Meet the candidate: Minerva Torres Shelton, El Paso county judge
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired from public service in the U.S. Army, El Paso Police Department, and FBI.
Please describe your personal and professional background.
I am a first-generation college graduate, U.S. Army veteran, former El Paso police officer, and retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with nearly three decades of public service.
I began my career as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence Sergeant, followed by five years as an El Paso police officer. I then spent 21 years with the FBI, serving in Sacramento, Seattle, El Paso, and at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. My work included juvenile human trafficking, counterterrorism, fraud, criminal investigations, and fugitive operations. I also served as a trained crisis negotiator.
At FBI Headquarters,
I served as a Task Force Coordinator and supervisor, managing large-scale operations and substantial budgets. I was selected to coordinate a multimillion-dollar initiative involving 56 FBI field offices, 85 task forces, and international partners, with responsibility for resources, expenditures, performance, and accountability.Throughout my career, I have worked alongside local, state, federal, and international partners, as well as community organizations. I have also had the privilege of serving on several local boards, including the El Paso Central Appraisal Review Board, the Junior League of El Paso, and currently, the Boys & Girls Clubs of El Paso.
Describe your political identity.
I consider myself a moderate Republican. I believe in limited, accountable government, fiscal responsibility, public safety, individual responsibility, and ensuring the government remains directly accountable to the people it serves.
At the local level, those principles mean focusing government on its core responsibilities and making sure taxpayers receive value for every dollar they contribute. We currently have a bloated county budget that continues to grow every year, while residents still struggle with basic needs such as roads, infrastructure, and essential services.
As County Judge, I will work with Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and anyone willing to put the interests of El Paso County first. Local government should be about solving problems and delivering results, not partisan politics.
Questions related to El Paso county judge race
Why are you running for office and why do you feel you are the better qualified candidate?
I am running for El Paso County Judge because our county needs stronger accountability, fiscal discipline, transparency, and a renewed focus on the basic responsibilities of county government. Taxpayer dollars should be managed responsibly, with essential services, public safety, infrastructure, and emergency preparedness coming first.
My nearly three decades of public service, in the U.S. Army, El Paso police officer, and FBI Supervisory Special Agent, prepared me to lead people, manage complex operations and budgets, and be accountable for results.
At FBI Headquarters, I coordinated a multimillion-dollar initiative involving 56 FBI field offices, 85 task forces, and international partners, with responsibility for resources, expenditures, and performance.
I believe El Paso County can do better. I bring leadership, fiscal oversight, public safety and crisis-management experience to this office. Most importantly, I understand that public officials are entrusted with the people’s money and the people’s confidence. I intend to protect both.
What are your three top priorities if elected to the County Commissioner’s court?
Fiscal Responsibility and Taxpayer Accountability
I will direct a line-by-line review of the county budget, eliminate unnecessary spending, and prioritize essential services.
I will also limit Certificates of Obligation to genuine needs and emergencies and bring greater scrutiny to major expenditures and taxpayer-funded incentives.
Public Safety, Infrastructure and Emergency Preparedness
County government must get the basics right: public safety, roads, infrastructure, and essential services. I will use my military and law enforcement experience, including emergency-response and crisis-management training, to identify weaknesses and strengthen our county's preparedness before a crisis occurs.
Transparent, Accountable Government and Responsible Growth
Residents deserve to know how decisions are made and where their tax dollars are going. I will increase transparency around spending, contracts, major projects, and economic-development incentives while supporting responsible growth that protects taxpayers and serves El Paso County's long-term interests.
What steps will you take if elected to guarantee transparency in the priorities and discussions of the County Commissioner’s court?
Transparency means more than posting an agenda online. It means making sure residents understand what their government is considering, why it matters, and how they can participate before decisions are made.
I currently produce short videos informing the community about important issues coming before Commissioners Court, and I will continue doing that as County Judge. I will use regular video messages and public updates to explain upcoming issues in clear, easy-to-understand language, including how proposals may affect taxpayers and county services and when residents have an opportunity to make their voices heard.
What are your top priorities in terms of development projects in El Paso County and what steps will you take to guarantee public participation in the decisions?
My development priorities will focus on projects that directly benefit El Paso County residents, including roads, drainage, flood control, and infrastructure that supports responsible growth.
For major projects, taxpayers deserve to know what is being proposed, what public resources or incentives are involved, and what benefits are promised before decisions are made.
Public participation should happen early. I will use town halls, community outreach, and informational videos to explain major proposals in plain language and give residents a meaningful opportunity to be heard.
Are there steps you will take to ease public concern with projects such as data centers? What types of oversight can the County Commissioner’s court provide in these cases?
I will do everything within the authority of the County Judge and Commissioners Court to oppose additional data centers. El Paso is a desert community with limited water resources, and these projects must be weighed against their water and energy demands, environmental impact, and limited number of permanent jobs.
I would oppose county tax incentives for additional data centers and push for comprehensive environmental and infrastructure impact analysis before county approval or support. Water and energy use, taxpayer costs, infrastructure demands, environmental impacts, and promised jobs should be fully disclosed.
Most importantly, the public will hear from me when a data center is being considered, not after a deal has been negotiated
Is addressing county infrastructure a priority for you? What steps can be taken to improve access to public services in rural areas?
Absolutely. Addressing county infrastructure is a priority. Rural communities deserve safe roads, adequate drainage and flood protection, and reasonable access to essential county services.
I will meet regularly with elected officials and community leaders throughout our rural areas to identify needs and coordinate solutions. I will also pursue partnerships with municipalities, state and federal agencies, and other entities to maximize available resources. Where residents live should not determine the quality of county services they receive.
El Paso County is losing population, how should that impact the size of county government?
If our population is declining, the county government should not automatically continue growing in size and cost. Government should grow only when there is a demonstrated need for additional services.
I would look at the county as a whole, its budget, departments, programs, administrative and structure to determine whether its size is justified by the population and services we actually need. The goal is not simply to cut government, but to make sure taxpayers are funding a government that is efficient and appropriately sized.
Learn more about Minerva Torres Shelton
Do you plan to continue in your current employment if elected?
If elected, serving as El Paso County Judge will be my full-time responsibility. I do not intend to maintain outside employment. The people of El Paso County deserve a County Judge who is fully engaged, accessible, and focused on the responsibilities of the office.
Please describe your education. Where did you get your high school diploma? What higher education degrees and certificates have you earned from where?
I graduated from Valley High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of New Mexico and a master’s degree in political science with a concentration in International Relations from American Military University.
My professional education includes specialized military and law enforcement training in the Incident Command System (ICS), National Incident Management System (NIMS), and crisis negotiations. I also completed the FBI’s two-week Crisis Negotiation Course and served for eight years as a crisis negotiator.
What experiences in leadership do you have that qualify you for this position?
My leadership experience spans nearly three decades of military, local law enforcement, and federal service, where I led people, managed complex operations, and was accountable for decisions, resources, and results.
During my FBI career, I served as a Task Force Coordinator and Supervisory Special Agent. At FBI Headquarters, I coordinated a multimillion-dollar initiative involving 56 field offices, 85 task forces, and international partners. My responsibilities included managing budgets and resources, monitoring expenditures and performance, and ensuring accountability across multiple jurisdictions.
I also served for eight years as a crisis negotiator, which taught me to listen, remain calm under pressure, bring people with different interests to the table, and work toward solutions.
To me, leadership means surrounding yourself with capable people, listening to different perspectives, making informed decisions, and being accountable for the results.
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a crime? Have you ever had a civil judgment against you? Have you ever been in arrears on local, state or federal taxes? If so, please provide an explanation.
I have never been arrested or charged with a crime, and I have never been in arrears on local, state, or federal taxes. I have never had a civil judgment entered against me. I do currently have a civil matter pending related to my official work with the FBI. I maintain that I did not violate the law or FBI policies in the performance of my duties. Because the matter is pending, I am limited in what I can discuss at this time.
If elected, would you have any potential conflicts of interest that you are aware of that would impair your ability to serve? Please explain what they are and how you would avoid the conflict.
No. I am not aware of any potential conflicts of interest that would impair my ability to serve as El Paso County Judge.
What does transparent government mean to you? Will you be personally accessible to answer questions while in office?
Transparent government means residents deserve to know how decisions are made, how their tax dollars are spent, and who is accountable. Information should be easy to access and explained in plain language, not buried in lengthy reports, complicated government documents or jargon.
As County Judge, I will provide regular public updates on major projects, spending, challenges, and progress. Residents should hear from their County Judge throughout the year, not just during a controversy or election.
I will also be personally accessible through town halls, community meetings, and direct communication with residents, businesses, county employees, and the media. The county government belongs to the people, and El Pasoans deserve clear answers and responsive government.
The candidates' responses are being published largely as they were submitted.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Meet the Candidate: Minerva Torres Shelton seeks El Paso county judge seat
