Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

Board of Trustees, Place 7

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Leander ISD
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Jason EmbryNonpartisan
Paul GauthierNonpartisan Incumbent
On ballot as
Jason Embry
Paul Gauthier
Current role
Co-founder, New West Communications, a strategic communications firm (per campaign)
Leander ISD Board of Trustees, Place 7
Background
  • Bachelor's degree, Southwestern University (1998)
  • Former journalist and Capitol reporter, Austin American-Statesman (per campaign)
  • Communications director for then-House Speaker Joe Straus (per campaign)
  • Cedar Park or Leander resident since 2010 (per campaign)
  • Twin sons attend Leander High School (per campaign)
  • Four-year university graduate (per candidate)
  • Married more than 20 years; four children (per candidate)
Experience
  • Served on the steering committee, 2026 Leander ISD Citizens Facility Advisory Committee (per campaign)
  • Past vice president, Winkley Elementary and Running Brushy Middle School PTAs (per campaign)
  • Vice president, Leander Youth Basketball board (per campaign)
  • Elected to Place 7 (Nov. 8, 2022); defeated incumbent Elexis Grimes and Joseph Gorordo
  • Took office Dec. 1, 2022
Top priorities
  • "We must reverse the decline in our student enrollment so that we can maintain academic programs."
  • "We must also scrutinize the use of laptops and other devices to ensure that they support learning, rather than distracting from it."
  • "Parents must also have greater input in district decisions."
  • "I will explore creating programs at some existing campuses to increase choice within LISD."
  • "To Finally Clean up All the Waste."
  • Says the district's 500-student attendance threshold for starting school consolidation "must be changed immediately"
  • "Last fall when others were trying to close Schools in LISD. I was working to save them All." (candidate bio)
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: Community Impact Q&A: "We must also scrutinize the use of laptops and other devices to ensure that they support learning, rather than distracting from it."
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: Campaign site: "He'll work with legislators from both parties to secure more funding for LISD"
  • Vouchers / school choice: Candidate bio on the district's election page says he has been "on the front lines of advocating for additional school funding and opposing private-school vouchers"
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: No public statement found
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: Community Impact Q&A: "After 4 yrs on the Board we still have too much waste in LISD."
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • Williamson County Democratic Party
  • Trish Bode, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Nekosi Nelson, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Laura Marques, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Anna Smith, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
Show all 8
  • Sade Fashokun, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin (listed by campaign)
None found in our research
Campaign website
jasonembry.com
Not found

Jason Embry

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Jason Embry
Current role
Co-founder, New West Communications, a strategic communications firm (per campaign)
Background
  • Bachelor's degree, Southwestern University (1998)
  • Former journalist and Capitol reporter, Austin American-Statesman (per campaign)
  • Communications director for then-House Speaker Joe Straus (per campaign)
  • Cedar Park or Leander resident since 2010 (per campaign)
  • Twin sons attend Leander High School (per campaign)
Experience
  • Served on the steering committee, 2026 Leander ISD Citizens Facility Advisory Committee (per campaign)
  • Past vice president, Winkley Elementary and Running Brushy Middle School PTAs (per campaign)
  • Vice president, Leander Youth Basketball board (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "We must reverse the decline in our student enrollment so that we can maintain academic programs."
  • "We must also scrutinize the use of laptops and other devices to ensure that they support learning, rather than distracting from it."
  • "Parents must also have greater input in district decisions."
  • "I will explore creating programs at some existing campuses to increase choice within LISD."
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: Community Impact Q&A: "We must also scrutinize the use of laptops and other devices to ensure that they support learning, rather than distracting from it."
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: Campaign site: "He'll work with legislators from both parties to secure more funding for LISD"
  • Vouchers / school choice: Candidate bio on the district's election page says he has been "on the front lines of advocating for additional school funding and opposing private-school vouchers"
Endorsements
  • Williamson County Democratic Party
  • Trish Bode, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Nekosi Nelson, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Laura Marques, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Anna Smith, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
Show all 8
  • Sade Fashokun, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Leander ISD trustee (listed by campaign)
  • Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
jasonembry.com

Paul Gauthier

Nonpartisan Incumbent
On ballot as
Paul Gauthier
Current role
Leander ISD Board of Trustees, Place 7
Background
  • Four-year university graduate (per candidate)
  • Married more than 20 years; four children (per candidate)
Experience
  • Elected to Place 7 (Nov. 8, 2022); defeated incumbent Elexis Grimes and Joseph Gorordo
  • Took office Dec. 1, 2022
Top priorities
  • "To Finally Clean up All the Waste."
  • Says the district's 500-student attendance threshold for starting school consolidation "must be changed immediately"
  • "Last fall when others were trying to close Schools in LISD. I was working to save them All." (candidate bio)
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: No public statement found
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: Community Impact Q&A: "After 4 yrs on the Board we still have too much waste in LISD."
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
Not found

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