Elaine Palmer
Elaine H. Palmer was a judge of the Texas 215th District Court. She left office on December 31, 2024.
Palmer (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 215th District Court. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Palmer received her undergraduate degree from the University of Houston, and earned her J.D. from Texas Wesleyan School of Law.[1]
Prior to her judicial election, Palmer was a practicing attorney for 14 years.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2024)
General election
General election for Texas 215th District Court
Nathan Milliron defeated incumbent Elaine H. Palmer in the general election for Texas 215th District Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Nathan Milliron (R)  | 50.0 | 726,251 |
 | Elaine H. Palmer (D) | 50.0 | 725,947 | |
| Total votes: 1,452,198 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 215th District Court
Incumbent Elaine H. Palmer advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 215th District Court on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Elaine H. Palmer | 100.0 | 137,191 |
| Total votes: 137,191 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 215th District Court
Nathan Milliron advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 215th District Court on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Nathan Milliron | 100.0 | 140,950 |
| Total votes: 140,950 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Palmer in this election.
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2020)
General election
General election for Texas 215th District Court
Incumbent Elaine H. Palmer defeated Fred Shuchart in the general election for Texas 215th District Court on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Elaine H. Palmer (D) | 54.3 | 838,627 |
 | Fred Shuchart (R) | 45.7 | 705,624 | |
| Total votes: 1,544,251 | |||
| = 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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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 215th District Court
Incumbent Elaine H. Palmer advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 215th District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Elaine H. Palmer | 100.0 | 230,685 |
| Total votes: 230,685 | |||
| = 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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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 215th District Court
Fred Shuchart advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 215th District Court on March 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Fred Shuchart | 100.0 | 154,011 |
| Total votes: 154,011 | |||
| = 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
Incumbent Elaine Palmer defeated Fred Shuchart in the Texas 215th District Court general election.
| Texas 215th District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Elaine Palmer Incumbent |
52.49% | 664,483 | |
| Republican | Fred Shuchart | 47.51% | 601,446 | |
| Total Votes | 1,265,929 | |||
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Election Results," accessed December 9, 2016 | ||||
Incumbent Elaine Palmer defeated JoAnne Storey in the Texas 215th District Court Democratic primary runoff.
| Texas 215th District Court, Democratic Primary Runoff, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Elaine Palmer Incumbent |
57.21% | 15,486 |
| JoAnne Storey | 42.79% | 11,585 |
| Total Votes | 27,071 | |
| Source: Harris County Clerk. "Election Night Results," accessed May 24, 2016 | ||
| Texas 215th District Court, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Elaine Palmer Incumbent |
43.13% | 66,494 |
| JoAnne Storey |
27.49% | 42,379 |
| Joshua Verde | 20.07% | 30,942 |
| Jonathan C.C. Day | 9.31% | 14,361 |
| Total Votes | 154,176 | |
| Source: Harris County, Texas, "Democratic Party Cumulative Report-Unofficial," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
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.[3]
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."[4]
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;*[5]
- 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.[3]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[3]
Endorsements
Palmer received the endorsement of the Houston Black American Democrats prior to the Democratic primary.[6]
2012
Palmer ran for election to the 215th District Court and defeated challenger Ken Shortreed with 50.5 percent of the vote.[7] She had defeated fellow Democrat Steven E. Kirkland in the primary election.[8]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Elaine H. Palmer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Elaine H. Palmer did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Elaine Palmer for 215th Civil District Judge campaign website, About Elaine Palmer
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 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
- ↑ Off the Kuff, "2016 Election," accessed February 19, 2016
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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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
