Enrique Camacho (Waukesha Common Council District 15, Wisconsin, candidate 2025)

Enrique Camacho

Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!

---

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Waukesha Common Council District 15

Elections and appointments

Last election

April 1, 2025

Education

High school

Catholic Memorial High School

Personal

Birthplace

Waukesha, Wis.

Profession

Teacher

Contact

Campaign website

Enrique Camacho ran for election to the Waukesha Common Council District 15 in Wisconsin. He was on the ballot in the general election on April 1, 2025.

Camacho completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Enrique Camacho provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on January 25, 2025:

• Birth date: October 20, 1984
• Birth place: Waukesha, Wisconsin
• High school: Catholic Memorial High School
• Graduate: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 2013
• Gender: Male
• Profession: Teacher
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: Camacho for Waukesha
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

General election for Waukesha Common Council District 15

Enrique Camacho and Cory J. Payne ran in the general election for Waukesha Common Council District 15 on April 1, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Enrique Camacho (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Cory J. Payne (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= 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.

Endorsements

Camacho received the following endorsements.

• Working Families Party
• Waukesha County (WI) Democratic Party
• Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Enrique Camacho completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Camacho's 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.

My name is Enrique "Rico" Camacho, and I am a proud lifelong resident of Waukesha. I’ve had the privilege of calling various neighborhoods in this vibrant city home, with my most formative years spent on Barstow Street, across from the picturesque Moor Downs Golf Course. I grew up in Waukesha’s Catholic school system, attending both elementary and middle schools, before completing my high school education at Catholic Memorial High School after a year at Waukesha West. I continued my education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, earning both my bachelor’s and graduate degrees, and later obtained my teaching license from Alverno College. For the past 10 years, I’ve been dedicated to shaping young minds as a teacher.

​

As a single father of three, I’ve experienced firsthand the positive impact of Waukesha’s schools and community on my children. I deeply believe in the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” This philosophy drives my passion for expanding community programs that provide safe, supportive environments for our children to grow and thrive.

​

I decided to run for Waukesha Alder District 15 because our community deserves ethical, responsible, and engaged leadership. Recent concerns about the current leadership, including unresponsiveness to constituents and legal issues involving criminal charges, have highlighted the need for a representative who prioritizes transparency and trust.

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?

• Expanding Affordable Housing Opportunities

  
  

  I am committed to helping our community find adequate housing for families, particularly in the newly available space near Northview Street and University Drive. This area, which served as an institution of higher education from 1965 to 2025, is now poised for redevelopment. With declining enrollment and other challenges leading to its closure, we have a unique opportunity to transform this site into a resource that benefits Waukesha residents. At the City Council meeting on January 7, 2025, I listened to residents express strong support for creating affordable housing in this space—a vision I fully share. Affordable housing in this location can attract new families, strengthen our local econo
• Supporting Police and Fire Departments​ ​Ensuring the safety of our community is a top priority, and that begins with supporting our dedicated police and fire departments. From their heroic response during the Waukesha Parade tragedy to their ongoing efforts to address public safety, these teams are vital pillars of our community. Their 2023 annual report highlights significant achievements, including a decline in heroin-related incidents, though new challenges, such as crack cocaine use, persist. Calls for emergency services have increased, yet fatalities and injuries remain low—a testament to their hard work and expertise.
• Promoting Transparency and Responsiveness ​As an Alder, I am committed to being a responsive and accountable representative for the residents of District 15. I believe in the importance of listening to every voice, addressing concerns promptly, and providing clear, accurate information. Unfortunately, many residents have expressed frustration with the current leadership in our district, citing unresponsiveness to community concerns and legal issues that undermine trust in local government. I believe Waukesha deserves better. My focus will be on rebuilding that trust by prioritizing transparency, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring that every resident feels heard and valued. Regardless of your background or political belie

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Housing policies

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

The qualities that the office posses that make it unique and important to the state government is local government is at the ground floor for the voters. Voters have more access to their local alderperson than they do there other state officials. They can utilize more legal and government resources that can help the local community to give them information to allow for an easier time in their community.

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

My grandmother and my best friend Luis Matus because both of them demonstrated a calmness that helped shape my life to be able to make sound decisions and be an overall good person. Both have passed on.

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

1. Integrity

The ability to be honest and transparent, keeping the public's trust as a top priority. Integrity ensures that decisions are made with the public good in mind, rather than personal or partisan gain.
2. Accountability
Elected officials should be answerable to their constituents, making sure they uphold promises and are transparent about the decisions they make. This also includes accepting responsibility for mistakes.
3. Empathy and Compassion

Understanding and caring about the needs of people, especially marginalized or underrepresented groups, is crucial. Effective leaders should be able to listen to and represent a diverse range of perspectives.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have been a educator for 10 years with a license in social studies and I have taught our governmental systems to our youth from local to national elections.

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

The core responsibilities are to serve the community first in the most honest and upfront way one can. To always look for the broader good of the community as a whole. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

What legacy would you like to leave?

One that uplifts and inspires society to a place of joy and happiness where even through our differences we can find common ground and implement a society of harmony.

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

My first job was at the Marcus Majestic theater for 2 years and I had a blast being able to watch free movies with friends!

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Being a single father and balancing all the responsibilities of having three active children.

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

Local government is a great resource so any little known powers can be addressed right at city hall; therefore, most of the position is transparent.

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

I believe that it is beneficial for anyone with knowledge of government and are able to be calm, respectful and a love for the community would be the best suited for this position.

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

The key is education to the knowledge of the government systems. One must be knowledgable to navigate the processes of our governmental system.

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

It allows a person to represent a district that gives the influence to speak on behalf of the people for additions, changes or maintaining the city's overall functions.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe that more than simply allowing the information on a website is key to financial transparency but actually reaching out to constituents for the purposes of people understanding where their money goes is the most important aspect of government accountability. People need to know where their money goes and how it's being spent in order to make sound decisions when purchasing homes and other locations that their tax dollars are spent.

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.

See also

2025 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Waukesha Common Council District 15

Website