Michelle Butler
Michelle Butler (Democratic Party) is running for election for the Precinct 6 judge of the Denton County Justice of the Peace Courts in Texas. Butler is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Butler completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Michelle Butler's career experience includes working as a political strategist.[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Municipal elections in Denton 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.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 6
Sophia Anwar (D) and Michelle Butler (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 6 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Sophia Anwar  | |
 | Michelle Butler | |
| ||||
| = 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 Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 6
Incumbent Blanca Oliver (R) is running in the Republican primary for Denton County Justice of the Peace Precinct 6 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Blanca Oliver | ||
| ||||
| = 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
Butler received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Butler's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Michelle Butler completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Butler's responses.
| Collapse all
My name is Michelle Butler, and I am a candidate for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 6 in Denton County, Texas. I have lived in Carrollton for 22 years and am a naturalized U.S. citizen. I am the parent of two students in Lewisville ISD, including one at Hebron High School and one at Hebron Valley Elementary.
For more than 17 years, I have worked in public policy, political strategy, and candidate development focused on issues affecting working families. I have served in senior advisory roles on presidential campaigns, including those of Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris. I have also worked with issue-based organizations advancing economic justice and family-centered policy.
I previously managed a multi-million-dollar budget at EMILY’s List, where I supported the re-election efforts of pro-choice women in the U.S. House. I served as Texas State Director for Run for Something, recruiting and training young candidates for local and state office. At the National Democratic Training Committee, I developed and led live training programs for candidates and organizers nationwide. Over the course of my career, I have managed teams of more than 280 people and overseen large-scale operations and budgets.
My professional experience has prepared me to lead a court that is efficient, accessible, and responsive to the needs of working families. My priorities include expanding court hours to reduce barriers for individuals who cannot afford to miss work, addressing truancy cases with a focus on returning students to the classroom rather than pushing them into the justice system, and ensuring fairness and transparency in debt and lending-related cases by protecting due process rights and holding parties accountable to legal standards.
I am committed to administering the law fairly, ensuring that all parties are treated with dignity, and maintaining public trust in the court.
- Independent, accountable local justice Justice of the Peace courts are the front door of the legal system. I will uphold the law fairly, resist political pressure, and ensure every decision is rooted in accountability and due process.
- Courts designed for real life Court systems should reflect how people actually live and work. I will advocate for court hours and practices that don’t punish working families for participating in the justice system.
- Accessible mediation and fair outcomes Most people in JP court are navigating it alone. I will prioritize clear communication, accessible mediation, and fair resolutions that reduce harm and keep people housed, employed, and stable whenever possible.
Run for Something
State Representative Rhetta Andrews Bowers
State Representative John Bryant
State Representative Venton Jones
Flower Mound City Councilman Brian Webb
Lewisville Councilman Brandon Jones
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.
Campaign website
Butler's campaign website stated the following:
WHERE MICHELLE STANDS ON THE ISSUES & WHY THEY MATTER.
Debt disputes deserve clarity, not confusion.
Working families often face immense pressure when dealing with financial difficulties. Most families want to stay in good standing and make things right; most businesses want to be paid fairly for the goods and services they’ve provided. As Justice of the Peace, Michelle will keep debt cases rooted in facts and law - not in who can hire help or decode a maze.
Her plan will transform the current complex system into one that is clear and accessible, preventing financial conflicts from escalating and offering a hopeful path towards resolution for all.
Minor offenses shouldn’t become major setbacks.
No one’s life should be thrown off course by a single ticket or a missed court date. As Justice of the Peace, Michelle will prioritize equitable outcomes that hold people accountable without trapping working families in a cycle of fines, fees, and jail time.
She understands the importance of exploring every lawful option to reduce burdens on low-income residents - expanding access to payment plans, waiving eligible fees, and offering community service or educational classes when appropriate. When jail is not required by law or public safety, she will prioritize alternatives that allow people to keep their jobs, care for their children, and move forward.
Strong Neighborhoods Start With Stable Housing.
When an eviction happens, everyone loses. Families lose stability, jobs, school routines, and community ties get shaken. Landlords lose time and money with repairs, vacancy, marketing, court costs, and the risk of longer downtime.
The court plays a crucial role in these challenging circumstances. Its role is to uphold the law impartially, ensuring that legal procedures are followed correctly and that both landlords and tenants have their rights protected. Michelle will strive to prevent avoidable harm, recognizing the impact of eviction on individuals and communities.
The goal is to strike a delicate balance between legal adherence and the mitigation of human and financial costs.
Kids should be in class, not court.
Absences usually signal a problem: transportation, health, caregiving, housing, or a school mismatch - not a crime. As Justice of the Peace sitting as a truancy court, Michelle’s focus is to solve the root problem and keep students learning.
Punishing kids and their families for absences takes away from the community. Michelle’s goal get to the bottom of those systemic issues by working with students, families, and schools to find solutions that actually stick. This whole approach is about solving for what prevents kids from being in class, keeping them learning, and on track for a good education. By focusing on fixing problems instead of just handing out punishments, truancy court becomes a place that helps students thrive and stay in school.
Mental health deserves care, not cuffs.
When a case involves mental health challenges, justice should focus on safety, stability, and treatment not reflexively on jail. As a dedicated Justice of the Peace, Michelle is committed to leveraging every lawful diversion tool at her disposal. Her core objective is to skillfully connect individuals facing such challenges with appropriate care and resources.
This approach aims not only to mitigate repeat crises within the community, but also to fortify overall public safety through proactive intervention and support. Michelle's vision for justice is rooted in understanding and rehabilitation, ensuring that those in need receive the help necessary to navigate their mental health journey while upholding the integrity and security of the community.
— Michelle Butler's campaign website (February 25, 2026)
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Michelle Butler ," February 24, 2026
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
