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Ray Wheless

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Ray Wheless

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Prior offices
Texas 366th District Court

Education

Bachelor's

California State College

Law

University of Texas

Ray Wheless (Republican Party) was a judge of the Texas 366th District Court. He assumed office in 2014. He left office in 2019.

Wheless (Republican Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 366th District Court. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Wheless ran for a seat on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2016 and was one of the top two finishers in the Republican primary.[1] He faced Mary Lou Keel in a May 24 runoff and was defeated.

Career

At the time of his appointment to the Texas District 366 bench, Wheless was a judge on the Collin County Court at Law bench.[2]

Education

Wheless received his undergraduate degree from California State College and his J.D. from the University of Texas.[2]

Elections

2018

General election

General election for Texas 366th District Court

Incumbent Ray Wheless won election in the general election for Texas 366th District Court on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Ray Wheless (R)
 
100.0
 
212,516

Total votes: 212,516
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas 366th District Court

Incumbent Ray Wheless advanced from the Republican primary for Texas 366th District Court on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Ray Wheless
 
100.0
 
44,431

Total votes: 44,431
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2016

Main article: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals elections, 2016

Wheless announced that he would challenge incumbent judge Lawrence Meyers (D) in 2016. He faced fellow Republican judges Chris Oldner and Mary Lou Keel in a primary election. He was one of the top two finishers and faced Keel in a May 24 runoff.[1] He was defeated.

May 24 primary runoff

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Republican Runoff, Place 2, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Mary Lou Keel 50.87% 184,405
     Republican Ray Wheless 49.13% 178,114
Total Votes (100% Reporting) 362,519
Source: Texas Secretary of State Official Results

March 1 primary

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2, Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Mary Lou Keel 39.42% 785,448
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Ray Wheless 35.43% 705,909
     Republican Chris Oldner 25.15% 501,063
Total Votes (100% Reporting) 1,992,420
Source: Texas Secretary of State Official Results

2014

See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
Wheless ran for re-election to the 366th District Court.
Primary: He ran unopposed in the Republican primary on March 4, 2014.
General: He won without opposition in the general election on November 4, 2014. [3][4] 

2010

See also: Texas district court judicial elections, 2010

Wheless was re-elected after running unopposed. 

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.[5]

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."[6]

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;*[7]
  • 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.[5]

*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[5]

See also

Collin County, Texas Texas Municipal government Other local coverage
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External links

Footnotes