Texas Supreme Court elections, 2026

2026 State Judicial Elections
2027 » « 2025
Overview
Supreme Courts Overview
Appellate Courts Overview
View judicial elections by state:
Select a state:AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSelect court type:Trial courtsAppellate courtsSupreme courtsReset

The terms of seven Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals justices will expire on January 10, 2027. The seven seats are up for partisan election on November 3, 2026. The primary is March 3, 2026, and a primary runoff is May 26, 2026. The filing deadline was December 8, 2025.

Candidates and results

Texas Supreme Court

Place 1 Chief Justice

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 1 Chief Justice

Cory Carlyle and Maggie Ellis are running in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 1 Chief Justice on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Cory Carlyle
		Maggie Ellis

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Supreme Court Place 1 Chief Justice

Incumbent Jimmy Blacklock is running in the Republican primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 1 Chief Justice on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Jimmy Blacklock

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Steve Smith (R)

Place 2

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 2

Chari Kelly is running in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 2 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Chari Kelly

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Supreme Court Place 2

Incumbent James Sullivan is running in the Republican primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 2 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		James Sullivan

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.

Place 7

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7

Gordon Goodman and Kristen Hawkins are running in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Gordon Goodman
		Kristen Hawkins

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Supreme Court Place 7

Incumbent Kyle Hawkins is running in the Republican primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 7 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Kyle Hawkins

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.

Place 8

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8

Gisela Triana is running in the Democratic primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Gisela Triana

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Supreme Court Place 8

Incumbent Brett Busby is running in the Republican primary for Texas Supreme Court Place 8 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Brett Busby

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• David Rogers (R)

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Place 3

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3

Okey Anyiam is running in the Democratic primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Okey Anyiam

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3

Brent Coffee, Lesli Fitzpatrick, Alison Fox, and Thomas Smith are running in the Republican primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Brent Coffee
		Lesli Fitzpatrick
		Alison Fox
		Thomas Smith

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3

Mark Ash is running in the Libertarian convention for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 on April 12, 2026.

		Candidate
		Mark Ash (L)

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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.

Place 4

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4

Audra Riley is running in the Democratic primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Audra Riley

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4

Incumbent Kevin Patrick Yeary is running in the Republican primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Kevin Patrick Yeary

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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.

Place 9

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 election

Democratic primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9

Holly Taylor is running in the Democratic primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Holly Taylor

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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 Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9

Jennifer Balido and John Messinger are running in the Republican primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 on March 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Jennifer Balido
		John Messinger

---

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= 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.

Judges not on the ballot

• Bert Richardson (R) - (Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3)
• David Newell (R) - (Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9)

Voting information

See also: Voting in Texas

Election information in Texas: March 3, 2026, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 2, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 2, 2026
• Online: N/A

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Feb. 20, 2026
• By mail: Received by Feb. 20, 2026
• Online: N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: March 3, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by March 3, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 17, 2026 to Feb. 27, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (CT/MT)

About the Texas courts of last resort

See also: Texas Supreme Court

See also: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Political composition

This is the political composition of the court heading into the 2026 election.

Texas Supreme Court

■ Jimmy Blacklock		Appointed by Gov. Don Willett (R) in 2018
■ James Sullivan		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2025
■ Debra Lehrmann		Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry (R) in 2010
■ John Devine		Elected in 2012
■ Rebeca Huddle		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2020
■ Jane Bland		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2019
■ Kyle Hawkins		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2025
■ Brett Busby		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2019
■ Evan Young		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2021

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

■ Mary Lou Keel		Elected in 2016
■ Bert Richardson		Elected in 2015
■ Kevin Patrick Yeary		Elected in 2014
■ Scott Walker		Elected in 2016
■ Jesse McClure		Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2020
■ Gina Parker		Elected in 2024
■ Lee Finley		Elected in 2024
■ David Newell		Elected in 2014
■ David Schenck		Elected in 2024

Selection

The nine justices of the Texas Supreme Court are selected in statewide partisan elections. The elected justices serve six-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to remain on the court.

Qualifications

To serve on the Supreme Court, a justice must be:

• a U.S. citizen;
• a resident of Texas;
• licensed to practice law in the state;
• between the ages of 35 and 75; and
• a practicing lawyer and/or justice for at least 10 years.

Chief justice

The chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court is selected by voters at large. He or she serves in that capacity for a full six-year term.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement who must be confirmed by the Texas Senate. The appointee serves until the next general election, in which he or she may compete to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Texas Supreme Court
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Footnotes

Texas courts

---

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

2026 State Judicial Elections

State supreme court elections by state

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • Idaho • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maryland • Michigan • Minnesota • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin

Intermediate appellate court elections by state

Alabama • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maryland • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Nebraska • New Mexico • North Carolina • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams, Managing Editor of Events • Joseph Greaney, Managing Editor of Policy • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Victoria Edwards • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Andrew McNair • Ellie Mikus • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox