- County commissioners vote on the budget and appropriations, which fund essential county services like road maintenance.
- They create and enforce civil and criminal laws that align with state regulations, including land use and construction codes.
- Commissioners implement state and federal mandates while overseeing county agencies and public buildings.
- They also set tax rates for the county and its subdivisions.
- Each Texas county has four commissioners and a county judge, forming the local governing body known as the Commissioners Court.

This sample ballot may not include all local party roles or measures on the official ballot. The listed candidates serve only within their party, and the propositions do not change the law.

2026 Texas Primary Election

Texas

2026 Texas Primary Runoff

Taxes

Economy

Public Services

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Transportation & Infrastructure

Energy & the Environment

County Commissioner

- County party chairs appoint and oversee local election officials and workers, manage candidate filings and ballot placement for county offices, serve on the county election board, and help certify local election results.
- The county party chair is elected in a partisan primary election to a two-year term. Candidates must be accepted to vote in the selected party’s primary election or take an oath of affiliation with the party.
- County party chairs may receive payment, but only after the county party’s final cost report has been received on time and approved by the Secretary of State.

Ensures your party is represented in the primary elections. 

Wise

Election Oversight

Jobs & Opportunity

Administration

Voting & Elections

County Party Chair

- A County Court-At-Law judge handles misdemeanors, such as assault of a family member, property theft between $750 and $2,500, and using force against a law enforcement officer. They also handle civil cases where the amount in question does not exceed $200,000. 
- County Court-At-Law judges conduct arraignments, pre-trial hearings, and jury trials, as well as accept guilty pleas. 
- They are elected in a partisan, county-wide election to a four-year term. 
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 25 years old, have been a Texas and county resident for at least 24 consecutive months, a practicing lawyer and/or judge in Texas for at least four years, and registered to vote in that county.
- The annual salary for County Court-At-Law Judges ranges from $174,000 to $244,500, depending on years of service and how much they receive as a county supplement.

Handles civil and criminal cases from District Courts.

Judicial Efficiency

Legal Experience

Judicial Philosophy

Judicial Administration

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

County Court-At-Law Judge

- Presides over commissioners court, county’s policy-making body. Helps adopt county budget, sets county tax rates, oversees building and maintaining county infrastructure, and other county government operations.
- Serves as judge of county court, taking on misdemeanor criminal and small civil cases, probate matters, and appeals from the justice of the peace court.
- Performs administration duties, ranging from hearings for beer and wine license applications to calling elections. Can serve as budget officer in counties with a smaller population.
- Serves as county’s emergency management director, with authority to designate an assistant to emergency management issues as emergency management coordinator.
- Represents county at ceremonial occasions and on various boards and committees, including Election Commission, Workforce Governing Board, and Bail Bond Board.
- County Judges are elected in a partisan, county-wide election to a four-year term. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, have been a Texas resident for at least 12 consecutive months, a county resident for at least six consecutive months, and registered to vote in that county.
- The annual salary for county judges range from $47,425 to $198,921, set by the county’s commissioners court.

Leads your county’s policy-making board.

Education

Public Health

County Judge

- Receives and deposits all county revenues, and records receipts and expenditures while reconciling bank statements.
- Acts as chief liaison between the county and depository banks, disburses funds upon the order of the commissioners court, and might prepare payroll.
- Could be selected as county’s investment officer and submit regular reports on county finances to commissioners court.
- Can also be county’s human resources officer, employee benefits coordinator, risk manager, insurance coordinator, and assist with audit responsibilities.
- County treasurers are elected through partisan, county-wide elections to four-year terms. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, have been a Texas resident for at least 12 consecutive months, a county resident for at least six consecutive months, and registered to vote in that county.
- The annual salary for county treasurer ranges from $23,230 to $161,047, depending on the county.

County’s chief finance officer responsible for safekeeping and investment of funds.

Corruption

Economic Growth

Financial Management

County Treasurer

- Serves as clerk and custodian of all records for district courts. Supports attorney general and child protective services courts.
- Indexes and secures all court records and verdicts, collects filing fees, and handles funds held in litigation and money awarded to minors. Also manages court registry funds and may process passport applications.
- Fulfills requests from attorneys or via court order to issue documents, collecting fees and distributing them to state and local agencies monthly.
- Gathers data and reports to various agencies to assist county, state, and Texas Legislature in proper operation of courts, effectiveness of statues, and any need for changes.
- Often in courtroom, filing documents, administrating oaths to defendants, witnesses, and jurors, and assists judge in docket management. Coordinates jury panel selection process and acts as liaison between jurors, courts, and employers.
- District clerks are elected through partisan, county-wide elections to four-year terms. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, have been a Texas resident for at least 12 consecutive months, a county resident for at least six consecutive months, and registered to vote in that county.
- The annual salary for district clerks range from $35,236 to $207,952, set by the county’s Commissioners Court.

Preserves records for and serves as clerk in district courts.

District Clerk

- Justices of the Peace oversee Justice Courts, trial courts for civil cases up to $20,000, and misdemeanor cases punishable only by fine. They also perform marriages, issue warrants, conduct preliminary hearings, and serve as notaries.
- Texas has 835 Justice Courts, each presided over by a single judge. Every county has between one and eight precincts based on the county's population, each with its own Justice Court.
- Justices of the Peace are elected through partisan, precinct-wide election to four-year terms. 
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, have been a Texas resident for at least 12 consecutive months, a district resident for at least six consecutive months, and registered to vote in that precinct.
- The annual salary for Justices of the Peace ranges from $19,207 to $151,805 and is by the county's Commissioners Court.


2026 Texas candidates

Wise County Commissioner, District 4, Republican Primary

1 candidate

Wise County Party Chair, Republican Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Wise County Court-At-Law Judge, Republican Primary

1 candidate

Wise County Judge, Republican Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Wise County Party Chair, Democratic Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Wise County Treasurer, Republican Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Wise County Commissioner, District 2, Republican Primary

1 candidate

Wise District Clerk, Republican Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Wise Justice of the Peace, Justice Precinct 3, Republican Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you

Wise Justice of the Peace, Justice Precinct 4, Republican Primary

1 candidate

How this impacts you