Ask any of them: The system stinks. Even the winners don’t like the way they are put on the bench by voters in general elections. Most voters simply have no idea who they are voting for or why. It’s either a guessing game or a straight party line vote.
Just about everything that happens at the county courthouse involves a judge, whether it’s a criminal trial, a juvenile facing jail time, a divorce, a family custody case, a business dispute, or the disposition of abused children. Judges play an important role in our society, yet they occupy the bottom of every election ballot. The candidates know most of the people who vote are ready to exit the voting booth by the time they reach the judicial races with their unfamiliar names, confusing court numbers, and long lists of races.
It doesn’t take long to sweep out some judges and sweep in some others. Neither approach — guessing name recognition or ethnicity or voting the party line — is an effective way to pick good judges or send the bad ones packing.
Most judges loathe running in partisan races that require them to raise campaign funds, mostly from the lawyers who practice in their courts, and then sit and pray on election night that they aren’t affiliated with the wrong party. A few of the candidates raise enough money to buy billboards, put out yard signs and buy some media advertising. Most struggle to mount robust campaigns.
Even a well-run campaign is no guarantee voters will learn why one candidate is a better choice than his or her lesser-known opponent. The simple reality of an attractive or familiar last name, or confusion over a candidate’s identity, can swing a race in the wrong direction.
It happens all the time.
Unfortunately, those who do know the sitting judges and their challengers know that neither party has the corner on good judicial candidates. Each party has its share of good judges and not-so-good judges. There’s simply no way to vote the party line and elect the best possible bench. When you do vote the party line, know that you are probably throwing out a good judge and putting in a less desirable judge.
Tuesday night it was the Democrats turn to feel the pain. With all precincts reporting, Republicans won all 12 contested district court judicial races. One Democrat was re-elected unopposed. Two unopposed Republicans were re-elected. The Democrats won a single county court at law race that was contested, going 1-13 for the night. Here are the final totals:
District Court Judicial Races
District Judge, 45th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Stephani Walsh (REP). . . . . . . 155,925 53.40 100,482 55,443
John Bustamante (DEM) . . . . . . 136,092 46.60 83,845 52,247
District Judge, 144th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Lorina Rummel (REP) . . . . . . . 155,554 53.54 100,219 55,335
Paul Vasquez (DEM) . . . . . . . 135,008 46.46 83,107 51,901
District Judge, 150th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Renée McElhaney (REP) . . . . . . 157,636 54.05 101,846 55,790
Edna Elizondo (DEM) . . . . . . . 134,034 45.95 82,296 51,738
District Judge, 186th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Jefferson Moore (REP) . . . . . . 146,305 50.36 93,225 53,080
Mary T. Green (DEM) . . . . . . . 144,192 49.64 90,125 54,067
District Judge, 187th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Steve Hilbig (REP) . . . . . . . 155,372 52.88 99,348 56,024
Stephanie R. Boyd (DEM). . . . . . 138,452 47.12 86,260 52,192
District Judge, 224th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Cathleen "Cathy" Stryker (REP) . . . 161,405 55.37 104,050 57,355
Lauro Bustamante (DEM) . . . . . . 130,102 44.63 79,896 50,206
District Judge, 225th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Peter Sakai (DEM). . . . . . . . 185,627 100.00 115,446 70,181
District Judge, 226th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Sid Harle (REP) . . . . . . . . 192,409 100.00 121,840 70,569
District Judge, 227th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Kevin M. O'Connell (REP) . . . . . 155,161 53.52 100,042 55,119
Tony Jimenez (DEM) . . . . . . . 134,755 46.48 82,950 51,805
District Judge, 285th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Richard Price (REP) . . . . . . . 156,197 53.78 100,948 55,249
Raymond A. Villareal (DEM). . . . . 134,215 46.22 82,386 51,829
District Judge, 288th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Sol Casseb (REP) . . . . . . . . 165,767 56.82 106,622 59,145
James A. Rickerson (DEM) . . . . . 125,948 43.18 77,521 48,427
District Judge, 289th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Daphne Previti Austin (REP) . . . . 147,916 50.97 95,022 52,894
Carmen Kelsey (DEM) . . . . . . . 142,262 49.03 88,227 54,035
District Judge, 290th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Melisa Skinner (REP). . . . . . . 153,076 52.77 98,539 54,537
Jennifer Peña (DEM) . . . . . . . 137,011 47.23 84,494 52,517
District Judge, 436th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Lisa Jarrett (REP) . . . . . . . 162,874 56.38 104,625 58,249
Eddie Bravenec (DEM). . . . . . . 126,021 43.62 77,701 48,320
District Judge, 437th Judicial District
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Lori I. Valenzuela (REP) . . . . . 192,588 100.00 121,162 71,426
County Court at Law Races
Judge, County Court at Law No. 1
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
John D. Fleming (REP) . . . . . . 148,188 51.06 94,815 53,373
Al Alonso (DEM) . . . . . . . . 142,032 48.94 88,425 53,607
Judge, County Court at Law No. 2
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Jason Wolff (REP). . . . . . . . 154,882 53.31 99,474 55,408
Jeanette Burney Sullivan (DEM) . . . 135,663 46.69 83,894 51,769
Judge, County Court at Law No. 3
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Art Rossi (REP) . . . . . . . . 143,515 49.55 91,642 51,873
David J. Rodriguez (DEM) . . . . . 146,094 50.45 91,097 54,997
Judge, County Court at Law No. 4
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Jason R. Garrahan (REP). . . . . . 149,921 51.82 96,241 53,680
Alfredo Ximenez (DEM) . . . . . . 139,406 48.18 86,351 53,055
Judge, County Court at Law No. 5
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Jason Pulliam (REP) . . . . . . . 152,846 52.88 98,387 54,459
Brenda Levenstein (DEM). . . . . . 136,178 47.12 84,071 52,107
Judge, County Court at Law No. 6
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Wayne Christian (REP) . . . . . . 148,533 51.19 95,268 53,265
Rochelle Acevedo (DEM) . . . . . . 141,626 48.81 87,918 53,708
Judge, County Court at Law No. 7
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Eugenia "Genie" Wright (REP) . . . . 154,670 53.47 99,785 54,885
Michael De Leon (DEM) . . . . . . 134,599 46.53 82,769 51,830
Judge, County Court at Law No. 8
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Celeste Brown (REP) . . . . . . . 146,975 50.71 94,011 52,964
Liza Rodriguez (DEM). . . . . . . 142,872 49.29 88,890 53,982
Judge, County Court at Law No. 9
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Walden Shelton (REP). . . . . . . 155,298 53.86 100,413 54,885
Carlos Quezada (DEM). . . . . . . 133,017 46.14 81,513 51,504
Judge, County Court at Law No. 10
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Karen Crouch (REP) . . . . . . . 150,162 51.59 96,307 53,855
Tina Torres (DEM). . . . . . . . 140,933 48.41 87,544 53,389
Judge, County Court at Law No. 11
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Tommy Stolhandske (REP). . . . . . 152,815 52.79 97,875 54,940
Carlo Key (DEM) . . . . . . . . 136,643 47.21 84,951 51,692
Judge, County Court at Law No. 12
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Scott Roberts (REP) . . . . . . . 150,201 51.83 97,160 53,041
John A. Longoria (DEM) . . . . . . 139,585 48.17 85,763 53,822
Judge, County Court at Law No. 13
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Crystal Chandler (REP) . . . . . . 152,733 52.78 98,796 53,937
Rosa Maria"Rosie"Gonzalez (DEM) . . . 136,666 47.22 83,805 52,861
Judge, County Court at Law No. 14
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Susan Skinner (REP) . . . . . . . 152,866 52.69 98,232 54,634
Ernest Acevedo, Jr. (DEM) . . . . . 137,243 47.31 84,909 52,334
Judge, County Court at Law No. 15
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Bob Behrens (REP). . . . . . . . 145,835 50.33 93,571 52,264
Michael T. LaHood (DEM). . . . . . 143,918 49.67 89,262 54,656
Judge, County Probate Court No. 1
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Kelly M. Cross (REP). . . . . . . 146,611 50.73 93,215 53,396
Barbara"Barbie"Scharf-Zeldes (DEM) . . 142,418 49.27 89,248 53,170
Judge, County Probate Court No. 2
Vote For 1
(WITH 712 OF 712 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
Tom Rickhoff (REP) . . . . . . . 193,443 100.00 121,617 71,826
Click here to view all Bexar County election results.
This story was originally published on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014.
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It’s pathetic that people vote without doing their due diligence to learn about each candidate/judge. If you vote blindly you should not complain when rules pertaining to womens rights change due to an erroneous ruling by a judge.
All too true, unfortunately.
Exactly!
Not happy with the election results?
All too true and unfortunate. Many on the local and district judiciary get swept in and out with each election cycle. Those who don’t draw an opponent breathe a sigh of relief that they don’t have to deal with the uncertainty of political winds. While some people equate these judges with the political winds of the Supreme Court or other higher benches, in many cases they are just managing the legal system put forth by our state legislature. In fact, Canon 5 of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct prohibits them from expressing a political viewpoint about laws regarding cases that may come before them.
State Rep. Justin Rodriguez tried to start the process of changing the way we select judges in TX by instituting a study (HB 2772) on the matter during the last session of the Lege. It was about all the legislators would be able to agree to at this point. It’s intended to start a conversation. Not sure what the results of that are, but it might be good to talk to him about the matter.