ShelterJH 2026 General Election Endorsements
ShelterJH is endorsing local candidates for contested races in the general election, and early voting is open now! ShelterJH leaders released endorsements for the primary race and conducted another robust endorsement process including all candidates for the general election, resulting in our decisions below.
A candidate endorsed by ShelterJH is someone who has demonstrated a commitment to addressing Teton County’s current and future housing challenges. The criteria for our endorsements include, but are not limited to, our collective judgment of the following:
Candidates’ commitment to increasing opportunities for preservation and construction of affordable housing
Potential for effectiveness and ability to build consensus
Willingness to communicate directly with our organization
Alignment with our policy priorities
We did not consider candidates’ political party affiliations during our deliberations.
We educate ourselves and the public thoroughly before making endorsements. In addition to our candidate questionnaire, the educational component of our work included a Candidate Speed Dating event held on September 14. We also held three internal member meetings to get our members’ direct input on candidates, examined years of vote tracking for incumbent candidates, researched candidates’ stances, and interviewed each candidate personally. We compiled this information in a rubric to guide our collective member-led decision-making process.
We celebrate everyone who decides to dedicate themselves to public service and run for office. We are committed to educating and collaborating with all local governmental officials, regardless of the outcome of this election. We encourage our members and supporters to engage with the candidates personally, learn about their platforms, and make an informed decision at the polls.
Jackson Town Council: Two out of four Town Council candidates will become Town Councilors.
Together, members and board members decided to support two candidates for this race. In the future, we hope that more pro-homes locals run for Town Council and that the public has a greater pool of meaningful choices.
ENDORSED: Alyson Spery was appointed to the Town Council in 2024. She has demonstrated support for housing at the Virginian and Nelson Drive and we have observed the effort she puts in to create homes that community members can afford. Her lived experience working multiple jobs, running a small business, and living in a deed-restricted home gives her valuable insight into the challenges many in our community encounter when facing housing insecurity. We appreciate her thoughtful approach and her openness to listening and learning from us. We recognize that she has put significant effort into deeply investigating solutions to the Town’s zoning tools, including the 2-for-1 bonus and the Jackson/Teton County Housing Department regulations. If elected, we hope to see even stronger conviction from her regarding housing affordability.