The 2026 primaries allow Texas Republican and Democrat voters to pick which candidate will represent their interests and party in the November general election. While the primaries give Texans more of a say over who their elected officials will be, less than one fifth of registered Texas voters participated in recent primary elections, according to data from the secretary of state’s office.
Federal, state and local county offices will appear on the ballot. County elections are partisan races, while school board and city council races are typically nonpartisan, though some candidates may identify with a party. County leaders run local elections, implement state and federal laws and provide public services, especially for residents who live outside of incorporated city boundaries. All elected county offices are held for four-year terms.
With so many names on the ballot, keeping up with the primaries may be overwhelming, so here’s a breakdown of what most county offices do, as well as some local voter guides with region-specific voting information.
Commissioners court
These bodies, which include a county judge and commissioners, serve as the board that governs county government, much like how a city council governs a municipality. The commissioners court adopts a county budget and tax rate, approves county contracts and calls for bond elections to fund roads and construction.
The commissioners court plays an important role in elections by appointing election judges who oversee polling locations in each precinct. The court also conducts the official tally of local votes for county and state elections and can appoint the county clerk or an elections administrator to serve as the voter registrar instead of the county tax assessor-collector.
Unlike city government, counties often have less room to enact policies and often must lobby the state Legislature to expand or change the scope of their work.
County judge
The county judge presides over the commissioners court the way mayors preside over city councils. Despite the title, county judges do not have to be judges or have a legal background.
A county judge is the head of local emergency management and can issue disaster declarations to request aid from other agencies and to enact emergency measures, as allowed under law. This gives county judges a lot of power during emergencies, but they must be supported by the commissioners court in order to continue emergency declarations and measures.
In smaller counties, the county judge serves as the county’s budget officer. County judges may also carry out judicial duties, including presiding over misdemeanor and small civil cases and appeals from Justice of the Peace Court, according to the Texas Association of Counties.
County commissioners
Each county has four commissioners elected to represent four different county precincts or districts on the commissioners court. Commissioners are in charge of road building and maintenance in their precincts.
Commissioners are elected in staggered terms. This year, commissioners across the state for local precincts two and four are up for election.
County treasurer
County treasurers look after county funds, working with banks to receive and deposit county revenue, distributing funds as directed by the commissioners court and accounting for expenses and funds. In some counties, treasurers may also prepare payroll, act as a human resources officer, be designated to invest funds and take on some auditing responsibilities in counties without a county auditor, according to the Texas Association of Counties.
County clerk
A county clerk keeps records and carries out administrative tasks for county courts and commissioners courts. This includes maintaining public records — such as birth and death certificates, business names and brands — issuing marriage licenses and taking depositions. In most counties, clerks also serve as the chief elections officer, according to the Texas Association of Counties.
Justice of the peace
Justices of the peace preside over justice courts, which hear cases for traffic violations and Class C misdemeanors, such as public intoxication and assault without any injury, that result in fines. Justices of the peace can also hear minor civil cases, truancy cases, tenant disputes and small claims cases. They may also perform marriage ceremonies.
District clerk
A district clerk manages records for district courts, which hear felony criminal cases and civil cases. In addition to records, a district clerk collects filing fees, handles funds in litigation and coordinates jury panel selections. The clerk can also process passport applications, according to the Texas Association of Counties.
County surveyor
A county surveyor maintains, records and examines land survey records, plats and field notes to maintain accurate property records. They may also engage in private surveying, acting as a liaison for maintaining accurate, state-recognized boundary records. In Texas, which has less open public land than most states, this position has been abolished by the Texas Legislature or by local voters in many counties.
County-specific resources and local news coverage
Many counties, such as Travis County, Tarrant County, and Bexar County, feature a “current election” section on their websites that includes polling locations, wait time maps, sample ballots and registration verification. Voters can also check out local guides — like this Houston voters guide — created by nonpartisan civic engagement organizations. You can also check your registration through the state’s website votetexas.gov and learn more about voting requirements and deadlines through our voter guide.
For the most up-to-date information on specific candidates, voters can keep up with local news organizations like KUT News, San Antonio Report, Fort Worth Report, and Houston Chronicle, which provide readers with descriptions of candidates’ policies and debate recaps.
Disclosure: KUT News and Texas Association of Counties 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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