Benjamin N. Smith (Texas)
Benjamin N. Smith (Republican Party) is a judge of the Texas 380th District Court. His current term ends on December 31, 2028.
Smith (Republican Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 380th District Court. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Smith was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry (R) in August 2012.[1]
Biography
Smith received his undergraduate degree and J.D. from Boston University.[1] When Smith was appointed to the bench, he was working as an attorney practicing privately. He also previously served as chief felony prosecutor in the Collin County district attorney's office and former assistant district attorney for Kaufman County.[1]
Awards and associations
- State Bar of Texas
- Texas District and County Attorney's Association
- Collin County Young Lawyers Association (former)[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Collin County, Texas (2024)
General election
General election for Texas 380th District Court
Incumbent Benjamin N. Smith won election in the general election for Texas 380th District Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Benjamin N. Smith (R) | 100.0 | 312,630 | |
| Total votes: 312,630 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 380th District Court
Incumbent Benjamin N. Smith advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 380th District Court on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Benjamin N. Smith | 100.0 | 60,419 | |
| Total votes: 60,419 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Smith in this election.
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Collin County, Texas (2020)
General election
General election for Texas 380th District Court
Incumbent Benjamin N. Smith defeated Penny Robe in the general election for Texas 380th District Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Benjamin N. Smith (R) | 56.5 | 258,945 | |
 | Penny Robe (D) | 43.5 | 199,461 | |
| Total votes: 458,406 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 380th District Court
Penny Robe advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 380th District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Penny Robe | 100.0 | 57,081 |
| Total votes: 57,081 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 380th District Court
Incumbent Benjamin N. Smith defeated Melvin Thathiah in the Republican primary for Texas 380th District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Benjamin N. Smith | 82.5 | 48,213 | |
 | Melvin Thathiah | 17.5 | 10,262 | |
| Total votes: 58,475 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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2016
Texas held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 1, 2016. A primary runoff election was held on May 24, 2016, for any seat where the top vote recipient did not receive a majority of the primary vote.[2] Ben Smith ran unopposed in the Texas 380th District Court Republican primary.[3]
| Texas 380th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
 Ben Smith | ||
Smith won without opposition in the general election.
Selection method
- 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.[4]
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."[5]
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;*[6]
- 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.[4]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[4]
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Benjamin N. Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Benjamin N. Smith did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Office of Gov. Rick Perry, "Gov. Perry Appoints Smith as Judge of 380th Judicial District Court in Collin County," August 9, 2012
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 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
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
