Andrew Hairston

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Andrew Hairston

Democratic Party

Candidate, Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 1, 2022

Next election

March 3, 2026

Education

High school

Pickerington High School

Bachelor's

Howard University, 2013

Personal

Birthplace

Winston-Salem, NC

Religion

Baptist

Profession

Nonprofit management

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Andrew Hairston (Democratic Party) is running for election for the Precinct 1 judge of the Travis County Justice of the Peace in Texas. Hairston declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 3, 2026.

Hairston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Andrew Hairston was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Hairston earned a high school diploma from Pickerington High School. Hairston earned a bachelor's degree from Howard University in 2013. Hairston's career experience includes working as a nonprofit management.

Elections

2026

See also: Municipal elections in Travis County, Texas (2026)

General election

The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

Andrew Hairston (D) and Ciara Parks (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Andrew Hairston
	Submit photo	Ciara Parks

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Hairston received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• Texas Working Families Party

2022

See also: Municipal elections in Travis County, Texas (2022)

General election

The general election was canceled. Incumbent Yvonne Williams won election in the general election for Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

Incumbent Yvonne Williams defeated Andrew Hairston in the Democratic primary for Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Yvonne Williams	78.2	12,155
		Andrew Hairston	21.8	3,394

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,549
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Andrew Hairston completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hairston's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a civil rights lawyer, writer, and democratic socialist; I have spent the past nine years fighting to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. After graduating from law school in Louisiana in 2016 - and becoming licensed to practice law in that jurisdiction the same year - I moved to DC to start my legal career. I came to Texas in 2019 and have been honored to deepen my ties in this grand state from year-to-year over the better half of a decade. I became licensed to practice law in Texas in 2021, and I currently manage a team of three people who use legislative advocacy and legal representation to advance education justice. I bring my Baptist faith and my zeal for community engagement to all of my political & professional endeavors.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Kids belong in class. Justices of the Peace handle truancy referrals (when kids are absent from school) in Texas. Using my experience as a civil rights lawyer and my knowledge of the school-to-prison pipeline, I will work to incorporate more holistic social services, rather than fines & fees, into the lives of children who appear in the Precinct One Justice Court. I intend to send kids back to their classrooms with the proper supportive resources as soon as possible.
• Families belong in their homes. Justices of the Peace hear evictions in Texas. In my practice and observation, working class Black and Brown Texans are disproportionately represented in these cases - seeking to both survive the exploitation that is inherent in capitalism and keep their intergenerational sites of joy: their homes. I will uplift principles of due process, fairness, and dignity into every eviction I hear, with the goal of giving rent-burdened tenants an opportunity to be heard in this important forum.
• No one is disposable. Justices of the Peace administer small claims and class C misdemeanors in Texas. As someone who is three years sober, I recognize that tough moments find all of us throughout our lives. For our neighbors who might be particularly struggling with homelessness and substance use challenges, I will offer deep compassion and a listening ear. No one is fully defined by their most difficult moments, and that wisdom will govern how I approach these quality-of-life cases.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

School-to-prison pipeline, social public housing, and a guaranteed basic income.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I admire my parents, Black southerners who are presently a minister and a public school administrator, a great deal. In these two stories, I see my own, as well as millions. Their sacrifices and tenacity continue to make my life possible.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe an elected official must display honesty and vulnerability. For example, although I am three years sober, that certainly was not always the case. Having a public servant vocally share their mistakes and challenges can, in my opinion, forge a stronger bond between them and the community they serve. Integrity grows from practicing those two principles, and it is also important to possess.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A Justice of the Peace in Texas must serve as a trusted and impartial arbiter of conflict. Using the wisdom and temperament that they've built over their life, a Justice of the Peace needs to guide litigants through stressful challenges with deliberate care and dignity.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I hope that my life will inspire future Black southerners to contend with class consciousness and have their politics be deeply informed by it.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11 occurred when I was ten years old. I remember being in the gym of my parochial school that day and hearing my principal come on the intercom, weeping.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a coffee barista at a Black-owned shop in Columbus, Ohio for a month in 2008.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Splinters by Leslie Jamison. I go back to particular lines from it all the time.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Zorro

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I struggled with alcohol use in my twenties. My faith and my community ultimately ushered me into my sobriety. I love the 360-degree view of substance use that I've developed. I've been there, and I never intend to forget that.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

In certain counties in Texas, Justices of the Peace are called upon to pronounce people dead. That is not the case in Travis County, but it is a fascinating reality.

How would you describe your legal philosophy?

My legal philosophy centers the reality that disenfranchisement has long accompanied the experience of people who are not propertied white men in the United States. The founding documents of this country reflect this inequality, most notably the Three-Fifths Compromise. My legal philosophy takes that history, with its impact on the present, into account. I labor assiduously to rectify the injustices wrought by this disenfranchisement, and I intend to make communities that have suffered under it whole.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

Judge Joy R. Jackson, my beloved aunt, is a judge who I greatly admire and who thankfully offers me counsel in real time.

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Yes, empathy is quite important for a judge to have.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

No

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I believe a democratic socialist like me can do impactful work to keep kids in school, honor the property rights of working families, and center the humanity of those who are struggling in our society as a Justice of the Peace.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, it can be beneficial. In my case, I will bring the legislative advocacy that I've engaged in from 2021 to 2025 in Texas - along with the relationships I've built through it - into my judicial service.

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

I am concerned that disenfranchised Black and Brown Texans do not adequately feel as though they can make their case in various components of the legal system. My run and my potential service on the bench seek to ameliorate that challenge.

What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the legal system in your state?

As we contend with the forces of privatization and fascism that are currently in power, I think that we have a real opportunity to demonstrate the power of working class people in all facets of American life. This holds true for the legal system as well, and I hope we can bring more perspectives of working people into the operation of a system that has great influence over the lives of many.

Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?

I have no current ambition for higher judicial office.

Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?

They can be useful tools when evaluated alongside other factors.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Austin Democratic Socialists of America

Council Member Krista Laine, Austin City Council, District 6
Council Member Mike Siegel, Austin City Council, District 7
Council Member Zo Qadri, Austin City Council, District 9
Trustee Lynn Boswell, Board President, Austin ISD Board of Trustees
United Workers of Integral Care

University Democrats (University of Texas at Austin)

Candidates hear many personal stories from voters. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching or memorable?

When I first ran for this office in 2022, a father shared his story of dealing with truancy in Austin ISD on his doorstep. I generally have found that people resonate deeply with the matters handled in Justice Court and my approach to them; that interaction was especially impactful and motivating.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I became a deacon at Ebenezer Third Baptist Church in Austin in 2023.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Andrew Hairston did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2026 Elections

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Government

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Candidate

Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1

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Footnotes

Texas courts

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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