Susan Rankin
Susan Rankin was the Republican judge for the Texas 254th District Court in Texas. She was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on August 26, 2015, to fill the vacancy left by the death of James Martin.[1] Rankin lost her bid for a full term in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Elections
2016
Texas held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 1, 2016. A primary runoff election was held on May 24, 2016, for any seat where the top vote recipient did not receive a majority of the primary vote.[2] Incumbent Susan Rankin ran unopposed in the Texas 254th District Court Republican primary.[3]
| Texas 254th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Susan Rankin Incumbent (unopposed) |
100.00% | 104,582 |
| Total Votes | 104,582 | |
| Source: Dallas County Elections, "Republican Party Primary Election," accessed March 2, 2016 | ||
Darlene Ewing defeated incumbent Susan Rankin in the Texas 254th District Court general election.
| Texas 254th District Court, General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Darlene Ewing |
57.65% | 423,045 | |
| Republican | Susan Rankin Incumbent | 42.35% | 310,781 | |
| Total Votes | 733,826 | |||
| Source: Dallas County Elections, "Official Cumulative Results," accessed December 8, 2016 | ||||
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.[4]
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."[5]
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;*[6]
- 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.[4]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[4]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Office of the Governor, "Governor Abbott Appoints Rankin Judge Of 254th Judicial District Court," August 26, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
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
