Here’s where five Frisco voters stand ahead of the June 13 mayoral runoff

Next month, Frisco residents will choose a new mayor for the first time in nine years. After the May 2 election, retired construction business owner Rod Vilhauer and attorney Mark Hill advanced to the June 13 runoff, beating two former City Council members. Hill got about 34% of the vote and Vilhauer was second with about 31%. Incumbent Mayor Jeff Cheney is term-limited. The wealthy suburb’s population has grown by about 40% during his tenure and now sits at about 240,000 residents. Here’s what five voters in Frisco are thinking ahead of the matchup.   

Moore, 54, who greeted voters at the polls for Vilhauer before the May 2 election, is excited to vote for him again. A member of Elevate Life Church, she has known Vilhauer and his family for about 20 years through the church. Moore said she is impressed by Vilhauer’s selflessness when it comes to the service he does for the church. She said his experience as a construction business owner would be an asset as mayor.  

“He would make determinations on what is the best for the city, just like he would …for his company,” Moore said.  

Moore said she did not approve of the decisions the Frisco ISD board made when Hill served on it. She specifically cited the $1 billion bond propositions Frisco school officials put on the ballot in 2024 to pay for school renovations and technology upgrades. Voters rejected the propositions. 

Moore also said she thinks too much multifamily housing has been built in Frisco and thinks Vilhauer is the right candidate to shepherd the city’s growth.  

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Raaum, 60, supported former City Council member John Keating in the May 2 election because she was generally happy with how the council had managed the city’s growth. She will be backing Hill in the runoff. Raaum said Vilhauer’s answers in candidate questionnaires she’d read online lacked depth compared to Hill’s answers.  

A self-described Christian and conservative, she said she was “sickened” that the pastor at Elevate Life Church who endorsed Vilhauer said Muslims were looking to take over Frisco “by the ballot and eventually by the sword.”  

Raaum said she acknowledges the city’s demographics have changed rapidly but said it has never been a cause for concern in the three decades she has lived in Frisco. She said Hill’s stance on growth and his campaign slogan “Unite Frisco” appealed to her. 

“I think it’s much needed,” Raaum said. “There’s tremendous division in this city.”  

Reddy, 58, will be supporting Vilhauer in the runoff, as he did on May 2. He said he believes Vilhauer’s business background would be beneficial as mayor in terms of building the city’s tax base and creating local jobs. Bringing new residents to Frisco is crucial, Reddy said, as the school district’s enrollment begins to decline.  

Reddy immigrated to Texas from India 34 years ago and said Vilhauer’s past comments about South Asian immigrants were not a deal-breaker for him. On a podcast, Vilhauer said Indian immigrants were moving to Frisco like “rats.” Afterward, the candidate said he didn’t mean to use that word and publicly apologized.  

“He made some of the comments due to his ignorance,” Reddy said. “There is a lot of anti-Indian, anti-Hindu agenda … in Frisco. I believe he is going to help us bridge the gap between especially Hindus and Christians.”  

Hammond, 58, who has lived in Frisco for more than 30 years, said she “stayed out” of the first round of the mayoral election because she knew three out of the four candidates personally.  

After attending the debate between Hill and Vilhauer on Monday night, Hammond said she would be supporting Hill based on his service on the school board. Hammond, who co-owns the Game Show Experience on Main Street, said she also didn’t like Vilhauer’s comments on Hill’s law firm.  

At the debate, Vilhauer said he was better suited to lead the city because he managed about 1,600 employees when he used to own a construction company while Hill, who founded his law firm last year, has about 14 employees. “You call that a business?” Vilhauer said of Hill’s firm.  

“That is so hurtful to small businesses,” Hammond said. “On Main Street all of us have 14 employees or less.” 

Related: Frisco city meeting on mosque, temple projects draws lively crowd, conservative activist

Elmer, 38, supported former City Council member Shona Sowell in the May 2 election because he said her policies on measured growth would have brought a “much-needed” change to the city. He also valued candidates who had experience serving in city government and had hoped Keating and Sowell would make the runoff.  

Now ahead of the match-up between Hill and Vilhauer, Elmer said he is undecided and will choose a candidate on election day. He also said a recent City Council meeting will factor into his decision.  

Elmer, who called himself an “unashamed Christian,” attended a packed meeting Tuesday where several speakers came to oppose a proposed mosque and two temples in the city.  

“There were a lot of people in that room invoking the name of Jesus … in a way that I think blasphemes his name and alienates people,” Elmer said. 

Elmer said as he decides who to back for mayor, he is thinking about Frisco’s perception in the minds of people and companies considering a move to the city.  

Early voting in the runoff takes place from June 1 to June 9. Election day is June 13.