Official filing record
Full legal name
Michelle Marie Winterroth
Name on ballot
Michelle "Mimi" Winterroth
Campaign treasurer
Priscilla Ramos
What is verified
The City of Laredo lists Michelle Marie Winterroth for City Council District 3; her ballot name is Michelle "Mimi" Winterroth, her campaign treasurer is Priscilla Ramos, and she is second in the displayed District 3 ballot order.
2026 Candidates Information | City of LaredoWinterroth’s official ballot application identifies the office sought as City of Laredo City Council District 3 and gives the requested ballot name as Michelle "Mimi" Winterroth.
Application for a Place on the Ballot for a General Election — Michelle Marie WinterrothCity Council approved the appointment of Michelle Winterroth to the Mayoral Rio Grande Riverfront Coordination & Advisory Ad-Hoc Committee on January 20, 2026; the appointment was recommended by Council Member Vanessa Perez.
APPT26-14 — City of Laredo LegistarHer candidate-controlled campaign page describes her as a lifelong Laredoan with District 3 roots since childhood and states that she is a mother, licensed cosmetologist, Texas peace officer, private investigator, and BAS Organizational Leadership holder. These are campaign self-descriptions, not independently corroborated here.
Michelle “Mimi” Winterroth for City Council District 3 | FacebookIn the candidate’s own words
Who I Am
Submitted directly by the candidate
Received: September 9, 2026
This statement is published as submitted and attributed to the candidate. Biographical and campaign claims in this section are candidate-provided unless they also appear in the independently sourced record above.
My name is Michelle Marie Winterroth, and I am running for Laredo City Council District 3 as Michelle “Mimi” Winterroth.
District 3 has been part of my life since I was a child. I am the oldest of four sisters, the daughter of a United States Air Force veteran and retired police officer, and a mother who dedicated herself to raising our family as a homemaker. I am also a mother, licensed Texas Peace Officer, longtime community advocate, and small business owner, including MAW’s Heirloom Cookies.
Hard work, service, and personal responsibility were values instilled in me early in life. I was also raised to stand up for the “little guy,” the everyday person who deserves to be heard, treated fairly, and have someone willing to stand beside them. That lesson has stayed with me throughout my life.
In 2009, I graduated from the Laredo Community College Regional Police Academy, where I made history as the first female Top Gun in the academy’s history.
My professional experience spans several fields. I am a licensed Texas Peace Officer, licensed Private Investigator, and licensed Personal Protection Officer through the Texas Department of Public Safety Private Security Bureau. I also hold a Texas Cosmetology license and have more than 30 years of experience in the beauty industry. As an entrepreneur, my experience includes businesses in both the beauty industry and MAW’s Heirloom Cookies, giving me firsthand experience with the challenges small business owners face.
My public safety experience also includes working with crime victims and continuing professional training. I attended the Conference on Crimes Against Women seminar, as well as “Navigating Trauma Through Care & Compassion,” presented by the Webb & Zapata District Attorney’s Office in 2025.
My path through education was not a traditional one. I left school at 16, but I never stopped believing that education was something I could return to. Years later, I went back to school and proved to myself that where you start does not determine where you finish.
I earned an Associate of Arts and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Organizational Leadership from Laredo College. I was a three time Dean’s List recipient and was selected as the Commencement Student Correspondent for Laredo College’s graduating class of 2025.
I was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, The National Society of Leadership and Success, The Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement, and Laredo College’s IMPACT Student Organization. These experiences strengthened my belief that leadership is not simply about holding a title. It is about taking action, serving others, and following through.
My commitment to this community has never depended on holding elected office. I have participated in neighborhood cleanups, worked with youth programs, supported local businesses, and advocated for community improvements. My community service has also included working with the Laredo Chamber of Commerce’s Youth Leadership Laredo program and volunteering as Community Relations Coordinator for the Laredo Regional Food Bank, where I supported the Zero Hunger campaign and World Food Day initiatives.
I also advocated for Los Martinez Park, even though it was outside District 3, because I believe public service is about stepping forward when people need someone willing to listen, speak up, and follow through.
I am running for City Council because I believe District 3 deserves a representative who is present, accessible, and focused on the people they were elected to represent. Residents should not have to repeatedly ask for attention to the basic issues affecting their neighborhoods.
I believe in accountability, transparency, responsible use of taxpayer money, and measurable results. Most importantly, I believe that when you tell people you are going to work for them, you have a responsibility to show up and do the work.
I am one of you, working for you.
Candidate questionnaire
Core questions plus record-specific follow-ups.
VoteLaredo asks every candidate the same core questions, one office-specific question, and follow-ups tied to verified public records. Responses are reviewed, attributed, and linked to supporting documents before publication.
Respondent: Michelle Marie Winterroth
Candidate for Laredo City Council District 3
Received: September 9, 2026
Identity and publication authorization certified
What are your three highest priorities for this office?
Name the outcome, timeline, estimated cost, and responsible department for each priority.
Candidate response
1. Fix the basics: streets, infrastructure, drainage, lighting, and cleaner neighborhoods. 2. Public safety: safer streets and school zones, stronger traffic enforcement, and support for first responders. 3. Accountability: responsible spending, transparency, and consistent follow through for District 3 residents.
What will you do during your first 100 days?
List specific votes, policies, audits, meetings, or administrative actions.
Candidate response
Listen, assess, and act. In my first 100 days, I will document District 3’s most urgent needs, review ongoing projects and spending, and push for clear timelines. Old Mercy will be an immediate priority. I will seek a current accounting of its status, outstanding issues, and the City’s available options for moving forward.
What would you change in the City budget, tax rate, or spending priorities?
Identify what would increase, decrease, or remain protected and how the change would be funded.
Candidate response
I would prioritize needs over wants. Before supporting new spending, I want a clear accounting of where taxpayer money is going and what results residents are receiving. My priorities are essential infrastructure, water reliability, public safety, and basic city services, while identifying waste and unnecessary spending.
What measurable plan do you support for water reliability and infrastructure?
Include project order, funding source, deadlines, and public performance reporting.
Candidate response
Water infrastructure will not be fixed overnight. My focus will be making sure existing plans are prioritized by need, funded responsibly, and moving forward, with residents able to track progress, timelines, costs, and service interruptions.
Which transparency and ethics rules should be strengthened?
Address contracts, conflicts, campaign donors, public records, meetings, and performance dashboards.
Candidate response
I support greater transparency in how taxpayer money is spent, how contracts are awarded, and how major decisions are made. I also support strong conflict of interest disclosure and making public information easier for residents to find and understand.
Which three district-level service problems require immediate attention?
Name the location, responsible department, proposed action, budget source, and completion target.
Candidate response
The three immediate issues are deteriorating parks and recreational spaces, neglected streets and basic infrastructure, and traffic safety. This includes speeding, school zones, crosswalks, and other safety concerns residents have repeatedly raised.
The City Council approved your appointment to the Mayoral Rio Grande Riverfront Coordination & Advisory Ad-Hoc Committee in January 2026. What specific recommendations or outcomes from that committee would you seek to carry into District 3 representation?
Cite the specific public record, date, amount, policy, or measurable commitment supporting the answer.
Candidate response
My experience on the Riverfront Ad Hoc Committee taught me that citywide issues deserve attention, but a council member’s first responsibility is to the district they were elected to represent. I will stay focused on District 3 and the everyday issues affecting its residents.
Your campaign page describes you as a Texas peace officer and private investigator. Which District 3 public-safety priorities would you advance, and what measurable outcomes would you use to judge success?
Cite the specific public record, date, amount, policy, or measurable commitment supporting the answer.
Candidate response
My public safety priorities are safer neighborhoods, safer streets and school zones, and supporting our first responders. Public safety should never come at the expense of residents’ privacy, accountability, or responsible use of taxpayer money. I would measure results through crime trends, response times, traffic crashes, speeding complaints, and school zone safety concerns.
Your campaign page says you have District 3 roots since childhood. What are the three most urgent District 3 infrastructure or service issues you have identified through those ties, and what is your proposed timetable for each?
Cite the specific public record, date, amount, policy, or measurable commitment supporting the answer.
Candidate response
My immediate priorities are deteriorating parks, streets and aging infrastructure, and traffic and pedestrian safety. In my first 100 days, I would conduct district walkthroughs, meet with residents, review existing work orders and project plans with City staff, and examine available funding. From there, I would establish realistic timelines for each priority and publicly report the progress.
Your campaign page solicits donations, while no 2026 finance report attributable to your campaign was located on the City index at the time of this research. When you file, will you voluntarily provide an accessible link to each report and a plain-language donor-and-spending summary?
Cite the specific public record, date, amount, policy, or measurable commitment supporting the answer.
Candidate response
I will comply with all campaign finance laws, reporting requirements, and deadlines. My required campaign finance reports will be publicly available as provided by law, giving residents access to information about campaign contributions and expenditures. I believe transparency should be based on accurate, officially reported information.
Candidates or authorized campaign representatives can submit answers below.