Texas local trial court judicial elections, 2016
From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 18 min
Learn more about how long judges serve in court and qualifications for office in the Election rules section of this page. For information on 2016 state appellate court elections in Texas, click here.
Elections[edit]
Contested general[edit]
 |
Poll opening and closing times |
District courts[edit]
Find your district: Click here for a list of Texas district courts sorted by county.
6th District Court[edit]
☑ Wesley Tidwell (i) 
☐ Gary Waite 
Note: Tidwell was appointed to the vacancy on April 8, 2016, for a term running through the November 2016 general election.
10th District Court[edit]
☐ Cornel Walker
☑ Kerry Neves (i)
11th District Court[edit]
☑ Kristen Hawkins
☐ Kevin Fulton
14th District Court[edit]
☑ Eric Moye (i)
☐ Barry Johnson
61st District Court[edit]
☑ Fredericka Phillips
☐ Erin Lunceford (i)
80th District Court[edit]
☑ Larry Weiman (i)
☐ Will Archer
125th District Court[edit]
☑ Kyle Carter (i)
☐ Sharon Hemphill
127th District Court[edit]
☑ R.K. Sandill (i)
☐ Sarahjane Swanson
129th District Court[edit]
☑ Michael Gomez (i)
☐ Sophia Mafrige
130th District Court[edit]
☑ Craig Estlinbaum (i)
☐ Ken Leatherman
131st District Court[edit]
☑ Norma Gonzales
☐ David Kaliski
133rd District Court[edit]
☑ Jaclanel McFarland (i)
☐ Cindy Bennett Smith
136th District Court[edit]
☑ Baylor Wortham
☐ Dana Timaeus
151st District Court[edit]
☑ Mike Engelhart (i)
☐ Jeff Hastings
152nd District Court[edit]
☑ Robert Schaffer (i)
☐ Don Self
162nd District Court[edit]
☑ Maricela Moore
☐ Gregory Gorman
Note: Democratic incumbent Phyllis Lister Brown died on May 25, 2016.[2]
164th District Court[edit]
☑ Alexandra Smoots-Hogan (i)
☐ Bruce Bain
165th District Court[edit]
☑ Ursula Hall
☐ Debra Ibarra Mayfield (i)
174th District Court[edit]
☑ Hazel Jones
☐ Katherine McDaniel
175th District Court[edit]
☑ Catherine Torres-Stahl
☐ Libby Wiedermann
176th District Court[edit]
☑ Nikita Harmon
☐ Stacey Bond (i)
177th District Court[edit]
☑ Robert Johnson
☐ Ryan Patrick (i)
179th District Court[edit]
☑ Randy Roll
☐ Kristin M. Guiney (i)
214th District Court[edit]
☐ Jose Longoria (i)
☑ Inna Klein
215th District Court[edit]
☑ Elaine Palmer (i)
☐ Fred Shuchart
240th District Court[edit]
☐ Frank Fraley
☑ Chad Bridges (i)
254th District Court[edit]
☑ Darlene Ewing
☐ Susan Rankin (i)
333rd District Court[edit]
☑ Daryl Moore
☐ Joseph Halbach Jr. (i)
334th District Court[edit]
☑ Steven Kirkland
☐ Grant Dorfman (i)
337th District Court[edit]
☑ Herb Ritchie
☐ Renee Magee (i)
338th District Court[edit]
☑ Ramona Franklin
☐ Brock Thomas (i)
339th District Court[edit]
☑ Maria Jackson (i)
☐ Mary McFaden
348th District Court[edit]
351st District Court[edit]
☑ George Powell
☐ Mark Kent Ellis (i)
386th District Court[edit]
☑ Arcelia Trevino
☐ Laura Parker (i)
393rd District Court[edit]
☐ Evan Stone
☑ Doug Robison (i)
399th District Court[edit]
☑ Frank Castro
☐ Jan Ischy-Prins
400th District Court[edit]
☐ Teana Watson
☑ Maggie Jaramillo (i)
408th District Court[edit]
☑ Angelica Jimenez
☐ Leslie Sachanowicz
416th District Court[edit]
☑ Andrea Thompson
☐ Daniel Correa 
421st District Court[edit]
☐ Andrea St. Leger
☑ Chris Schneider
438th District Court[edit]
☑ Rosie Alvarado
☐ Frances Dunham
445th District Court[edit]
☑ Gloria Rincones
☐ René De Coss (i)
507th District Court[edit]
☑ Julia Maldonado
☐ Alyssa Lemkuil (i)
County courts[edit]
Bee County Court[edit]
☐ Sid Arismendez
☑ Stephanie Silvas (i)
Bexar County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
☑ John Longoria (i)
☐ Linda Molina
Dallas County Criminal Court, Seat 2[edit]
☑ Nancy Kennedy
☐ Tom Spackman
Fort Bend County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
Harris County Civil Court at Law, No. 1[edit]
☑ George Barnstone
☐ Clyde Leuchtag (i)
Harris County Criminal Court, No. 16[edit]
☑ Darrell William Jordan
☐ Linda Garcia (i)
Jefferson County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Terrence Holmes
☐ Luke Nichols
Newton County Court[edit]
Uncontested elections[edit]
District courts[edit]
Find your district: Click here for a list of Texas district courts sorted by county.
1st District Court[edit]
☑ Craig Mixson (i)
2nd District Court[edit]
3rd District Court[edit]
☑ Mark Calhoon (i)
4th District Court[edit]
☑ Clay Gossett (i)
5th District Court[edit]
☑ Bill Miller (i)
7th District Court[edit]
☑ Kerry Russell (i)
8th District Court[edit]
☑ Eddie Northcutt (i)
9th District Court[edit]
☑ Phil Grant (i)
Note: Grant was appointed to the seat on June 17, 2016.[3]
12th District Court[edit]
☑ Donald Kraemer (i)
13th District Court[edit]
☑ Ernie Armstrong (i)
15th District Court[edit]
☑ Jim Fallon (i)
16th District Court[edit]
☑ Sherry Shipman (i)
17th District Court[edit]
☑ Melody Wilkinson (i)
18th District Court[edit]
☑ John Neill (i)
19th District Court[edit]
☑ Ralph Strother (i)
20th District Court[edit]
☑ John Youngblood (i)
21st District Court[edit]
☑ Carson Campbell (i)
22nd District Court[edit]
☑ Bruce Boyer (i)
23rd District Court[edit]
☑ Ben Hardin (i)
24th District Court[edit]
☑ Jack Marr (i)
25th District Court, Seat 1[edit]
☑ Bill Old (i)
25th District Court, Seat 2[edit]
26th District Court[edit]
27th District Court[edit]
☑ John Gauntt (i)
28th District Court[edit]
☑ Nanette Hasette (i)
29th District Court[edit]
☑ Michael Moore (i)
32nd District Court[edit]
☑ Glen Harrison (i)
33rd District Court[edit]
☑ Allan Garrett (i)
34th District Court[edit]
☑ Bill Moody (i)
35th District Court[edit]
☑ Steve Ellis (i)
38th District Court[edit]
☑ Camile DuBose (i)
41st District Court[edit]
☑ Annabell Perez (i)
42nd District Court[edit]
43rd District Court[edit]
☑ Craig Towson (i)
48th District Court[edit]
☑ David Evans (i)
50th District Court[edit]
☑ Bobby Burnett (i)
51st District Court[edit]
☑ Barbara Walther (i)
52nd District Court[edit]
☑ Trent Farrell (i)
53rd District Court[edit]
☑ Scott Jenkins (i)
59th District Court[edit]
☑ Rayburn Nall (i)
60th District Court[edit]
62nd District Court[edit]
☑ Will Biard (i)
63rd District Court[edit]
☑ Enrique Fernandez (i)
65th District Court[edit]
☑ Yahara Lisa Gutierrez (i)
67th District Court[edit]
☑ Don Cosby (i)
71st District Court[edit]
☑ Brad Morin (i)
72nd District Court[edit]
☑ Ruben Reyes (i)
73rd District Court[edit]
☑ David Canales (i)
74th District Court[edit]
☑ Gary Coley (i)
76th District Court[edit]
☑ Danny Woodson (i)
77th District Court[edit]
☑ Pat Simmons (i)
78th District Court[edit]
☑ Barney Fudge (i)
79th District Court[edit]
☑ Richard Terrell (i)
89th District Court[edit]
☑ Charles M. Barnard (i)
90th District Court[edit]
☑ Stephen Bristow (i)
91st District Court[edit]
☑ Steven Herod (i)
92nd District Court[edit]
☑ Luis Manuel Singleterry (i)
93rd District Court[edit]
☑ Rudy Delgado (i)
95th District Court[edit]
☑ Ken Molberg (i)
97th District Court[edit]
☑ Jack McGaughey (i)
98th District Court[edit]
☑ Rhonda Hurley (i)
99th District Court[edit]
☑ William Sowder (i)
100th District Court[edit]
☑ Stuart Messer (i)
104th District Court[edit]
☑ Lee Hamilton (i)
108th District Court[edit]
☑ Doug Woodburn (i)
114th District Court[edit]
☑ Christi Kennedy (i)
119th District Court[edit]
☑ Ben Woodward (i)
121st District Court[edit]
123rd District Court[edit]
124th District Court[edit]
☑ Alfonso Charles (i)
126th District Court[edit]
☑ Darlene Byrne (i)
128th District Court[edit]
☑ Courtney Burch-Arkeen (i)
135th District Court[edit]
☑ Kemper Williams (i)
139th District Court[edit]
☑ Roberto Flores (i)
140th District Court[edit]
☑ Jim Bob Darnell (i)
142nd District Court[edit]
☑ George Gilles (i)
143rd District Court[edit]
☑ John M. Swanson (i)
145th District Court[edit]
☑ Campbell Cox (i)
146th District Court[edit]
☑ Jack Jones (i)
153rd District Court[edit]
☑ Susan McCoy (i)
161st District Court[edit]
☑ John Smith (i)
163rd District Court[edit]
☑ Dennis Powell (i)
166th District Court[edit]
☑ Laura Salinas (i)
167th District Court[edit]
☑ David Wahlberg (i)
199th District Court[edit]
☑ Angela Tucker (i)
200th District Court[edit]
☑ Gisela Triana (i)
213th District Court[edit]
☑ Louis Sturns (i)
216th District Court[edit]
☑ Keith Williams (i)
235th District Court[edit]
☑ Janelle Haverkamp (i)
267th District Court[edit]
☑ Robert Bell (i)
Note: Bell was appointed to this seat in August 2016 to serve through the November 2016 general election. No Democratic candidate was known as of August 9, 2016, and the winner will serve a two-year unexpired term.[4]
272nd District Court[edit]
☑ Travis Bryan III (i)
332nd District Court[edit]
☑ Mario Ramirez Jr. (i)
335th District Court[edit]
☑ Reva Towslee-Corbett (i)
336th District Court[edit]
☑ Lauri Blake (i)
340th District Court[edit]
☑ Jay Weatherby (i)
341st District Court[edit]
☑ Beckie Palomo (i)
342nd District Court[edit]
☑ Wade Birdwell (i)
343rd District Court[edit]
☑ Janna K. Whatley (i)
344th District Court[edit]
☑ Randy McDonald (i)
346th District Court[edit]
☑ Angie Juarez Barill (i)
347th District Court[edit]
☑ Miss Medary (i)
349th District Court[edit]
☑ Pam Foster Fletcher (i)
350th District Court[edit]
☑ Thomas Wheeler (i)
352nd District Court[edit]
☑ Mark Pittman (i)
353rd District Court[edit]
☑ Tim Sulak (i)
354th District Court[edit]
356th District Court[edit]
☑ Steven Thomas (i)
362nd District Court[edit]
☑ Bruce McFarling (i)
378th District Court[edit]
☑ Joe Grubbs (i)
379th District Court[edit]
☑ Ron Rangel (i)
380th District Court[edit]
☑ Ben Smith (i)
381st District Court[edit]
☑ Jose Luis Garza (i)
382nd District Court[edit]
☑ Brett Hall (i)
383rd District Court[edit]
☑ Mike Herrera (i)
384th District Court[edit]
☑ Patrick Garcia (i)
387th District Court[edit]
☑ Brenda Mullinix (i)
388th District Court[edit]
☑ Laura Strathmann (i)
389th District Court[edit]
☑ Letty Lopez (i)
390th District Court[edit]
☑ Julie Kocurek (i)
391st District Court[edit]
392nd District Court[edit]
394th District Court[edit]
☑ Roy Ferguson (i)
396th District Court[edit]
☑ George Gallagher (i)
398th District Court[edit]
404th District Court[edit]
☑ Elia Lopez (i)
407th District Court[edit]
☑ Karen Pozza (i)
409th District Court[edit]
☑ Sam Medrano (i)
410th District Court[edit]
411th District Court[edit]
☑ Kaycee L. Jones (i)
413th District Court[edit]
☑ William Bosworth (i)
415th District Court[edit]
☑ Graham Quisenberry (i)
418th District Court[edit]
☑ Tracy Gilbert (i)
420th District Court[edit]
☑ Edwin Klein (i)
423rd District Court[edit]
☑ Christopher Duggan (i)
425th District Court[edit]
☑ Betsy Lambeth (i)
430th District Court[edit]
☑ Israel Ramon Jr. (i)
431st District Court[edit]
☑ Jonathan Bailey (i)
433rd District Court[edit]
☑ Dib Waldrip (i)
434th District Court[edit]
☑ James Shoemake (i)
435th District Court[edit]
☑ Patty Maginnis (i)
Note: Maginnis was appointed on April 6, 2016, to replace Michael Seiler.[5]
439th District Court[edit]
☑ David Rakow (i)
442nd District Court[edit]
☑ Tiffany Haertling (i)
443rd District Court[edit]
☑ Cindy Ermatinger (i)
444th District Court[edit]
☑ David Sanchez (i)
446th District Court[edit]
☑ Sara Kate Billingsley (i)
448th District Court[edit]
☑ Sergio Enriquez (i)
449th District Court[edit]
450th District Court[edit]
469th District Court[edit]
☑ Piper McCraw (i)
470th District Court[edit]
☑ Emily Miskel (i)
505th District Court[edit]
506th District Court[edit]
☑ Albert McCaig Jr. (i)
County courts[edit]
Cameron County Court[edit]
Cameron County Court at Law, No. 4[edit]
Cameron County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
Comal County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Charles Anthon Stephens II (i)
Dallas County Criminal Court, Seat 3[edit]
☑ Gracie Lewis (i)
Dallas County Criminal Court, Seat 4[edit]
☑ Dominique Collins (i)
Ector County Court[edit]
El Paso County Criminal Court, Seat 1[edit]
☑ Diane Navarrete (i)
El Paso County Court at Law, No. 3[edit]
☑ Carlos Carrasco (i)
El Paso County Court at Law, No. 4[edit]
☑ Jesus Herrera (i)
Hidalgo County Civil Court at Law[edit]
☑ Sergio Valdez (i)
Hunt County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Duncan Thomas (i)
Montgomery County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
☑ Keith Mills Stewart (i)
Orange County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Troy Johnson (i)
Parker County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
Rockwall County Court at Law[edit]
☑ Brian Williams (i)
Tarrant County Criminal Court, Seat 2[edit]
☑ Wayne Francis Salvant (i)
Taylor County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
Travis County Criminal Court, No. 8[edit]
☑ Carlos Barrera (i)
Travis County Criminal Court, No. 9[edit]
Williamson County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Laura Barker (i)
Note: Barker was appointed to the court in June 2016 to fill the No.2 vacancy left by Tim Wright's resignation in May 2015.[6]
Wise County Court at Law[edit]
☑ Stephen Wren (i)
Primary runoff[edit]
District courts[edit]
Find your district: Click here for a list of Texas district courts sorted by county.
9th District Court[edit]
☐ Kate Shipman Bihm
☑ Phil Grant
11th District Court[edit]
☐ Rabeea Collier
☑ Kristen Hawkins
61st District Court[edit]
☐ Julie Countiss
☑ Fredericka Phillips
123rd District Court[edit]
☑ Leann Kay Rafferty
☐ Mike Parker
215th District Court[edit]
☑ Elaine Palmer (i)
☐ JoAnne Storey
354th District Court[edit]
408th District Court[edit]
☑ Angelica Jimenez
☐ Gabe Quintanilla
410th District Court[edit]
☐ Kristin Bays
☑ Jennifer Robin
416th District Court[edit]
☐ Michael Puhl
☑ Andrea Thompson
449th District Court[edit]
County courts[edit]
Cameron County Court[edit]
☐ Dan Sanchez
☑ Eddie Trevino, Jr.
Cameron County Court at Law, No. 4[edit]
☑ Sheila Garcia Bence
☐ Daniel Robles
Cameron County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
☐ Jesus Garcia Jr.
☑ Estela Vasquez
Dallas County Criminal Court, Seat 2[edit]
☐ Chika Anyiam
☑ Nancy Kennedy
Fort Bend County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
Newton County Court[edit]
Parker County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Lynn Marie Johnson
☐ Curtis Jenkins (i)
Taylor County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☑ Harriett Haag
☐ Kevin Wilhelm
Williamson County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
Contested primary[edit]
District courts[edit]
Find your district: Click here for a list of Texas district courts sorted by county.
2nd District Court[edit]
6th District Court[edit]
☐ Jeff Starnes
☑ Wesley Tidwell
9th District Court[edit]
Kate Shipman Bihm
Phil Grant
☐ Eric Yollick
11th District Court[edit]
Rabeea Collier
☐ Jim Lewis
Kristen Hawkins
25th District Court, Seat 2[edit]
☑ Jessica Richard Crawford
☐ Ruben Reyes
56th District Court[edit]
☑ Lonnie Cox (i)
☐ Wayne Mallia
57th District Court[edit]
☑ Antonia Arteaga (i)
☐ Edward Pina
61st District Court[edit]
Julie Countiss
Fredericka Phillips
☐ Dion Ramos
80th District Court[edit]
84th District Court[edit]
☑ Curt Brancheau
☐ Craig Jones
88th District Court[edit]
☐ Marc Henry
☑ Earl Stover III (i)
96th District Court[edit]
☐ Traci DeAnne Hutton
☑ R.H. Wallace Jr. (i)
123rd District Court[edit]
☐ Charles Dickerson (i)
Leann Kay Rafferty
Mike Parker
125th District Court[edit]
☐ L.A. Olson
☑ Sharon Hemphill
131st District Court[edit]
☐ Devin Gabriel
☐ Elena Villasenor
☑ Norma Gonzales
138th District Court[edit]
☑ Arturo Nelson (i)
☐ Sonia Herrera
151st District Court[edit]
165th District Court[edit]
☐ Josefina Rendon
☑ Ursula Hall
174th District Court[edit]
☑ Hazel Jones
☐ Garland McInnis
☐ Raul Rodriguez
175th District Court[edit]
☐ Tony Jimenez
☑ Catherine Torres-Stahl
176th District Court[edit]
☑ Nikita Harmon
☐ Shawna Reagin
177th District Court[edit]
☑ Robert Johnson
☐ David Singer
178th District Court[edit]
☐ Lori Chambers Gray
☑ Kelli Johnson
☐ Nile Copeland
☑ Phil Gommels
☐ Bash Sharma
☐ Xavier Alfaro
179th District Court[edit]
202nd District Court[edit]
☐ Shorty Barrett
☑ John Tidwell
214th District Court[edit]
☐ Deborah Rios
☑ Jose Longoria (i)
215th District Court[edit]
☐ Jonathan C.C. Day
Elaine Palmer (i)
JoAnne Storey
☐ Joshua Verde
254th District Court[edit]
☑ Darlene Ewing
☐ Marty Jo Taylor
333rd District Court[edit]
339th District Court[edit]
☐ Antonio Benavides
☑ Mary McFaden
345th District Court[edit]
348th District Court[edit]
Brooke Allen
☐ Lisa Lumley
Mike Wallach
351st District Court[edit]
354th District Court[edit]
Keli Aiken
☐ Shawn Council
Craig Black
☐ Katherine Ferguson
360th District Court[edit]
☑ Patricia Baca Bennett
☐ Mike Sinha (i)
386th District Court[edit]
☐ Carlos Quezada
☑ Arcelia Trevino
391st District Court[edit]
392nd District Court[edit]
☑ Scott McKee
☐ Marianne Warren
395th District Court[edit]
399th District Court[edit]
☑ Frank Castro
☐ Ray J. Olivarri (i)
400th District Court[edit]
☐ Joshua Estes
☑ Maggie Jaramillo (i)
401st District Court[edit]
☐ Jim Pikl
☑ Mark Rusch (i)
402nd District Court[edit]
☑ Jeff Fletcher
☐ Brad McCampbell
405th District Court[edit]
☐ Ben Roeder
☑ Michelle Slaughter (i)
☐ Philip Washington
408th District Court[edit]
☐ Milton Fagin
Angelica Jimenez
Gabe Quintanilla
☐ Kristal Thomson
☐ Virgil Yanta
410th District Court[edit]
Kristin Bays
☐ Chuck Meyer
Jennifer Robin
416th District Court[edit]
☐ Andrea Kelly Bouressa
☐ Lon Garner
Michael Puhl
Andrea Thompson
421st District Court[edit]
☐ Charles R. Kimbrough
☑ Andrea St. Leger
422nd District Court[edit]
☐ Harry Weaver
☑ Michael Chitty (i)
426th District Court[edit]
☑ Fancy Jezek (i)
☐ Jeff Parker
427th District Court[edit]
☐ Jim Coronado (i)
☑ Tamara Needles
431st District Court[edit]
☑ Jonathan Bailey (i)
☐ Steven Weinstein
435th District Court[edit]
☐ Thomas Brewer III
☑ Patty Maginnis
☐ Michael Seiler
Note: Michael Seiler suspended his campaign on February 12, 2016, but his name appeared on the primary ballot. Seiler's resignation from office included a promise to withdraw from a runoff election if necessary. Seiler and Patty Maginnis would have qualified for a runoff election prior to Seiler's resignation. [7]
438th District Court[edit]
☑ Rosie Alvarado
☐ Lauro Bustamante
449th District Court[edit]
☐ Jaime Aleman
Jesse Contreras (i)
Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt
450th District Court[edit]
County courts[edit]
Bee County Court[edit]
☑ Stephanie Silvas (i)
☐ Doyle Barnett
Bexar County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
☑ John Longoria (i)
☐ Caitlin Howell
Cameron County Court[edit]
☐ Elizabeth Garza
Dan Sanchez
Eddie Trevino, Jr.
Cameron County Court at Law, No. 4[edit]
Sheila Garcia Bence
☐ Rene Gomez
☐ Carlos Monarrez
Daniel Robles
Cameron County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
Jesus Garcia Jr.
☐ Noe Robles
Estela Vasquez
Concho County Court[edit]
☑ David Dillard (i)
☐ Tiffany Owen
Collin County Civil Court at Law, No. 7[edit]
☐ James Angelino
☐ Melvin Thathiah
☑ David Waddill
Dallas County Criminal Court, Seat 2[edit]
Chika Anyiam
☐ Marilynn Mayse
Nancy Kennedy
Fort Bend County Court at Law, No. 5[edit]
Harris County Civil Court at Law, No. 1[edit]
☑ George Barnstone
☐ Richard Leach
☑ Clyde Leuchtag (i)
☐ Gloria Cantu Minnick
Hutchinson County Court[edit]
Jefferson County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
☐ Jesse Branick
☑ Terrence Holmes
Knox County Court[edit]
☐ Augustin Rodriguez
☑ Stan Wojcik
Newton County Court[edit]
Bobby Fillyaw
☐ Carl Ford
☐ Ricky Holmes
Paul Price
Parker County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
Lynn Marie Johnson
Curtis Jenkins (i)
☐ Deborah Kernan
Taylor County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
Harriett Haag
☐ Erica Hall
Kevin Wilhelm
Williamson County Court at Law, No. 2[edit]
Laura Barker
☐ Lesli Fitzpatrick
☐ Brandy Hallford
Warren Waterman
Analysis[edit]
Of the 298 seats up for election, 139 held races that featured more than one candidate. Of the 298 seats up for election, incumbents ran for re-election to 190 seats.
Election rules[edit]
Primary election[edit]
Partisan primaries are held if even one candidate files for a position. To advance to the general election, a candidate must win a majority (over 50 percent) of the vote. If no candidate in a race wins the majority—as in cases where more than two candidates are competing for a seat—a runoff election is held between the top two candidates.[8][9]
Though Texas officially has closed primaries (requiring that voters declare party affiliation in advance in order to participate), the state's primaries are functionally open; any registered voter may vote in any single party's primary if he or she has not voted in the primary of another party. The elections are closed, however, in that voters may not participate in the proceedings (a runoff primary or a convention) of another party thereafter.[8]
General election[edit]
The winning candidates from each major party's primary, as well as any additional minor party candidates, compete in a general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. If a candidate was unopposed in the general election, that candidate's name will still appear on the general election ballot.[8][10]
Judicial selection[edit]
Texas District Court[edit]
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The judges of the Texas District Courts are chosen in partisan elections. They serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[11]
Though Texas is home to more than 400 district courts, the courts are grouped into nine administrative judicial regions. Each region is overseen by a presiding judge who is appointed by the governor to a four-year term. According to the state courts website, the presiding judge may be a "regular elected or retired district judge, a former judge with at least 12 years of service as a district judge, or a retired appellate judge with judicial experience on a district court."[12]
Qualifications
To serve on the district courts, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of Texas;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- between the ages of 25 and 75;*[13]
- a practicing lawyer and/or state judge for at least four years; and
- a resident of his or her respective judicial district for at least two years.[11]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[11]
Texas County Court[edit]
- See also: Partisan election of judges
Judges of the county courts are elected in partisan elections by the county they serve and serve four-year terms, with vacancies filled by a vote of the county commissioners.[14]
Qualifications
To serve on a county court, a judge must:[14]
- be at least 25 years old;
- be a resident of his or her respective county for at least two years; and
- have practiced law or served as a judge for at least four years preceding the election.
Recent news[edit]
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Texas judicial election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also[edit]
- Local trial court judicial elections, 2016
- Judicial elections, 2016
- Texas judicial elections
- Judicial selection in Texas
External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ The Dallas Morning News, "Phyllis Lister Brown, Dallas County civil district court judge, dies," May 25, 2016
- ↑ The Woodlands Villager, "Abbott appoints Grant to 9th Court," June 17, 2016
- ↑ Victoria Advocate, "Governor appoints Bobby Bell to 267th District Court," August 5, 2016
- ↑ Community Impact Newspaper, "Maginnis appointed as 435th State District Court judge," April 6, 2016
- ↑ Round Rock Leader, "Williamson County appoints Laura Barker to lead court-at-law," June 13, 2016
- ↑ The Courier of Montgomery County, "Seiler resigns from 435th bench, avoids criminal prosecution," February 16, 2016
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The University of Texas at Austin: Texas Politics, "Winning Public Office: General Elections and Special Elections," January 29, 2014
- ↑ Texas Election Code, "Title 10, Sec. 172.003 and 172.004," accessed May 1, 2014
- ↑ Office of the Secretary of State, "1992-Current Election History," accessed August 20, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Qualifications for Office," accessed January 14, 2016
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
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