- El Paso County Northwest Annex, 435 E. Vinton Road
- Enrique Moreno County Courthouse, 500 E. San Antonio Ave.
- Esperanza Acosta Moreno Library, 12480 Pebble Hills Blvd.
- Fabens Community Center, 201 NE Camp St.
- Gary del Palacio Recreation Center, 3001 Parkwood St.
- Gonzalez Place, 4101 Rich Beem Blvd.
- Hilos de Plata Senior Center, 4451 Delta Drive
- Marty Robbins Recreation Center, 11620 Vista Del Sol Drive
- Mountain View-Rae Gilmore Recreation Center, 8501 Diana Drive
- Nations Tobin Sports Center, 8831 Railroad Drive
- Officer David Ortiz Recreation Center, 563 N. Carolina Drive
- Oz Glaze Senior Center, 13969 Veny Webb St.
- Pebble Hills High School, 14400 Pebble Hills Blvd.
- SISD District Service Center, 12440 Rojas Drive
- South El Paso Senior Center, 600 S. Ochoa St.
- The Shoppes at Solana, 750 Sunland Park Drive
- UTEP-Union Building East, 351 W. University Ave.
- W.E. Neill Community Center, 19210 Cobb Ave.
- Wellington Chew Senior Center, 4430 Maxwell Ave.
- YWCA - West, 313 Bartlett Drive
- Ysleta Community Learning Center, 121 Padres Drive
Click herefor El Paso early voting locations, maps and directions.
El Paso DA:Bill Hicks and James Montoya
What are your top three priorities?
Montoya:Fully staff the DA’s Office – no other initiatives are realistically possible until this condition is met. Ensure that the Walmart case is responsibly prosecuted. Establish office guidelines ensuring that crimes that directly impact public safety – crimes of violence, crimes involving weapons, domestic abuse, crimes against children, repeat DWIs – are prioritized for prosecution and receive the attention they deserve.
Hicks:To get the Walmart Case to trial. I believe that our community will truly begin to heal once we all see and hear the evidence in the case; once we all know what really happened before, during and after the shooting; once all of the questions have been answered. I do not think that a plea will satisfy those questions. I do not think that a plea will allow those that have been hurt by this event to feel that they had “their day in court.” There are those that complain about the cost, but what cost could ever by equated to the human cost that has been extracted from our community for the lives lost and lives impacted? Our County Commissioners have just signed on to be responsible for the deck development over I-10. I do not believe that the cost of prosecuting the person that came to our community to hunt and kill people simply because of their ethnic identity should be any less important than the cost of a deck over I-10. I say, let the community have their voice!
To see the personnel issues through to stability. As discussed above under short-term and long-term challenges, I believe that we are close to solving many of our staffing issues, but will face many long-term challenges. Nevertheless, we can achieve a stability that I look forward to seeing in place in the near future.
I am looking forward to re-establishing the Domestic Violence Unit. Through my leadership and direction, and through two different grants, at the start of the new fiscal year, I will have the funding to start a new Domestic Violence Unit from scratch. I am looking forward to restarting many of the programs that won Jaime Esparza national acclaim, but also looking forward to putting my own direction and emphasis on the program.
I have a long list of “Project 2025” programs that I am looking forward to putting in place. The past two years have been so much about “putting out fires” and just trying to reestablish order and proper protocols. It is truly amazing how two years of the Rosales Administration derailed so many accountability measures and administrative checks that needed to be reimplemented and in some cases, completely recreated. In the process, we have taken the liberty of trying our best to improve on the old design to refresh and modernize the DA’s office as we have been rebuilding, but we are finally getting to the point where we can start looking outward and not just at the issues internally. I am looking forward to the many possibilities of how to make our community a stronger and safer place.
El Paso County sheriff:Oscar Ugarte and Minerva Torres-Shelton
What do you see as the most pressing crime concern in El Paso County? How would you handle it as sheriff?
Ugarte: In my conversation with voters while out block-walking the most pressing concerns are youth gun violence and drunk driving. As Sheriff, I intend to increase the department’s presence in unincorporated areas that are not serviced by municipal law enforcement agencies, where most of these shootings are taking place. Desert areas like Red Sands pose a challenge due to the lack of roadway infrastructure for emergency vehicles, but that does not take away from the responsibility of law enforcement to respond to criminal activity. Mobile Command Posts are strategies worth investing in to increase law enforcement visibility in large group gatherings, where it is currently inexistent, provoking the level of crime recently seen.
I am committed to working with regional law enforcement agencies to combat these challenges together and believe that a Sheriff’s office more heavily involved with our youth and out in the community will serve as a deterrent for a lot of these crimes taking place within our region.
Torres Shelton: Drug and human trafficking has impacted our community for far too long, and it is now also affecting our children. They are lured into a life of crime or, worse yet, killing them through overdoses. I am the only candidate with experience in large-scale and transnational criminal investigations. I will bring my experience and relationships with other agencies to the office to ensure that we become a safer community and that our youth do not get involved in crimes that will destroy their futures.
El Paso Election Day 2024 guide:What you should know before you vote
El Paso mayor:Renard Johnson, Cassandra Hernandez, Brian Kennedy, Marco Contreras, Steven Winters, Jacob Chavira, Roberto Houle
What are your top three priorities?
Johnson:Economic development, lowering of property taxes, and increased quality of life.
Hernandez:
a. Affordable Housing: I will prioritize increasing the availability of affordable housing options, which will have a direct positive impact on crime statistics. By ensuring that all El Pasoans have access to safe and affordable places to live, we can reduce homelessness and instability, leading to lower crime rates and less reliance on police department responses to crime. This includes updating the housing plan, establishing a Housing Trust, and redirecting resources to support affordable housing initiatives.
b. Transportation and Infrastructure: Improving transportation and infrastructure is crucial for the growth of our city. I will focus on investments in public transit, roads, and pedestrian pathways to enhance connectivity and accessibility for all residents. This includes advocating for better maintenance of existing infrastructure and exploring innovative solutions to transportation challenges.
c. Economic Development and Job Creation: I am committed to fostering a thriving economy that creates quality jobs for our residents. I will focus on attracting high-tech, logistics, advanced manufacturing, and aerospace industries to El Paso. Additionally, I will work to expand workforce development programs to ensure our community has the skills needed for emerging job opportunities.
Kennedy:Property taxes, streets, economic development.
Winters:Property Tax reform. Repair streets. Stop crazy spending with City Hall. Raise the minimum wage in El Paso. Do exactly what the people want done. Be transparent to the people of our city. Build citizens groups to understand what the city really wants. Common sense approach!
Salcido:My top three priorities reflect what I believe are the most pressing needs for our community:
- Community Engagement and Transparency: I am committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every resident has a voice. By increasing community engagement and ensuring transparency in decision-making processes, I aim to build trust and collaboration between city leadership and our citizens. This approach not only empowers residents but also creates a stronger, more unified community.
- Economic Growth and Tax Reform: I believe that a thriving economy is the backbone of a healthy community. My focus is on promoting sustainable economic growth by supporting local businesses and attracting new investment. Additionally, I will advocate for tax reforms that relieve financial burdens on families and small businesses, ensuring that our community has the resources it needs to flourish.
- Public Safety and Traffic Mitigation: The safety of our residents is paramount. I am dedicated to enhancing public safety measures and addressing street traffic issues in our neighborhoods. This includes advocating for better infrastructure, improved public transportation options, and increased resources for our police and emergency services, ensuring that all El Pasoans feel secure in their community.
By prioritizing these key areas, I aim to create a brighter future for our city, one that reflects the needs and aspirations of all its residents. Together, we can work towards building a stronger, more resilient El Paso.
Ben Mendoza and Elizabeth Cordova did not respond to the Times request for answers to the questionnaires.
El Paso County Commissioner, Precinct 1:Jackie Arroyo Butler, Claudia Rodriguez and Ryan Woodcraft
What do you feel are the largest challenges facing your precinct? What would you do to address those challenges?
Arroyo Butler:The Far East Side is one the fastest growing areas within El Paso County and will continue to see an increase in population for the foreseeable future. Keeping pace with growth and managing it effectively is one of the largest challenges the County currently faces. Unmanaged growth directly affects all County residents through increased traffic, growing school populations, increased strain on public utility systems, and more users of public and governmental resources, including public safety, our first responders and Sheriff’s Office.
As far East El Paso continues to experience rapid development, the County must transition from a historically rural to suburban County and develop a comprehensive needs assessment for high growth areas. Strategic planning based on internal capacity and land use policy, working in partnership with the development community, is crucial to accommodating current and future growth and ensuring sustainability into the future. In addition to basic infrastructure, consideration must also be given to expanding critical services, such as those provided by the Sheriff’s Office, Community Services, and Public Works, to meet the evolving needs of the community. Finding adequate funding for any of this is the greatest challenge of all.
Rodriguez:High property taxes, traffic and infrastructure problems.
Woodcraft:The issue I hear most often is that people are extremely upset by the level of their property taxes and the amount of debt both the City and the El Paso County are issuing. El Pasoans are sick and tired of being taxed out of their prosperity. I want to lower property taxes, balance the County Budget, and put an end to Non-Voter approved debt. Since when did lowering taxes become a radical idea instead of the rationale one?
The next issue is the rise in Juvenile Delinquency in our community. We are still one of the safest communities in the nation, but we’re not as safe as we once were. By fostering and improving relationships through community policing and partnerships, we can help build positive interactions while decreasing negative encounters between our Law Enforcement entities and our community members. By involving parents, coaches, after school programs and partnering with existing programs, we can help fill the void that enables juveniles to roam the streets instead of rising to the occasion and overcoming challenges.
El Paso City Council, District 1:Alejandra Chavez, Monica Reyes, Sam Armijo and Tom Handy
What are your top three priorities?
Chavez:
- Tackling Property Taxes and Economic Development:I will work to ease the burden of high property taxes by driving economic development and attracting more businesses to El Paso. By expanding our commercial tax base, we can reduce the tax responsibility on homeowners and create better-paying jobs for our residents.
- Public Safety:Ensuring the safety of our neighborhoods is crucial. I’m committed to supporting our law enforcement officers and focusing on reducing response times while ensuring proactive patrols to keep our communities safe.
- Infrastructure and Traffic Flow:Improving roads, traffic flow, and infrastructure is vital to enhancing the quality of life in District 1. Projects like the Resler Connect and road improvements in areas like Country Club and Frontera are priorities that need to move forward efficiently for the safety and accessibility of our neighborhoods.
Reyes:Holding the Line on Property Taxes: As a homeowner, I understand how rising property taxes affect families. My focus is on ensuring fiscal responsibility in the city’s budget—making sure we prioritize essential services like public safety and infrastructure while eliminating waste. Through smart budgeting, we can keep property taxes fair without cutting the services that residents depend on.
Infrastructure Improvements: A modern, well-maintained infrastructure is key to El Paso’s growth. My priority is to repair and maintain our roads and improve public transportation, which will reduce traffic congestion, improve mobility, and make El Paso more attractive to businesses. By focusing on infrastructure, we support local commerce, create jobs, and enhance our city’s quality of life.
Transparent Governance: I believe in an open and accountable government. I will ensure regular communication with the public through town halls and accessible updates, giving residents a clear view of how decisions are made and how their tax dollars are spent. Transparent governance builds trust and provides a stable environment for businesses and residents alike.
These priorities—fiscal responsibility, infrastructure improvements, and transparent governance—will ensure El Paso’s growth is responsible, sustainable, and beneficial for both residents and local businesses.
Armijo:
- Cutting property taxes
- Increasing public safety by increasing the number of police officers to at least 1300.
- Paving (not patching) our streets.
Handy:My three priorities are lower the taxes, ensure the roads are fixed, and hold people accountable in government jobs (City Hall).
El Paso City Council, District 2:Josh Acevedo (incumbent), unopposed
What are your top three priorities?
Acevedo:
Repair City Services
311 has not worked for our community. I voted to prioritize reconstructing this broken service to help us address our neighborhood issues. We are bringing our police chief and staff throughout District 2 to address public safety issues and enacting a new plan to attract and hire more police officers. A vast majority of our streets are old, in really bad condition, and we only have $7 million per year to fix our streets. We need to reimagine our budget to bring more funding toward our streets and sidewalks. With a new city manager in place, I am working to create structure for animal services to address the many strays throughout District 2. This is in addition to an extra $2 million we added to this department to help hire more staff and address our overcrowded shelters.
Transparency & Accountability
The city manager process was not a smooth process and I did everything I could to increase the community’s voice in the tainted process. I tried to delay the process, but the council tied and the mayor broke the tie against moving the process to the new council next year. The community’s favorite candidate was Dionne Mack and I used this input to cast my vote to hire her as our next city manager. I worked hard to make sure we put a good contract in place for the taxpayer.
Economic Development & Quality of Life
I am working hard to develop a plan to address the shortage of grocery stores throughout District 2 and hope we will bring more options to access food in our district in the near future. We are working to build plans throughout District 2 to fix crumbling buildings and vacant lots and transform them into places we can gather.
Ceballos Otten:Public Safety, Streets, Affordability
El Paso City Council, District 3:Kenneth Bell, Jesus Romero, Fabiola Arellano, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, Jose Rodriguez
What are your top three priorities?
Bell:Public Safety, Improving City Services, Economy / Jobs
Arellano:Because I work at the District Attorney’s Office, I see the crimes committed in our neighborhoods. Therefore, Community Safety is a priority. Requesting audits of all departments, to ensure no further misuse of taxpayer money is a priority. Working to obtain grants from the Texas Dept. of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation to help with needed street repairs, maintenance and infrastructure is a priority.
Maldonado-Rocha:
- Infrastructure - to maintain a fund to repair streets
- Public Safety - to partner with EPPD and EPFD to ensure they have the necessary resources to build retention
Jesus Romero and Jose Rodriguez did not respond to the Times questionnaire.
El Paso City Council, District 4:Joe Molinar (incumbent), Wesley Lawrence, Dorothy Byrd and Cynthia Trejo
What are your top three priorities?
Molinar:
- Public Safety– Defending our El Paso Police Department (EPPD) budget.
- Fiscal Responsibility– Defending your tax dollars
- Protecting Private Property Owners’ Rights– Your fundamental rights as an American citizen.
My priority in Public Safety also includes reducing response times for the El Paso Police Department, recruitment and retention of personnel, reduced wait times at the El Paso County Detention Facility (EPCDF) or booking, and the slow response mode of the EPPD Records Management System (RMS).I am the only District 4 candidate who has a background in law enforcement and has already been working on solving these issues.
Lawrence:
- Protecting our people, pets, and public safety: My goal is to explore innovative solutions to address the high attrition rates in our public safety sector. I also want to make El Paso a more accessible city for individuals with disabilities and ensure that we invest in critical infrastructure.
- Restoring faith in local government: I aim to reconnect our community with their local government by establishing a satellite office/resource center funded by my own salary, increasing public meetings and access to our office, and donating 20% of my salary to support local initiatives. I will actively engage with community stakeholders before major votes and carefully consider the impact on taxpayers and renters.
- Improving Animal Services: I will advocate for responsibly expanding our shelter system and partnering with state and federal agencies to bring more low-cost services, such as spaying/neutering and vaccines, to those in need. Additionally, I will push to restore a true no-kill shelter while addressing the stray population.
Byrd:
- My primary focus includes a balance budget with reachable goals because our City have been paying out a lot of money. So therefore we need to have a detailed look as to why because of contracts and lawsuits. With this money going toward needed services to the community there will be less cuts of services. While using as many grants and resources as possible.
- Safety. On our streets and roads for lighting, potholes and striping. To include traffic control, speeding and crime.
- Infrastructure - Businesses, Housing and Parks. A strong job market is essential for economic growth because jobs attract residents, boost purchasing power for new and existing businesses. Because of this, it is not just property taxes that we should be focused solely on.
Trejo:Strong Leadership to Drive Economic Growth, Community-Driven Solutions and Public Safety.
El Paso City Council, District 5:Ivan Nino, Amanda Cunningham, Felix Munoz and Sean Orr
Nino:Affordability: We need a community we can afford to live in. Public safety: Prioritizing the safety of our neighborhoods and ensuring a secure community for all.Safe streets: Improving traffic flow and infrastructure to make our daily commutes safer and more efficient.
Cunningham:Lowering Property Taxes, Eliminate adverse effects of property taxes. Advocate to ensure property owners and families do not lose their home. Renters have affordable housing options. Stop Wasteful Spending and Increase Budget though Federal and Private Grants
Quality Infrastructure, improve clean communities, reducing dumping, littering and improve waste management and city aesthetics - Improve District Infrastructure (Traffic, weeds, dumping),
Increase Quality of Life ( economic development, families first, affordable housing)
For district 5 top priorities will be lowering property taxes, improving traffic and infrastructure, stopping dumping specifically working with the county for the unincorporated areas within our district that has excessive dumping. Improving waste management services and working with the local police to improve community policing relations. Federal grants would help address and resolve these issues while lowering the property taxes to improve the quality of life for our residents.
Munoz:1. Vote against tax increase, vote against certificates of obligation without voter approval. 2. Fix our streets and sidewalks in our district. Remove overgrown weeds and trash such as old couches, tires, being dumped in our incorporated areas in our district. 3. Street safety procedures for our students, more traffic lights and stop signs, I do believe our district has grown a lot and more things need to be done to keep everyone safe.
Orr:My top 3 priorities are lowering property taxes, reducing crime, and supporting small businesses.
Tamara Davis did not respond to the Times questionnaire.
El Paso City Council, District 7:Lily Limon, Fabiola Campos-Lopez and Alan Serna
What are your top three priorities?
Limón:Tax relief. Better Streets. Enhanced Public Safety.
Campos-Lopez:My top three priorities are ensuring safety, improving street infrastructure and city services, and implementing meaningful policy changes.
Serna:
- Lowering taxes, I have plenty of ways to lower taxes and make up the revenue streams that are lost. As insane as it sounds, I would like to lower every retired person 62 and over who makes less than $40,000 dollars a year by 25%. I would make up the difference with a 1.75% tax on cigarette and alcohol sales. I figure people who smoke and drink end up eventually at UMC with cirrhosis of the liver and cancer. After they fail to pay, who picks up the tab? The taxpayers, the very one’s that can barely get by.
- I want to increase the basics by finding extra state and federal resources to produce more asphalt overlays, speed humps and street lights. I plan on taking on a grant writer to be an executive secretary. Together we will work on getting those funds approved and allocated. I have walked and knocked on 3300 doors as of this week. I have first hand experience and knowledge of the needs that exist south, and north of the district. The roads north of the freeway are quite frankly, in neglect. I have pictures of sidewalks that have caved in and had huge cracks running through them.
- I want to use reclaimed water to more trees in medians, parking lots, parks and neighborhoods. I want to do this in an effort to tame the devastating heat waves that will become commonplace and irreversible in the future, if we do nothing to address it. I also want to enforce a commercial curb appeal ordinance that promotes clean, well watered landscapes free of trash and dead vegetation.
Hernandez:My top three priorities are public safety, ensuring efficient and responsible use of taxpayer dollars, and revitalizing District 7 with infrastructure improvements that benefit all residents.
