Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

Trustee, Place 5 – Unexpired Term

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Copperas Cove ISD
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
James OrtizNonpartisan
Emily UrquidezNonpartisan
On ballot as
James Ortiz
Emily Urquidez
Current role
Retired teacher
Federal budget analyst, Fort Hood garrison
Background
  • Retired teacher, Copperas Cove ISD, 29 years (per Killeen Daily Herald)
  • Former Copperas Cove ISD employee, nearly four years
  • Former high school attendance secretary; then district truancy officer, two years
  • Moved to Copperas Cove in 2012 when her military family was relocated to Fort Hood (per Killeen Daily Herald)
Experience
Not found
  • Board of Directors, Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce
  • Former chair, Military Affairs Committee, Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce
  • Served on the citizens' bond advisory committee for the district's $165 million bond election
Top priorities
  • "You can't manage morale, you have to lead that, and it has to be led by example"
  • "The one thing you can never cut is special ed"
  • "I don't think anybody up high should get a raise until it starts from the bottom up"
  • "I want to look at data, I want to ask questions, and while I want to work as a team, I will also take it upon myself to find the data I'm looking for"
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: No public statement found
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: On district spending during a budget deficit: "I don't think anybody up high should get a raise until it starts from the bottom up"
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: No public statement found
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: No public statement found
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
None found in our research
Campaign website
Not found
Not found

James Ortiz

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
James Ortiz
Current role
Retired teacher
Background
  • Retired teacher, Copperas Cove ISD, 29 years (per Killeen Daily Herald)
Experience
Not found
Top priorities
  • "You can't manage morale, you have to lead that, and it has to be led by example"
  • "The one thing you can never cut is special ed"
  • "I don't think anybody up high should get a raise until it starts from the bottom up"
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: No public statement found
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: On district spending during a budget deficit: "I don't think anybody up high should get a raise until it starts from the bottom up"
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
Not found

Emily Urquidez

Nonpartisan
On ballot as
Emily Urquidez
Current role
Federal budget analyst, Fort Hood garrison
Background
  • Former Copperas Cove ISD employee, nearly four years
  • Former high school attendance secretary; then district truancy officer, two years
  • Moved to Copperas Cove in 2012 when her military family was relocated to Fort Hood (per Killeen Daily Herald)
Experience
  • Board of Directors, Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce
  • Former chair, Military Affairs Committee, Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce
  • Served on the citizens' bond advisory committee for the district's $165 million bond election
Top priorities
  • "I want to look at data, I want to ask questions, and while I want to work as a team, I will also take it upon myself to find the data I'm looking for"
Tidbits
  • Curriculum and instructional materials: No public statement found
  • Library books: No public statement found
  • School funding and bonds: No public statement found
  • Vouchers / school choice: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
Not found