Elections and Voter Information

Voter Information

Offices up for Election in 2012

Note: This is a preliminary list that is subject to change as we are notified about vacancies and newly-created offices. Also, visit our website for an unofficial list of candidates once filing is underway.

Office Term
U.S. President 4 yr. term
U. S. Senator

Kay Bailey Hutchison

 6 yr. term
All 32 + 4= 36 (redistricting) United States Representatives 2 yr. term
Railroad Commissioner

Elizabeth Ames Jones
Barry T. Smitherman (2 yr. Unexpired Term)

 6 yr. term
3 members of the Supreme Court

Don Willett, Place 2
David Medina, Place 4
Nathan L. Hecht, Place 6

 6 yr. term
3 members of the Court of Criminal Appeals

Sharon Keller, Presiding Judge
Barbara Hervey, Place 7
Elsa Alcala, Place 8

 6 yr. term
All Members, State Board of Education 4 yr. term
31 State Senators 4 yr. term
All 150 State Representatives 2 yr. term
Chief Justice of Courts of Appeals

Terrie Livingston, 2nd Court of Appeals
Carolyn Wright, 5th Court of Appeals
Tom Gray, 10th Court of Appeals
Jim R. Wright, 11th Court of Appeals
Rogelio Valdez, 13th Court of Appeals

 6 yr. term
Various Court of Appeals Justices 6 yr. term
Various District Judges, Criminal District Judges 4 yr. term
Family District Judges 4 yr. term
District Attorneys 4 yr. term
Sheriff 4 yr. term
County Court at Law 4 yr. term
County Attorneys 4 yr. term
Tax Assessor-Collector 4 yr. term
County Commissioners, Precincts 1 & 3 4 yr. term
Justices of the Peace (Place 1 designation only) 4 yr. term
Constable 4 yr. term

NOTE: For many years, article XVI, Section 65 of the Texas Constitution set out which county offices would be up for election. This language (setting up the staggering scheme) was omitted in 1999 in "clean-up" legislation. Our office requested an attorney general opinion, expressing our concern about the omitted staggering scheme. The attorney general opined that because the staggering scheme was removed, any newly-created offices would be on the next ballot for the full four-year term. See Texas Attorney General Opinion Number JC-0519 (2002). You will need to check your county records to see if your county created new offices since the 1999 constitutional change.