Ellen Angeles

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Ellen Angeles

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Whitmer High School

Bachelor's

Kent State University, 1992

Graduate

Colorado Mesa University, 2011

Other

Western Colorado University, 2007

Personal

Birthplace

Toledo, Ohio

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Educator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Personal Instagram

Ellen Angeles (Democratic Party) ran in a special election to the Colorado State Board of Education to represent Colorado's 3rd Congressional District. She lost in the special general election on November 5, 2024.

Angeles completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ellen Angeles was born in Toledo, Ohio. She graduated from Whitmer High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Kent State University in 1992, graduated from Western Colorado University in 2007, and earned a graduate degree from Colorado Mesa University in 2011. Her career experience includes working as an educator and working in banking and sales.

Elections

2024

See also: Colorado State Board of Education election, 2024

General election

Special general election for Colorado State Board of Education District 3

Incumbent Sherri Wright defeated Ellen Angeles in the special general election for Colorado State Board of Education District 3 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sherri Wright (R)	57.0	217,850
		Ellen Angeles (D)	43.0	164,625

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 382,475
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 3

Ellen Angeles advanced from the special Democratic primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 3 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ellen Angeles	100.0	47,041

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 47,041
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Special Republican primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 3

Incumbent Sherri Wright advanced from the special Republican primary for Colorado State Board of Education District 3 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sherri Wright	100.0	65,071

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 65,071
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Angeles in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released March 4, 2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ellen Angeles completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Angeles' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a mother of a child in our local school district, an educator with two decades dedicated to Public Education, and an active member of my community. I have taught k-12 in Leadville, Durango, and Montrose. As a person committed to Public Education and Lifelong Learning, I have taught adult education at Colorado Mountain College and to other educators across the state through CEA Copilot.

Just out of college I was a leader in Columbus Jaycees, a non-partisan, educational, grassroots governmental advocacy organization designed to give young Americans a voice in government.

I was also asked to sit on the board for the Heinzerling Foundation which is committed to caring for children with severe and profound developmental disabilities. In my community, I sat on the Montrose Recreation Foundation to bring a recreation center to our community. Whenever opportunities arise to help our schools and library, I offer my time and support. I believe our communities benefit when we are active participants.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Public Schools need to be fully-funded. Students deserve good teachers, excellent resources, and opportunity to be successful.
• Educators in Colorado need to be paid a livable wage and get out of the very bottom of the pay scale from educators across our country.
• When we have good schools, we have better communities. We need to work with parents and businesses in our community to prepare students entering the workforce and becoming good members in society.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am extremely passionate about Public Education.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The State Board of Education is one of the most important jobs you might know very little about. The Board works for free and is committed to a six year term. It is unique in that a good public education for students improves all other aspects in your community.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to those who help others. My father was a principal and my mother was a teacher and they throughly loved teaching even when things were difficult. Despite teachers making lower wages than similar college graduates, I learned that what is in teachers’ bank accounts are sometimes less tangible than money. I hope that when things get difficult, I dig in my heels and face challenges head on working in tandem with other stakeholders to bring about positive change.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

If someone wanted to understand my political philosophy they should read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. At a young age, my father taught me the takers can’t take enough and the givers can’t give enough. Throughout my life, I have witnessed bosses, colleagues, family, and friends who improved the lives of those around themselves. The people who I was drawn to were always the givers. They showed me that happy people help others. Parents are a child’s first teachers and mine have earned my deep love and respect. Educators are committed to being non partisan and teach children how to think not what to think. The rich tapestry of our country is what makes us unique and respected in this world.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials must listen to their constituents and be thoughtful in their decision making. Having good communication skills, seeking knowledge, and being open minded helps empower people to enact change. Character, competency, and commitment are essential for being a good leader.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibilities of someone elected to this office is to put children at the center of every decision. Is it good for kids? The State Board of Education is responsible for implementing state and federal laws, dispersing funds, holding schools accountable for performance, licensing educators, and providing financial transparency.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was a papergirl for The Toledo Blade. I liked it because I had an entrepreneurial spirit. You purchased a route, you ran the route by delivering the papers and collecting monthly. I made a whopping $70 a month as a sixth grader rushing home as soon as school was over to increase my chances of getting good tips. I had the job for a year when the local owner of Dairy Queen poached me by paying me $120 a week. Huge pay increase! I was never shy and loved making friends.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Putting the interest of students first and foremost.

Is it good for students?

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

State Board members have the power and responsibility to give voice to students, parents, and teachers. Communities need to realize public education impacts various aspects that determine the trajectory of its wellbeing.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe having a group of people who support public education and want what is best for ALL kids is the ideal person for this position. As a parent and educator, I feel I will bring my real life experience into every decision to create an excellent opportunity for students to thrive and succeed.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Having the lens of a parent with a child in public schools and the experience of recently working in a classroom is the exact expertise that will help me do what is best for students and educators across our state.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Why was the teacher wearing sunglasses in the classroom?

Because the class was so bright!

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

It’s early. Keep your eyes posted!

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Our elected officials must be responsible with the purse strings and be accountable and transparent in all matters.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Ellen Angeles campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Colorado State Board of Education District 3	Lost general	$41,418	$35,809
Grand total			$41,418	$35,809
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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Government

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Candidate

Colorado State Board of Education District 3

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