The candidates are set in this year’s two major political races in Henderson.
Mayor Michelle Romero will attempt to fend off four other challengers including a former city police chief in the Henderson mayoral race, while Councilwoman Carrie Cox will campaign against three candidates in her bid to keep her City Council seat.
Friday marked the end of the filing period for non-judicial candidates to officially enter their names to appear on the ballot for the June 9 primary.
In Henderson, a city with a population of over 324,000, Romero is seeking a second term. It’s the same for Cox, who represents Ward 3, which primarily encompasses northeastern and northern portions of the city.
According to state law, a candidate running for a nonpartisan office such as mayor or city council can win their election outright if they receive a simple majority of the votes cast in the primary.
Romero, for example, was elected in 2022 after receiving nearly 76 percent of the 57,152 votes cast in the primary and bypassed the November general election because of the overwhelming support she received.
Early voting for this year’s primary election will run from May 23 through June 5. If no candidate receives a majority share of the primary vote, the top two vote-getters will be placed on the ballot for the November general election, which this year is Nov. 3.
Here is a look at the candidates.
Mayor
Michelle Romero (incumbent)
An incumbent with a massive war chest, Romero is in a strong position to win a second term. Romero launched her re-election bid in April and her campaign ended 2025 having raised $726,950. That fundraising total dwarfs the $20,325 raised by challenger and former Henderson Police Department Chief Hollie Chadwick, the next-highest total for a Henderson mayoral candidate in 2025.
Campaign contribution and expense reports for the first quarter of 2026 aren’t due until April 15, according to the Nevada secretary of state’s office. Those filings will reveal whether other candidates have been able to catch Romero’s large fundraising lead.
At a mayoral forum in February, Romero touted the launch of Henderson’s charter school authority, which she said would expand schooling options for residents, as well as bolstered police recruiting and new developments, such as a state-of-the art youth sports complex expected to open in the fall.
If re-elected, Romero said, she would prioritize executing the city’s strategic plan, which could be difficult because the city is expected to see flat or declining revenues.
“Costs, just like they have for residents and individuals, have skyrocketed in some cases and are things that are completely outside of our control,” Romero said. “That is very difficult to be able to prioritize what needs to be funded, how to fund it, what can wait … you have to be able to make some very difficult decisions.”
In addition to endorsements from Councilmen Jim Seebock and Dan Stewart and Councilwoman Monica Larson, Romero also has the backing of Gov. Joe Lombardo and Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill. Those endorsements, Romero said, show that she is dedicated to public safety in Henderson.
“I mean, who better knows the importance of public safety than the current sheriff and the former sheriff who is now the governor of our state?” Romero said.
Hollie Chadwick
Chadwick’s firing last year as Henderson’s police chief sparked a wave of backlash among residents who felt city leaders weren’t being transparent about their reasons for firing Chadwick, who had served at the department for 22 years. City Manager Stephanie Garcia-Vause said Chadwick, an at-will employee, was fired because of incompatible leadership styles and a lack of confidence in Chadwick’s ability to improve the department’s culture.
In a phone call Thursday, Chadwick said she’s put the firing behind her and is focused on not only bringing in new police recruits but also retaining more veteran officers.
That starts by increasing support for police and other first responders, she said.
“It’s not just about pay but it’s how we outfit them with safety apparatus so that they can go out and do their job,” Chadwick said. “We want them to come to work every day and be a part of this city and not be struggling to make ends meet or to pay the bills. It’s tough when the entire (Las Vegas) Valley is competing for the same officers.”
If elected, Chadwick said she would push to move Henderson City Council meeting start times to 6 p.m., two hours later than the current 4 p.m. start time.
Chadwick has been endorsed by slew of local retired law enforcement and other first responders, as well as former state Sen. Ann O’Connell, according to Chadwick’s campaign Facebook page.
Adam Price
Henderson Democratic Club president Adam Price jumped into the nonpartisan mayor’s race late last year and told the Las Vegas Review-Journal previously his primary goal if elected would be to bring down housing costs by reigning in corporate landlords and increasing zoning for single-family homes.
Price in 2025 raised $5,516.88 in donations, according to his most recent campaign finance filing, but said Thursday support for his campaign has increased as he’s continued engaging with voters in recent weeks.
Price has said he hopes to be an alternative to Romero and Chadwick, who both said at last month’s mayoral forum at the Black Mountain Community Center that they’re registered Republicans. He also took a dig at others vying for mayor.
“Really, there are only three candidates in this race, as far as I’m concerned,” Price said, referring to himself, Romero and Chadwick. “I see things a little differently than they do. They’re both registered Republicans, and so my campaign is to rally the masses and really fight for the typical resident.”
Andrew “Your Boy Rue” Ramirez
A political newcomer, California transplant Andrew “Your Boy Rue” Ramirez said Wednesday he was urged by members of his church and others to run for Henderson mayor. And, yes, “Your Boy Rue” will accompany Ramirez’ name on the June primary ballot.
It’s a moniker Ramirez began using years ago on social media, he said, and it stuck especially after he appeared on the television game show “Wipeout.” Ramirez said he decided to include the distinct nickname to appear with him on the ballot so that voters can easily look him up.
Ramirez said he moved to Henderson from the Los Angeles area in 2023 due to California’s high cost of living relative to Nevada and stressed he wants to help maintain a low cost of living in the city.
“That’s part of the reason I had to move, the cost of living was getting to be too much,” Ramirez said. “I want to improve the community.”
Angeles Scorsetti
Another mayoral candidate, Angeles Scorsetti, who is an interior designer with more than 139,000 followers on her personal Instagram account, said in an email she was unavailable for an interview.
In a statement posted to her campaign Instagram on March 7, Scorsetti said her campaign is focused on supporting law enforcement, small businesses and upholding the quality of life that makes Henderson a “great place to live.”
“As our city continues to grow, Henderson deserves leadership that listens to residents, supports law enforcement, and promotes responsible economic development,” Scorsetti’s statement read.
Neither Scorsetti or Ramirez filed 2025 campaign contribution and expenditure reports, online records show.
City Council Ward 3
Carrie Cox (incumbent)
Cox is at the center of two pending legal matters — in one, she is charged criminally; in the other, she filed a lawsuit against a council colleague — but said on Thursday she has never been more focused on delivering positive results for her constituents.
The councilwoman was indicted in November on a count of monitoring or attempting to monitor a private conversation and is accused of hiding behind a curtain to record a conversation between Larson and local businessmen after an event at Henderson City Hall earlier in the year. Cox in that case pleaded not guilty and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
Cox also filed a lawsuit this month in District Court accusing Seebock of battery after she said he struck her in the arm multiple times before a March 2024 Henderson City Council meeting because she would not support his selection as mayor pro tem. Seebock has denied hitting Cox.
A Metropolitan Police Department report that led to Cox’s indictment mentioned other uncharged allegations and led to her being censured shortly after her indictment. Cox on Thursday said Romero and her allied council members, who each have endorsed one of Cox’s challengers, are trying to ruin her political career. For her part, Romero in a March 8 Facebook post said she and others on the council have been the target of “unsubstantiated, untrue, malicious and defamatory” rumors she said have been circulated by Cox.
Still, Cox has her supporters. Last year she raised $102,125.27, according to campaign finance records, and has a total war chest of $246,492.
“I have huge support, especially in Ward 3,” Cox said. “They know me. They know that I have worked diligently for them.”
Annette Dawson Owens
Annette Dawson Owens was the first to announce her intent to challenge Cox, and has earned endorsements from Romero, Seebock, Larson and Stewart. Dawson Owens’ campaign for Henderson City Council marks her second attempt at a public office, after losing her bid in 2024 for Assembly District 29 to current Assemblymember Joe Dalia.
Dawson Owens, who ran in that race as a Republican and received 47.8 percent of the vote in 2024, was appointed by Gov. Joe Lombardo last year to the Nevada State Board of Education. She said Friday she is a longtime education advocate who would like to help create more schooling opportunities if elected.
“Education is a huge concern,” Dawson Owens said. “Getting the kids in good schools, making sure that their kids are healthy and connected and have access to the health services they need — there is a lot of issues in that sphere.”
According to her annual campaign and expenditure report filed in January, Dawson Owens raised $100,510 in 2025 and her campaign fund ended the year with a balance of $70,399.81.
Dawson Owens said she’s been knocking on doors and meeting with voters to help spread the word about her campaign.
Jennifer Atlas
Similarly to Dawson Owens, Jennifer Atlas ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Nevada Legislature in 2024 and is now trying her hand at unseating Cox.
Atlas, a former professional ballroom dancer turned healthcare policy advocate, was the Democratic nominee who lost to Republican State Sen. Carrie Buck in 2024 by a little less than 5,500 votes, or about 7 percentage points. Now vying for the nonpartisan seat, Atlas said she would prioritize affordability and improving resident quality of life if elected.
Atlas has already secured an endorsement from the Henderson Police Supervisors Association, the union that represents sergeants and lieutenants at the Henderson Police Department, she said Thursday. Atlas has also been endorsed by Plumbers, Pipefitters & Service Technicians Local 525.
“I’m the best person to stand up and help the council be a team again and get really good work done for the city,” Atlas said.
Leroy Hood
Retired Clark County construction dispatcher Leroy Hood, who said Friday he will turn 70 next month, told the Review-Journal he is a fiscally conservative political independent who is worried that current city leaders are prioritizing the expansion of newer master-planned communities like Inspirada and Cadence over older areas.
“The reason I’m running is because I’m frustrated with the city,” Hood said, noting in particular the $184 million project to reduce travel lanes on Boulder Highway in favor of wider sidewalks and bike lanes and a center-run bus rapid transit system. “They’re spending a lot of money on construction projects and a lot of it is a waste. The Boulder Highway project is a good example.”
In spite of his age, Hood said “new blood” is needed to represent Ward 3 and jabbed at Cox and Dawson Owens.
“If Carrie Cox stays in there, I can’t imagine those people working together in the future,” Hood said. “I don’t understand how putting Michelle Romero’s best friend in Carrie Cox’s seat will make things different.”
Hood added that if elected, he would try to minimize infighting among council members.
“Putting me in that spot would probably solve a lot of those problems,” Hood said. I’m probably older than everyone on there and I don’t believe in personal attacks and all that.”
Campaign finance filings for Hood or Atlas for this election cycle were not yet available.
Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on X, @Casey_Harrison1.
