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Texas is one of only eight states that hold partisan elections for their supreme courts. But seven out of the nine members on the Texas Supreme Court were first appointed by a state governor — meaning just two current members started on the court after being elected.
An appointed judge has to run again once the term of the position they assumed is over, but they almost always win.
“They run as the incumbent Republican member. And guess what, it’s worked like magic in this basically Republican state,” said Ron Beal, a professor emeritus at Baylor Law School.
Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections
When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?
Election Day for the general election is November 5, and early voting will run from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote and/or change your voter registration address is Oct. 7. Applications to vote by mail must be received by your county of residence – not postmarked – by Oct. 25.
What’s on the ballot for the general election?
In addition to the president, eligible Texans have the opportunity to cast their ballots for many Texas officials running for office at the federal, state and local levels.
This includes representatives in the U.S. and Texas houses and the following elected offices:
-1 U.S Senator (Ted Cruz)
– 1 of 3 Railroad Commissioners
– 15 State Senators
– 7 State Board of Education members
– 3 members of the Texas Supreme Court
– 3 members of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
– 5 Chief Justices and various justices for Texas Courts of Appeals
Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:
– Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts
– County Courts at Law
– Justices of the Peace
– District Attorneys
– County Attorneys
– Sheriffs
– Constables
– Tax Assessor-Collectors
How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?
You can check to see if you’re registered and verify your information through the Texas Secretary of State’s website. You’ll need one of the following three combinations to log in: Your Texas driver’s license number and date of birth. Your first and last names, date of birth and county you reside in. Your date of birth and Voter Unique Identifier, which appears on your voter registration certificate.
What if I missed the voter registration deadline?
You must be registered to vote in a Texas county by Oct. 7 to vote in the Nov. 5 presidential election. You can still register for other elections.
If you’re registered but didn’t update your address by the deadline, you may still be able to vote at your previous voting location or on a limited ballot. (Voters are typically assigned precincts based on where they live. In most major counties, voters can vote anywhere on Election Day, but some counties require you vote within your precinct. If that is the case, you may have to return to your previous precinct. See which counties allow countywide Election Day voting here. You can usually find your precinct listed on your voter registration certificate or on when checking your registration online.)
If you moved from one county to another, you may be able to vote on a ballot limited to the elections you would qualify to vote in at both locations, such as statewide races. However, limited ballots are only available during early voting. Find your county election official here and contact them to ask about or request a limited ballot.
What can I do if I have questions about voting?
You can contact your county elections official or call the Texas Secretary of State’s helpline at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683). A coalition of voting rights groups is also helping voters navigate election concerns through the 866-OUR-VOTE (687-8683) voter-protection helpline. The coalition also has hotlines available for voters who speaker other languages or have accessibility needs.
For help in Spanish, call 888-VE-Y-VOTA or 888-839-8682.
For help in Asian languages, call 888-API-VOTE or 888-274-8683.
For help in Arabic, call 888-YALLA-US or 888-925-5287.
For help in American Sign Language through a video, call 301-818-VOTE or 301-818-8683.
For help from Disability Rights Texas, call 888-796-VOTE or 888-796-8683.
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The Texas general election is only weeks away, on Nov. 8. Texas voters will have the opportunity to choose whether to reelect or replace three justices who were initially appointed to their seats.
Most voters don’t know a lot about the judges up for election, so they tend to vote along party lines, Beal said. The Texas Supreme Court has not had a Democratic judge since the 1990s.
The Texas Supreme Court is the court of last resort for all civil cases. Any noncriminal case tried in the state can be appealed until it reaches the Texas Supreme Court; a decision made there is final.
Texas is one of just two states that have two types of courts of last resort. While the Texas Supreme Court deals with civil cases, the Court of Criminal Appeals is the final place for criminal cases.
“The docket, meaning the number of cases, would be so huge that nothing would get out in a timely fashion from the Supreme Court, and that is why they created the Court of Criminal Appeals,” Beal said.
Impact
The Texas Supreme Court has the power to make sweeping decisions that interpret the state’s constitution, impacting the lives of Texans across the state. This played out prominently during the pandemic when the court lifted the ban on evictions and debt collections, extended rent relief programs and routinely overturned local mask mandates.
The court has been an integral mechanism in keeping laws in place that restrict abortion access in Texas. Most recently, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the state could enforce a 1925 abortion ban following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The ruling makes abortion providers liable to lawsuits and financial penalties if they continue to perform the procedure. The court also ended the battle to block Senate Bill 8, which effectively bans abortions in Texas after about six weeks into a pregnancy, when it ended a series of legal challenges prompted by abortion providers.
What you can expect from our elections coverage
How we explain voting
We explain the voting process with election-specific voter guides to help Texans learn what is on the ballot and how to vote. We interview voters, election administrators and election law experts so that we can explain the process, barriers to participation and what happens after the vote is over and the counting begins. Read more here.
How readers inform our work
Instead of letting only politicians set the agenda, we talk to voters and scrutinize polling data to understand ordinary Texans’ top concerns. Our readers’ questions and needs help inform our priorities. We want to hear from readers: What do you better want to understand about the election process in Texas? If local, state or congressional elected officials were to successfully address one issue right now, what would you want it to be? What’s at stake for you this election cycle? If we’re missing something, this is your chance to tell us.
How we hold officials accountable
We do not merely recount what politicians say, but focus on what they do (or fail to do) for the Texans they represent. We aim to provide historical, legal and other kinds of context so readers can understand and engage with an issue. Reporting on efforts that make voting and engaging in our democracy harder is a pillar of our accountability work. Read more here.
How we choose what races to cover
We aren’t able to closely cover all 150 races in the Texas House, 31 in the Texas Senate or 38 for the Texas delegation in the next U.S. House. We need to choose what races we cover closely by using our best judgment of what’s most noteworthy. We take into account factors like power, equity, interest and competitiveness in order to determine what warrants more resources and attention. Read more here.
How we cover misinformation
In reporting on falsehoods and exaggerations, we clearly explain why it is untrue and how it may harm Texans. Sometimes, we choose to not write about misinformation because that can help amplify it. We’re more likely to debunk falsehoods when they are spread by elected officials or used as a justification for policy decisions. Read more here.
Americans don’t choose all their judges in elections. Justices for the U.S. Supreme Court, for example, are appointed by presidents, not elected by voters. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently faced criticism that its rulings are not representative of the wants of the American people.
“This is an opportunity that we have for direct participation in democracy that we do not have at the federal level,” said John Murphy, a law professor at Texas A&M University. “People who are interested in the shape of the law and the future of the law and the interpretation of the law should, by all means, vote in the general elections for judges at any level, but especially in the Supreme Court of Texas.”
Who’s on the ballot this year?
There are three seats up for election this year. Judicial campaigns are different from other types of campaigns. Candidates tend to campaign on their experience and endorsements, and they avoid outlining how they will rule in cases because the state’s judicial code of conduct forbids candidates from making those kinds of pledges.
The best way to gauge what a judge will do is to look at the values of who appointed and endorsed them, said Beal, the former Baylor law professor.
Place 3
Debra Lehrmann is the Republican incumbent up for election in Place 3. She was appointed to the position by former Gov. Rick Perry in 2010 and has since been reelected twice. She is endorsed by Abbott, Texas Alliance for Life and the Texas Civil Justice League political action committee.
Erin Nowell is the Democrat challenging Lehrmann. She serves on the 5th District Court of Appeals. She is endorsed by the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, the Texas AFL-CIO and the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers.
Place 5
Rebeca Huddle is the Republican incumbent and was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2020. This is her first time running for reelection. She is endorsed by Abbott, Texas Alliance for Life and the Texas Civil Justice League PAC.
Amanda Reichek is the Democrat running against Huddle. She serves on the 5th District Court of Appeals. She is endorsed by the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, the Texas AFL-CIO and the Texas AFT.
Place 9
Evan Young is the most recent appointee to the Texas Supreme Court after Abbott put him up for the position in November 2021. This is his first time running for reelection. He previously clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court. He is endorsed by Abbott, Texas Alliance for Life and the Texas Civil Justice League PAC.
The Democrat challenging Young is Julia Maldonado. She is the Harris County presiding family court judge. She is endorsed by the Texas AFL-CIO and Texas AFT.
Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas AFT and the Texas Civil Justice League have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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