The race for El Paso County judge will determine who leads county government and helps shape decisions on taxes, spending and public policy for the next four years.
The county judge serves as the presiding officer of Commissioners Court, which oversees county government operations and is responsible for adopting the county budget, setting the tax rate and establishing county policies. The office also plays a role in economic development efforts and has the authority to declare local emergencies.
El Paso voters will choose who will serve as county judge in the Nov. 3 General Election.
The county judge serves a four-year term and earns an annual salary of $152,725.
Who are the candidates for El Paso County judge?
Incumbent
Ricardo Samaniego is facing Republican challenger Minerva Torres Shelton for the seat.
Samaniego, 77, is seeking his third term as county judge. He has served in the position since 2019.
Samaniego worked in both the private and public sectors before taking public office. He has experience as a human resources consultant on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, a clinical therapist, and a professor at El Paso Community College.
Torres Shelton, 58, was born in Oxnard, California, but moved to Michoacan, Mexico, with her family when she was young. She and her family returned to the United States when she was 8 years old.
She is a U.S. Army veteran, a former El Paso police officer and a retired FBI supervisory special agent.
She previously ran for El Paso County sheriff in the 2024 election, losing to Oscar Ugarte.
What are the issues in 2026 midterms?
The 2026 election cycle has produced several high-profile incumbent defeats in El Paso County. In the March Democratic primary, Commissioners David Stout, Precinct 2, and Sergio Coronado, Precinct 4, both lost their reelection bids.
Some voters cited the Commissioners Court's decision to increase elected officials' salaries as a factor in their decision to replace Stout and Coronado with fellow Democrats.
Whether that sentiment will carry into the county judge's race remains unclear. Samaniego ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Samaniego has pointed to his experience in both the public and private sectors as a key asset. His reelection campaign highlights his leadership during the 2019 Walmart mass shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic and economic development efforts during his two terms in office.
If reelected, Samaniego said he plans to continue promoting El Paso as a destination for investment and attracting manufacturing and other industries to the Borderland, which he argues can help ease the property tax burden on residents.
"The solution is to take the tax (burden) from the people by bringing more and more companies to carry the bulk," Samaniego said. "There is not going to be a solution to lowering taxes that is greater than a vibrant community with businesses that are growing, and more and more people coming in, increasing wages."
He said he hopes to finish what he started when he was first elected county judge, including expanding health care and building a proper response to developments around the Bridge of the Americas by improving the Tornillo border crossing for commercial transit.
Torres Shelton is running on a platform emphasizing government accountability, fiscal transparency and looking to protect taxpayers' dollars. She has proposed focusing on essential services — such as public safety and infrastructure — and carrying out an audit of the county's budget.
"I want to look at the budget, line by line," Torres Shelton said. "I'm going to direct somebody to audit the budget. Do we have any duplications? Do we have unnecessary spending?"
Torres Shelton opposes projects such as the proposed Downtown I-10 Deck Plaza if they use taxpayer dollars, explaining that local government should not be in the entertainment business. She also wants to bring more attention to what the Commissioners Court is doing and how it impacts El Pasoans.
She added that she will look to cut the county judge's pay if elected.
"I will present a resolution to cut the judge's salary," she said. "I'm a firm believer that leaders should behave and act above everyone else."
Meet El Paso County judge candidates
To help voters learn more about the candidates on the ballot, the El Paso Times asked those seeking office to answer a standard set of questions about their backgrounds, priorities and views on issues impacting the community.
All candidates were invited to complete an election questionnaire to introduce themselves and their platforms, and to address important issues impacting El Pasoans.
Editor's note: Samaniego did not return a completed questionnaire to the El Paso Times.
- Ricardo Samaniego, Democrat
- Minerva Torres Shelton, Republican
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso County judge race puts taxes, spending policy at stake
