John Donovan
John Donovan (Republican Party) is running for election for judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 in Texas. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.
Donovan (Republican Party) was a judge for Place 8 of the Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals. He left office on December 31, 2018.
Education
Donovan received his J.D. from the South Texas College of Law.[1]
Career
- 2013 - Present: Justice, Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals
- 2010-2012: Judge, Texas District 113
- 2009-2010: Director of judicial and legal issues for Judge Ed Emmett
- 1997-2008: Judge, Texas District 61[1]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2000: Judicial Award from the Houston Bar Association Golf Tournament Committee
- 2000: Judge of the Year by the Houston Police Officers Union, Local 2
- 1998, 2000: Judge of the Year by P.O.L.I.C.E., Inc.[1]
Associations
- College of State Bar of Texas
- Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Houston Subcommittee of the State Bar of Texas
- Houston Bar Foundation
- Houston Young Lawyer’s Foundation
- Texas Bar Foundation[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Municipal elections in Harris County, Texas (2026)
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4
Incumbent Manpreet Singh (D) and John Donovan (R) are running in the general election for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Manpreet Singh (D) | |
| John Donovan (R) | ||
| ||||
 = 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
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4
Incumbent Manpreet Singh (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Manpreet Singh | 100.0 | 294,140 |
| Total votes: 294,140 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Republican primary for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4
John Donovan (R) advanced from the Republican primary for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | John Donovan | 100.0 | 148,949 | |
| Total votes: 148,949 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
Donovan received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
2018
General election
General election for Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals Place 8
Margaret Poissant defeated incumbent John Donovan in the general election for Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals Place 8 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Margaret Poissant (D) | 51.7 | 892,775 |
| John Donovan (R) | 48.3 | 833,445 | ||
| Total votes: 1,726,220 | |||
| = 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 Fourteenth District Court of Appeals Place 8
Margaret Poissant defeated Michele Barber Chimene in the Democratic primary for Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals Place 8 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Margaret Poissant | 58.6 | 110,241 |
| Michele Barber Chimene | 41.4 | 77,896 | ||
| Total votes: 188,137 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals Place 8
Incumbent John Donovan advanced from the Republican primary for Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals Place 8 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | John Donovan | |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
2012
Donovan ran for the Texas Fourteenth District Court of Appeals and defeated judicial candidate Julia Maldonado in the general election on November 6, 2012, with 52.7% of the vote.[2][3]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
2010
Donovan ran for a seat on Texas District 113 and defeated Christina Bryan in the general election, winning 55.2% of the vote.[4]
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Campaign Website Bio
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Results," November 6, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedtge - ↑ Harris County, "2010 Election Results," accessed October 28, 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
