This story is part of the San Antonio Report’s 2026 Voter Guide. You can view all of the candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot here.
Bexar County is on track to elect a new generation of leaders in 2026, thanks to turnover in two top countywide offices.
Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai lost his primary after just a single term in the county’s chief executive role, and District Attorney Joe Gonzales is retiring after eight years as the county’s top prosecutor.
While Texas Republicans haven’t lost a statewide office in more than three decades, when it comes to the local level, Democrats are the reigning champions.
They’ve controlled every countywide office for more than a decade, and hope to keep that going with former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg as their nominee for Bexar County Judge, and former appellate judge Luz Elena Chapa as their candidate for District Attorney.
Both face Republican challengers who are underdogs on the Nov. 3 ballot, and could hold the roles for many years in a blue county.
Mark your calendar: San Antonio Report’s Bexar County Judge debate on Oct. 15
Unlike the city, where the City Council hires the police chief and top administrators, the county’s top law enforcement officials and record-keepers are elected positions.
They serve four-year terms, and most of them are on the ballot this November, including the District Attorney, Bexar County Clerk and Bexar County District Clerk.
Early voting runs Oct. 19-30. Use this tool to download a copy of your sample ballot.
Candidates are listed in the order they’ll appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Voter guide profiles are compiled using candidates’ filing paperwork, campaign materials and past news coverage. Click the links below to read more about the candidates.
Bexar County Commissioners Court
All of Texas’ 254 counties are governed by a five-member Commissioners Court, led by a county judge and four county commissioners who represent different geographic precincts.
They don’t get as much attention as mayors and city councils, in part because they don’t have as much authority as home-rule cities, which can create ordinances and oversee zoning.
Instead, counties are arms of the state, responsible for managing state duties like the criminal justice system, running elections, maintaining public records and rural infrastructure.
Typically that means fewer clashes with state leaders, but in recent years, both Democrats and Republicans have been targeting these normally sleepy roles to elevate bigger political agendas.
For example, a Republican county judge in Tarrant County reduced voting locations for the 2026 midterm election, while a progressive Democrat in Harris County tried to create a guaranteed income program.
Read more: Why county government is becoming a political battleground
Bexar County Commissioners Court is dominated by Democrats, and its members serve staggered four-year terms.
The Bexar County Judge, Precinct 2 and Precinct 4 commissioner positions are all on the Nov. 3 ballot, while Precinct 1 and 3 commissioners will be up in 2028, along with the Bexar County sheriff.
Bexar County Judge
Bexar County just subbed in a new top leader to replace longtime Judge Nelson Wolff in 2022, but Wolff’s successor, Democrat Peter Sakai, lasted just one term before losing his primary to former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg.
Nirenberg is now heavily favored to carry a blue county in November, where he faces Republican Patrick Von Dohlen, a longtime conservative activist.
Sakai is serving out the remainder of his term, which ends in December.
2026 candidates for Bexar County Judge
Bexar County Precinct 2 Commissioner
Commissioner Justin Rodriguez (Pct. 2) a Democrat, has represented Precinct 2 on the county’s West Side since 2019, when then-Judge Nelson Wolff appointed him to replace the late Commissioner Paul Elizondo.
He’s seeking reelection and faces Republican challenger David Sherwood Hill, a political newcomer, in November.
2026 candidates for Bexar County Pct. 2 Commissioner
Bexar County Precinct 4 Commissioner
Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert (Pct. 4), a Democrat who has held the seat since 2014, is the court’s longest-serving member.
He didn’t draw a Republican opponent this year, and instead he faces a challenge from an independent candidate, Roy Anthony II, who ran for San Antonio City Council last year.
2026 candidates for Bexar County Pct. 4 Commissioner
Bexar County District Attorney
District Attorney Joe Gonzales is retiring after eight years as the county’s top prosecutor. He was known for progressive justice reforms that voters seemed to reject even in the Democratic primary this year.
Democrats chose their nominee, former Fourth Court of Appeals Justice Luz Elena Chapa, over a field of eight candidates with more prosecutorial experience, including one of Gonzales’ top lieutenants.
Republicans just had one candidate sign up for the job, former prosecutor Ashley Foster, plus a former Republican judge who is running as an independent, Jason Wolff.
Candidates for Bexar County DA
Bexar County District Clerk
The district clerk is in charge of maintaining records and filings for the county’s roughly two dozen district courts — something that offices across the state have started offering online to varying degrees.
This year Bexar County is swapping someone new into the role, after incumbent Democrat Gloria Martinez lost her primary to Christine “Chris” Castillo, who is unopposed in the November election.
2026 candidates for Bexar County District Clerk
Bexar County Clerk
The county clerk is the official custodian of important public and legal documents for the county, and Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark, a Democrat, is running unopposed for a third term.
She fended off a primary challenger in a runoff this year but did not draw a Republican opponent.
