In Texas, most judges are elected positions.
While they don’t get much attention on a ballot dominated by higher-profile political matchups, who voters choose to preside over state and local courts plays a major role in how quickly cases move, how the legal system treats people with underlying hardships and how much power other branches of the government are allowed to claim.
For example, many of Bexar County’s district and county courts oversee specialty dockets aimed at finding help for veterans, people struggling with substance abuse or those with mental health issues.
Democrats are now battling one another for these impactful positions in the March primary, since Bexar County’s last elected Republican judges were voted out of office in 2022.
Meanwhile at the statewide level, Republicans have controlled every bench seat for more than three decades, and last cycle spent big money flipping seats on regional appellate courts, too.
Their dominance is so strong they’ve created new courts to take business disputes and challenges to state law out of regional Democratic judges’ hands.
The San Antonio Report’s 2026 Primary Voter Guide covers every candidate on the Republican and Democratic primary ballots. All voters can participate in primary elections, even if they’re not affiliated with a party. Here’s how Texas primary voting works.
But single-party control has also led to some expensive primary fights in recent years, as factions of the GOP disagree on the courts’ role in shepherding their conservative policy agenda.
For example, Attorney General Ken Paxton used his influence to oust a trio of Republican incumbents on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals last election cycle, after the court ruled that he didn’t have broad authority to prosecute election fraud.
This year two more of those Republicans would have been up for reelection, but aren’t sticking around. Instead GOP primary voters will have a choice whether to replace them with more Paxton allies or not.
Early voting for the March 3 primary starts Feb. 17.
Read about how Texas courts have changed since the last election, and plan your ballot with our comprehensive guide to Bexar County’s Republican and Democratic judicial primaries.
The November ballot could also include third-party and independent candidates who qualify for the general election outside of the primary process.
Texas Supreme Court
The Texas Supreme Court is comprised of nine members who serve staggered, six-year terms. All seats are currently held by Republicans, four of whom are up for reelection in 2026.
Texas Supreme Court — Chief Justice
Republican Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock was appointed to the chief justice position by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2025, after the previous chief justice, Nathan Hecht, reached the state’s judicial age cap. Blacklock is unopposed in the Republican primary, and two Democrats are vying to run against him in November.
Republican candidates for Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice
Democrats running for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court
Texas Supreme Court — Place 2
Justice James P. Sullivan was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to fill this position when Justice Jimmy Blacklock was promoted to chief justice in January of 2025. Sullivan is now running to hold it for the rest of Blacklock’s unexpired term, and does not face a GOP primary challenger. He faces Democrat Chari Kelly in November.
Republican candidates for Texas Supreme Court — Place 2
Democrats running for Texas Supreme Court — Place 2
Texas Supreme Court — Place 7
Incumbent Republican Justice Kyle Hawkins was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in October 2025 to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd. Hawkins is unopposed in the GOP primary and will face the winner of a two-way Democratic primary in November.
Republican candidates for Texas Supreme Court — Place 7
Democrats running for Texas Supreme Court — Place 7
Texas Supreme Court — Place 8
Incumbent Republican Brett Busby is unopposed in the GOP primary. One Democrat, Gisela Triana, is running for the seat in November.
Republican candidates for Texas Supreme Court — Place 8
Democrats running for Texas Supreme Court — Place 8
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest appellate court for criminal cases in Texas. It’s comprised of nine members who serve staggered six-year terms.
All seats are currently held by Republicans, but they experienced major turnover in last cycle’s primary election after Attorney General Ken Paxton campaigned against long-serving Republican judges who said he didn’t have broad authority to prosecute election fraud.
Two remaining GOP judges who signed onto that ruling, Bert Richardson and David Newell, are retiring instead of seeking reelection this year.
A third Republican Justice, Kevin Patrick Yeary, is seeking a third term.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 3
Incumbent Republican Justice Bert Richardson is running for a lower court instead of seeking reelection. Four Republicans are running to take his place, and the winner will face Democrat Okey Anyiam in November.
Republicans for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 3
Democrats running for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 3
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 4
Incumbent Republican Justice Kevin Patrick Yeary is unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Audra Riley in November.
Republicans for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 4
Democrats running for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 4
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 9
Incumbent Republican Justice David Newell is retiring and two Republicans are running to take his place. The winner will face Democrat Holly Taylor in November.
Republicans for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 9
Democrats running for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals — Place 9
Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals
The 15th Court of Appeals was created during the 2023 legislative session to assume immediate appellate authority over cases involving the state, state leaders, challenges to state law and cases from the state’s new business court.
Its three inaugural justices, all Republicans, were appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott. They’re on the ballot for the first time in 2026, and will all face Democratic challengers in November.
Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice
Incumbent Republican Justice Scott Brister is unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Jerry Zimmerer in November.
Republican candidates for 15th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice
Democrats running for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice
Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 2
Incumbent Republican Justice Scott Field is unopposed in the GOP primary. He will face Democrat Tom Baker in November.
Republican candidates for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 2
Democrats running for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 2
Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 3
Incumbent Republican Justice April Farris is unopposed in the GOP primary. She will face Democrat Marc Meyer in November.
Republican candidates for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 3
Democrats running for Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals — Place 3
4th Court of Appeals
The 4th Court of Appeals is based in San Antonio, but hears appeals to cases from a 32-county region that includes parts of the Hill Country and South Texas. Its seven members serve staggered six-year terms.
Democrats held the majority of the seats going into the last election, but Republicans spent big money flipping nearly Democrat-held appellate court seat in the state in 2024, including electing three new Republicans on the 4th Court of Appeals.
This year just one seat, currently held by a retiring Democrat, is on the ballot. That means Democrats aren’t in a position to take back the majority in November, but Republicans could expand theirs. Gov. Greg Abbott could also be in a position to appoint another justice to backfill a seat held by a Democrat, if sitting Justice Velia Meza emerges from the Democratic primary in the chief justice race.
4th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice
Incumbent Democratic Chief Justice Rebecca Martinez is not seeking reelection. Two Democrats, 4th Court of Appeals Justice Velia Meza and District Court Judge Antonia Arteaga are running to fill her seat. The winner will face Republican Bert Richardson, who is retiring from a position on the statewide Court of Criminal Appeals.
Democrats running for Texas’ 4th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice
Republican candidates for 4th Court of Appeals — Chief Justice
District Courts
Each Texas county is served by at least one district court, but large counties like Bexar County have many of them, specializing in criminal, civil and juvenile cases. Judges serve four-year terms, with roughly half of the courts up for reelection in midterm years.
Democrats flipped the last remaining Republican-held district court judgeships in Bexar County in 2022, and have since started challenging one another in primaries.
This year there’s just one seat without an incumbent seeking reelection, in the 226th Criminal District Court. Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Republican Judge Ben Robertson to fill a vacancy in that position last year, but Robertson, whose background is in energy law, is seeking reelection to different bench seat that handles civil cases.
45th Civil District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Mary Lou Alvarez faces one primary opponent. No Republicans filed for this seat.
Democrats running for the 45th Civil District Court
Republican candidates for the 45th Civil District Court
None.
144th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Michael Mery faces one primary opponent, former county court judge Michael De Leon, who lost his reelection race to Democrat Melanie Lira in the primary in 2022. No Republicans filed for this seat.
Democrats running for the 144th Criminal District Court
Republican candidates for the 144th Criminal District Court
None.
150th Civil District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Monique Diaz is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 150th Civil District Court
Republican candidates for the 150th Civil District Court
None.
186th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Kristina Escalona is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 186th Criminal District Court
Republican candidates for the 186th Criminal District Court
None.
187th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Stephanie R. Boyd faces one Democratic primary challenger, Stephanie Franco, who has criticized Boyd over for livestreaming hearings, and picked up some unusual endorsements from organizer labor and law enforcement. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 187th Criminal District Court
Republican candidates for the 187th Criminal District Court
None.
224th Civil District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Marisa Flores faces one Democratic primary challenger, former Judge Grace M. Uzomba, who didn’t make it to the primary runoff in her 2022 reelection race for County Court at Law No. 2. The last time Uzomba was on the bench, she was reprimanded by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and stripped of her cases by the county’s administrative judge. No Republicans filed for the seat in 2026.
Democrats running for the 224th Civil District Court
Republican candidates for the 224th Civil District Court
None.
225th Civil District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Christine Vasquez-Hortick, who spent her first term seeking to end the presiding judge system that Bexar County has used for decades, is seeking a second term. She didn’t draw a Democratic primary challenger, but faces a Republican opponent, Benjamin Robertson, who wants to keep the old system. Robertson is currently a judge in a criminal district court, where he was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Democrats running for the 225th Civil District Court
Republican candidates for the 225th Civil District Court
226th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Republican Judge Benjamin Robertson, whose background is in energy law, was appointed to this criminal district court by Gov. Greg Abbott. This year Robertson is instead running for a bench seat in a civil district court. Two Democrats are vying to fill his seat. No Republicans filed for the race in November.
Democrats running for the 226th Criminal District Court
Republican candidates for the 226th Criminal District Court
None.
227th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Christine Del Prado is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 227th Criminal District Court
Republican candidates for the 227th Criminal District Court
None.
285th Civil District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Nadine Melissa Nieto is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 285th Civil District Court
Republican candidates for the 285th Civil District Court
None.
288th Civil District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Cynthia Marie Chapa is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 288th Civil District Court
Republican candidates for the 288th Civil District Court
None.
289th Juvenile District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Rose Sosa is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 289th Juvenile District Court
Republican candidates for the 289th Juvenile District Court
None.
290th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Jennifer Peña is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 290th Criminal District Court
Republican candidates for the 290th Criminal District Court
None.
436th Juvenile District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge William “Cruz” Shaw faces one Democratic primary challenger. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 436th Juvenile District Court
Republican candidates for the 436th Juvenile District Court
None.
437th Criminal District Court
Incumbent Democratic Judge Joel Perez is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for the seat.
Democrats running for the 437th Juvenile District Court
Republican candidates for the 436th Juvenile District Court
None.
Bexar County Courts-at-Law
Judges in the 15 Bexar County Courts serve four-year terms, and all of them are up for reelection in 2026. In a blue county, Democrats control every county bench seat, and few Republicans signed up to run against them.
This year there are two open seats, in County Court at Law No. 8 and No. 9, where incumbents are retiring. Several incumbent Democrats also face primary challengers.
County Court at Law No. 1
Incumbent Helen Petry Stowe is unopposed in the primary. She faces Republican Bob Behrens, a former judge, in November.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 1
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 1
County Court at Law No. 2
Incumbent Melissa Saenz is unopposed in the Democratic primary and did not draw a Republican challenger.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 2
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 2
None.
County Court at Law No. 3
Incumbent David Rodriguez is unopposed in the Democratic primary and did not draw a Republican challenger.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 3
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 3
None.
County Court at Law No. 4
Incumbent Alfredo Ximenez is unopposed in the Democratic primary. He faces Republican Jason Roland Garrahan in November.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 4
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 4
County Court at Law No. 5
Incumbent Andrea Arevalos is unopposed in the Democratic primary and did not draw a Republican challenger.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 5
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 5
None.
County Court at Law No. 6
Incumbent Erica Dominguez is unopposed in the Democratic primary and did not draw a Republican challenger.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 6
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 6
None.
County Court at Law No. 7
Incumbent Melanie Lira is unopposed in the Democratic primary and did not draw a Republican challenger.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 7
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 7
None.
County Court at Law No. 8
Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination to replace retiring Judge Mary Roman. The winner will face Republican Celeste Brown in November.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 8
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 8
County Court at Law No. 9
Three Democrats are running for their party’s nomination to replace retiring Judge Gloria Saldana. The winner will face Republican Daphne Previti Austin in November.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 9
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 9
County Court at Law No. 10
Incumbent Cesar Garcia faces two Democratic primary challengers. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 10
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 10
None.
County Court at Law No. 11
Incumbent Erica Peña is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 11
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 11
None.
County Court at Law No. 12
Incumbent Yolanda Huff faces one Democratic primary challenger, Lauren Zamora. The winner will face Republican Deborah Dietzmann in November.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 12
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 12
County Court at Law No. 13
Incumbent Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez faces one Democratic primary challenger, Alicia Perez, at the same time Gonzalez is under suspension for handcuffing a defense attorney in her courtroom in 2024. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 13
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 13
None.
County Court at Law No. 14
Incumbent Carlo Rodriguez Key, who switched over from the Republican Party in 2012, has held the seat since 2018. This year he faces one Democratic primary challenger, Audrey Martinez, who is relatively new to practicing law, and who Key has accused of not living in Bexar County. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 14
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 14
None.
County Court at Law No. 15
Incumbent Melissa Vara is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for County Court at Law No. 15
Republican candidates for County Court at Law No. 15
None.
Probate Courts
Bexar County has three probate courts that handle wills and the distribution of assets after a person’s death. They serve four-year terms, and two of them are on the ballot in 2026.
Probate Court No. 1
Incumbent Oscar J. Kazen is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for Probate Court No. 1
Republican candidates for Probate Court No. 1
None.
Probate Court No. 2
Incumbent Veronica Vasquez is unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans filed for this race.
Democrats running for Probate Court No. 2
Republican candidates for Probate Court No. 2
None.
San Antonio Report senior government and politics reporter Andrea Drusch built our primary voter guides. Questions? Email andrea@sareport.org.
