Election
BY ANGELA BONILLA
Voter Guide
2026
Dates to know
Where to vote
April 20: First day of early voting. Last day to apply for ballot by mail (received, not postmarked) April 28: Last day of early voting May 2: Election day and the last day to receive ballot by mail (or May 4 if carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. at location of election on Election Day)
In both Harris and Montgomery counties, voters can cast their ballot at any polling location during early voting. However, on election day, Montgomery County voters must vote at their designated voting precincts while Harris County voters can cast their ballot at any polling location. Visit www.harrisvotes.com or https://elections.mctx.org for polling locations.
Only candidates in contested elections are included. Go to county election websites for information on uncontested races.
KEY: *Incumbent
What will be your top priorities if you are elected?
City of Shenandoah mayor
Why are you running for o ce?
I am running for re-election to continue helping the city in moving forward as we grow in population and economic stability. I want to ensure that Shenandoah continues to provide the best in public safety to our residents, our commercial partners and all those who visit and conduct business here.
My top priority is public safety. This past year we took action to ensure that our police department is able to compete with other police agency’s pay scales. As we were losing o cers to other departments due to higher salaries, retention and recruitment a ected our department. We were able to…
John Escoto* Occupation & experience: retired U.S. Department of Homeland Security supervisory special agent www.jescotoforshenandoah.com
Shenandoah faces two inseparable challenges: nancial sustainability and a broken policing model. Police costs are rising twice as fast as revenue, creating a structural gap no tax increase can x. Regional competition has forced a pay race we cannot win. I have a plan to address both. Leadership demands responsibility.
My top priority is changing the structure of policing in Shenandoah while protecting public safety. Creating Sheri ’s District No. 7 with the Montgomery County Sheri ’s O ce delivers $2 million in annual savings, balances the budget, stabilizes long-term nances, and maintains local control while preserving dedicated local coverage and neighborhood presence.
Ron Raymaker Occupation & experience: 10 years city council, Shenandoah budget expert, IT PM [project manager] AI analytics/data science www.raymakerforshenandoah.com
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity. For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.
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