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El Paso school board seats up for grabs in key May 3 election [1]
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Date: 2025-02-02
School boards throughout El Paso County have multiple seats up for grabs in the May 3 election as districts face declining enrollment, budget deficits and school funding challenges.
The El Paso, Socorro, Ysleta and Anthony school boards each have four trustee seats up for election, while the San Elizario board has three. The El Paso Community College board also has three seats up for grabs in May.
Eligible candidates interested in running for a seat have until Feb. 14 to file for a spot on the ballot. Early voting starts April 22 and ends April 29. The last day to register to vote for the election is April 3.
The outcome of the elections could shift the power dynamic between two factions within the EPISD board that was created when it voted to close eight elementary schools — with the majority in favor of the closures and the minority against.
At SISD, the election will decide the future of the two board seats held by Pablo Barrera and Ricardo Castellano, who stopped attending meetings after being indicted on felony charges last summer.
read more 2 SISD trustees absent from duties for months following indictments Trustees Pablo Barrera and Ricardo “Richard” Castellano last attended a board meeting in June 2024 – a month after being arrested and indicted on charges related to their official roles.
The election could also lead to a leadership change at YISD, where several board members have served consecutive terms without facing any challengers. Three trustees – Carlos Bustillos, Cruz Ochoa and Kathryn Lucero – have served since 2017; while Shane Haggerty served from 2010 to 2017 and again since 2021. The four have filed for reelection.
Those who are elected will take office as school districts prepare their budgets for the coming school year. They will have a say in making major decisions, including selecting a new superintendent at SISD and calling for a potential bond election at EPISD.
Trustee elections are held in May or November, depending on the school district. The Clint, Canutillo and Fabens school board held their most recent elections in November.
Here is everything you need to know about being a school board member or college trustee:
What do school board members do?
School boards are responsible for overseeing their school district and often have the final say in the decision-making process.
They are in charge of hiring and evaluating a superintendent and setting goals, policies and priorities for the district to follow. Trustees can also call for bond elections to improve and build new facilities.
Every year the board must adopt a budget and set a tax rate. During the budget-making process, they often decide if employees will get raises and the types of health care coverage the district will offer.
See Also How are my property taxes calculated? 7 things to know about the complicated process Who determines my property taxes? When will I get my tax bill and when are taxes due? How will proposed bonds impact my taxes? We’ve got answers.
Many school districts also have policies that require their boards to approve large contracts, property sales and purchases.
The position is nonpartisan. Trustees serve four-year terms with no term limits.
How much are school board members paid?
School board members are not paid. Some districts reimburse trustees for travel and other expenses related to their duties.
Who can run for school board trustee?
To run for a school board seat, a candidate must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old and a registered voter in the district they want to represent.
Candidates are required to live in their district for six months and the state for 12 months before the filing deadline.
School employees cannot run for a seat on the board in the district where they work.
Citizens who have been convicted of a felony, or an offense related to solicitation of prostitution and those who have been determined mentally incompetent by a judge are ineligible to run for school board.
What school board seats are up for election May 3?
Trustees run to represent certain areas within their school districts unless they’re at-large seats. Voters can only cast ballots in their corresponding representative district within the school district in which they live. To find your school trustee district, visit the El Paso County Elections Department’s My Voter Dashboard.
Click on each school district name to see the trustee district boundaries.
Anthony ISD : Four at-large seats (to represent the entire district)
: El Paso ISD District 1: (Bowie, El Paso) District 3: (Austin) District 4: (Chapin, Irvin) District 5: (Andress)
San Elizario ISD : Three at-large seats (to represent the entire district)
: Socorro ISD : District 2: (Pebble Hills) District 3: (El Dorado) District 4: (Eastlake, Socorro) District 5: (Americas, Eastlake)
: Ysleta ISD : District 1 (Riverside) District 3: (Parkland) District 5 (Hanks) District 7 (Del Valle)
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How do I run for school board?
Candidates must file an application to appear on the ballot with the school district they wish to represent. Applications and information on where to submit it can be found on each district’s election website:
What do EPCC trustees do and who can run for office?
The EPCC board is responsible for establishing college policies, hiring, firing and evaluating the president, setting the tax rate and approving the budget. Trustees serve six-year terms and are not paid. The seats are nonpartisan.
The three seats up for election:
District 4 (Central/South)
District 5 (East)
District 6 (Southeast)
Applications are available at the EPCC President’s Office, 9050 Viscount Blvd., or online in English or Spanish. Find EPCC trustee district maps here.
Candidates must be at least 18 years old on their first day in office, must not have been convicted of a felony, and must be a resident of Texas for a year and a resident in their district for six months.
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