Carlo Key
Carlo Key (Democratic Party) is a judge for Number 14 of the Bexar County Court of Law in Texas. He assumed office in 2018. His current term ends on December 31, 2026.
Key (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for the Number 14 judge of the Bexar County Court of Law in Texas. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.
Key completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Key graduated from Carlo Key earned a high school diploma from Azle High School. He received his undergraduate degree in journalism from Texas A&M University in 1997 and his J.D. from Baylor Law School in 2002.[1] Key began his career as an assistant district attorney in Bexar County. He then spent seven years as a private practice attorney prior to his election to the County Court at Law bench in 2010.[2][3]
Elections
2026
See also: Municipal elections in Bexar 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 Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Audrey Martinez (D) is running in the general election for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on November 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Audrey Martinez (D) | ||
| ||||
 = 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 Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Audrey Martinez (D) defeated incumbent Carlo Key (D) in the Democratic primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Audrey Martinez | 63.4 | 92,904 | |
 | Carlo Key | 36.6 | 53,554 | |
| Total votes: 146,458 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary
The Republican primary scheduled for March 3, 2026, was canceled.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Bexar County, Texas (2022)
General election
General election for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Incumbent Carlo Key defeated Susan Skinner in the general election for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carlo Key (D) | 55.9 | 289,483 |
 | Susan Skinner (R) | 44.1 | 228,599 | |
| Total votes: 518,082 | |||
| = 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 Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Incumbent Carlo Key advanced from the Democratic primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carlo Key | 100.0 | 79,528 |
| Total votes: 79,528 | |||
| = 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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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Susan Skinner advanced from the Republican primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Susan Skinner | 100.0 | 65,763 |
| Total votes: 65,763 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Carlo Key defeated incumbent Susan Skinner in the general election for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carlo Key (D) | 54.7 | 291,425 |
| Susan Skinner (R) | 45.3 | 241,736 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 2 | ||
| Total votes: 533,163 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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 Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Carlo Key advanced from the Democratic primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Carlo Key | 100.0 | 65,785 |
| Total votes: 65,785 | |||
| = 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 Bexar County Court at Law No. 14
Incumbent Susan Skinner defeated Joseph Strickland in the Republican primary for Bexar County Court at Law No. 14 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Susan Skinner | 61.5 | 34,382 |
| Joseph Strickland | 38.5 | 21,554 | ||
| Total votes: 55,936 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
Judges of the county courts are elected in partisan elections by the county they serve and serve four-year terms, with vacancies filled by a vote of the county commissioners.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on a county court, a judge must:[4]
- be at least 25 years old;
- be a resident of his or her respective county for at least two years; and
- have practiced law or served as a judge for at least four years preceding the election.
2014
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
Key ran for re-election to the Bexar County Court at Law No. 11.
Primary: He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on March 4, 2014.
General: He was defeated in the general election on November 4, 2014, after receiving 47.2 percent of the vote. He competed against Tommy Stolhandske.[5][6][7]
2010
Key defeated incumbent Democrat Jo-Ann Sylvia De Hoyos in the general election, winning 51.75 percent of the vote.[8]
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Carlo Key completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Key's responses.
| Collapse all
- Experience matters most when decisions affect liberty, safety, and families. I have served the people of Bexar County as a County Court at Law Judge for 12 years. During that time, I have presided over thousands of cases involving crimes that occur in our community. My approach has always been grounded in careful legal analysis, respect for constitutional rights and consistency in applying the law. I have never had a decision over-turned on appeal in my career on the bench.
- Growing up with struggle has shaped my philosophy on the bench. Justice should be firm, fair and compassionate. Everyone who comes into my courtroom is treated with dignity regardless of where they are from, who they are, or what brought them there. The rule of law matters, accountability matters, but justice should also be smart. That is why I am honored to help over-see the Bexar Gives Back Program. It holds individuals accountable while providing structured opportunities for rehabilitation and restitution. The program has saved the county nearly two million dollars while reducing unnecessary incarceration and improving outcomes for individuals and the community.
- The justice system has a responsibility to protect those who cannot protect themselves. That principle has guided my work on the bench, particularly in overseeing the animal cruelty court. Animal cruelty cases are serious offenses that often involve broader issues of violence, neglect and the safety of our community and its pets. For the past 8 years, I have worked hard to ensure these cases are handled with efficiency, consistency and with appropriate consequences.
North East Bexar County Democrats
Bexar County Tejano Democrats
Sheriff Javier Salazar
State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer
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.
2022
Carlo Key did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Judge Carlo Key"
- ↑ Texas Democrats, "Judge Carlo Key Leaves Republican Party, Joins Texas Democratic Party," October 21, 2013
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 19, 2026
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Qualifications for Office," accessed January 14, 2016
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (A-L)"
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (M-Z)" (Search "Bexar")
- ↑ Bexar County, "Primary Election Statistics," March 11, 2014
- ↑ Bexar County Board of Elections, 2010 General Election Results
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
