Jennifer Peña

Jennifer Peña

Democratic Party

Candidate, Texas 290th District Court

Texas 290th District Court

Tenure

2019 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

7

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Next election

March 3, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

University of Texas, Austin

Law

St. Mary's University School of Law

Contact

Personal LinkedIn

Jennifer Peña (Democratic Party) is a judge of the Texas 290th District Court. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. Her current term ends on December 31, 2026.

Peña (Democratic Party) is running for re-election for judge of the Texas 290th District Court. She declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on March 3, 2026.^[source]

Biography

Jennifer Pena received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law. Pena is an attorney who started her own practice in 2009. She served as a prosecutor in Cameron County and Bexar County. She taught American law at the Universidad de Especialidades Espiritu Santo in Guayaquil, Ecuador after she graduated law school.

Elections

2026

See also: Municipal elections in Bexar 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 Texas 290th District Court

Incumbent Jennifer Peña (D) is running in the Democratic primary for Texas 290th District Court on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Jennifer Peña

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Endorsements

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2022

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

General election

The general election was canceled. Incumbent Jennifer Peña won election in the general election for Texas 290th District Court.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas 290th District Court

Incumbent Jennifer Peña advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 290th District Court on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Jennifer Peña	100.0	81,640

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 81,640
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

General election

General election for Texas 290th District Court

Jennifer Peña defeated incumbent Melisa Skinner in the general election for Texas 290th District Court on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Jennifer Peña (D)	56.9	304,142
	Submit photo	Melisa Skinner (R)	43.1	230,221

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 534,363
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas 290th District Court

Jennifer Peña defeated Stephanie Brown in the Democratic primary for Texas 290th District Court on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Jennifer Peña	74.2	55,897
	Submit photo	Stephanie Brown	25.8	19,435

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 75,332
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas 290th District Court

Incumbent Melisa Skinner advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 290th District Court on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Melisa Skinner	100.0	50,861

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 50,861
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Selection method

See also: Partisan election of judges

Judges of the county courts are elected in partisan elections by the county they serve and serve four-year terms, with vacancies filled by a vote of the county commissioners.

Qualifications
To serve on a county court, a judge must:

• be at least 25 years old;
• be a resident of his or her respective county for at least two years; and
• have practiced law or served as a judge for at least four years preceding the election.

2014

See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
Pena ran for election to the 290th District Court.
Primary: She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on March 4, 2014.
General: She was defeated in the general election on November 4, 2014, after receiving 47.2 percent of the vote. She competed against Melisa Skinner.  

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

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2022

Jennifer Peña did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

2026 Elections

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Government

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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