Stephanie Draper

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Stephanie Draper

Democratic Party

Candidate, Denton County Commissioners Court District 4

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 3, 2026

Next election

November 3, 2026

Education

High school

Ashworth College

Personal

Religion

Baptist Christian

Profession

Businesswoman

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal Facebook

Stephanie Draper (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Denton County Commissioners Court to represent District 4 in Texas. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2026. She advanced from the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.

Draper completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Stephanie Draper earned a high school diploma from Ashworth College. Draper's career experience includes working as an insurance agent and businesswoman.

Elections

2026

See also: Municipal elections in Denton County, Texas (2026)

General election

The primary occurred 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.

General election for Denton County Commissioners Court District 4

Stephanie Draper (D) is running in the general election for Denton County Commissioners Court District 4 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Stephanie Draper (D)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

Democratic primary for Denton County Commissioners Court District 4

Stephanie Draper (D) advanced from the Democratic primary for Denton County Commissioners Court District 4 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Draper	100.0	15,836

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 15,836
= 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 Commissioners Court District 4

Incumbent Dianne Edmondson (R), Gerard Hudspeth (R), Valerie Roehrs (R), and David Wylie (R) ran in the Republican primary for Denton County Commissioners Court District 4 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Dianne Edmondson
	Submit photo	Gerard Hudspeth
		Valerie Roehrs
	Submit photo	David Wylie

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The outcome of this election has not been called yet.
= 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

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2024

See also: Texas State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Texas State Senate District 12

Incumbent Tan Parker defeated Stephanie Draper in the general election for Texas State Senate District 12 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tan Parker (R)	61.4	277,734
		Stephanie Draper (D)	38.6	174,875

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 452,609
= 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12

Stephanie Draper advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas State Senate District 12 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Draper	100.0	29,671

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,671
= 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 State Senate District 12

Incumbent Tan Parker advanced from the Republican primary for Texas State Senate District 12 on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tan Parker	100.0	83,322

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 83,322
= 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

Draper received the following endorsements.

• Texas AFL-CIO

Pledges

Draper signed the following pledges.

• U.S. Term Limits

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Stephanie Draper completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Draper's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am Stephanie Draper, a small business owner, community advocate, and a proud resident of Denton County. I am running for Denton County Commissioner Precinct 4 because I believe our county government should be responsive, transparent, and focused on the real needs of everyday people. As an insurance agent, wedding and event planner , officiant and small business consultant, and podcast host, I have spent years serving families, and working with residents. My professional background has given me firsthand experience with budgeting, problem solving, contract review, and helping people navigate complex systems, skills that are critical for effective county leadership. I am not a career politician. I am a working woman who understands the pressures facing seniors, small businesses, families, and communities that often feel overlooked in county decision making. I believe in fiscal responsibility with transparency, fair treatment of county employees, safe infrastructure and reliable transportation, ensuring every resident feels heard and represented and access to countywide voting on election day.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Real Representation for the people. County government should listen to everyday residents not just insiders or special interests. I want to make sure that every seniors, working families, small businesses, and historically overlooked communities have a seat at the table and a commissioner who truly hears them. "A voice for the people".
• Responsible Growth and Infrastructure That Works, Denton County is growing fast but, growth must be planned responsibly. I support fixing county roads, improving safe transportation, addressing traffic concerns, and ensuring infrastructure keeps up with development without sacrificing quality of life. "Smart growth, Safe roads and Strong communities.
• People First Investment, Safety, Mental Health and Accountability. County government should prioritize, mental health resources and facilities, transparent budgeting, fair treatment of county employees and policies that protect resident and taxpayer dollars. I believe public funds should serve the people and not corporate interests.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Protecting Voting Rights and Expanding Access. I believe every eligible voter should have fair, safe and convenient access to ballot. Protecting voting rights means supporting equitable polling access, transparent election processes, and policies that ensure seniors, working families, and underserved communities are not excluded from participation. County government plays a critical role in election administration, and I am passionate about ensuring our local systems are accessible, efficient and trustworthy. Government Transparency and Accountability , Residents deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and how decisions are being made.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Denton Young Democratic , Brian Beck, Black Coalition

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.

2024

Stephanie Draper completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Draper's responses.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Stephanie Draper, a Texan for two decades and a candidate for Texas State Senate District 12. As a wife, mother of 3 and a small business owner, I have 25 years of leadership experience and a strong commitment to my community.

With a background in event planning and business management. I'm a seasoned entrepreneur. My extensive involvement in elections and community service, including working with Denton County elections, and a precinct chair showcases my dedication to public service.

I am focusing on education which involves advocating for better teacher pay and opposing vouchers, ensuring quality education for our children. I also prioritize mental resources, job support, and common-sense gun control for a safer communities.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Funding our public schools by investing in our teacher's will help secure a better education for our students and workers for a better tomorrow.
• Affordable healthcare that will provide resources for Mental health, Women wellness care and Medicaid and Medicare for all.
• Equal opportunity for small business owner to be able to compete for government contracts and fair business loans.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public education, Women health care and Affordable living wages.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Where Do We Go From Here "Chaos or Community" Martin Luther King Jr. Foreword By Coretta Scott King.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Empathetic, honest, an attentive listener, collaborative, and possessing strong leadership skills.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Be able to make decision that is best for the constituents and the state office.

What legacy would you like to leave?

That I fought for the people rights to live free and to be treat fair.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Cedar Grove riot. 19 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working at my father's restaurant Guiden's Seafood Restaurant. I worked for my family business for 9 years.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wonder woman

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Affordable living wages, affordable housing and healthcare.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Yes

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

The Late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Jenkins and Shelia Jackson Lee both women are trail braziers.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

A female employee at my company, who is a mother of two young children and has a disabled husband, was working part-time with us while also holding a full-time job. She was evicted from her home and struggled to afford an apartment or hotel room. When we learned she was homeless, we tried to help by reaching out to various county resources for support. Unfortunately, we were informed that assistance was only available if she was experiencing spousal abuse. Enable to receive the critical help she needed; she eventually had to quit her job and move out of state. This experience deeply affected me and inspired a desire to find ways to help working class individual's secure shelter.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

Working family care act fund that will aide family that are in need of financial aide.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

North Texas Democratic, Afl-CIO and 23rd Senatorial District.

What committees interest you?

Women's right

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe that the government need to have an very accurate picture of their finances when making economic decisions and need to be held accountable for not begin transparent.

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 finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Stephanie Draper campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024	Texas State Senate District 12	Lost general	$23,928	$4,206
Grand total			$23,928	$4,206
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Election Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

See also

2026 Elections

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Candidate

Denton County Commissioners Court District 4

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