Who is running in Collin County, Texas in 2026
- County Judge
- John R. Buster Brown and Chris Hill
- County Clerk
- John Russell and Stacey Kemp
- County Commissioner, Precinct 4
- Julie Holmer and Shelby Williams
- Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2
- Darsell E. Johnson and Ellen Kinnebrew
- Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3
- Irvin Lynn Barrett and Mike Missildine
- Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4
- Eli Worthy and Stephen Kallas
- Princeton ISD Board of Trustees
- Cyndi Darland, Charlotte Wilson, Starla Sharpe and Ricky Gillespie
- Wylie ISD Board of Trustees, Place 2
- Brett Fagan, Sam Satterwhite, Scott Johnson, Bonnie Tinsley and Brandon Thomas
- Princeton City Council, Place 6
- Sumbel "Susan" Zeb and Kenneth Seligman
- U.S. Senator
- James Talarico and Ken Paxton
- Governor
- Gina Hinojosa and Greg Abbott
- Lieutenant Governor
- Vikki Goodwin and Dan Patrick
- Attorney General
- Nathan Johnson and Mayes Middleton
- U.S. Representative, District 3
- Evan Hunt and Keith Self
- U.S. Representative, District 4
- Jason Pearce and Pat Fallon
- U.S. Representative, District 32
- Dan Barrios and Jace Yarbrough
- State Senator, District 2
- Keenen Colbert and Bob Hall
- State Representative, District 33
- Orlando Lopez and Katrina Pierson
- State Representative, District 61
- Brittany Black, Keresa Richardson and Anissa Chilmeran
- State Representative, District 66
- Sandeep Srivastava and Matt Shaheen
- State Representative, District 67
- Jordan Wheatley and Jeff Leach
- State Representative, District 70
- Mihaela Elizabeth Plesa and George Flint
- State Representative, District 89
- Angie Carraway and Candy Noble
Collin County
These races are partisan. The county judge and four commissioners set the county budget and tax rate, run the jail and courts, and decide which roads get built as the county keeps growing. Justices of the peace hear evictions, small claims and truancy cases.
County Judge
Vote for oneChris Hill has held the job since 2019. This year he cast the only vote against the county budget and tax rate, saying the county should cut spending instead.
John R. Buster Brown
Not enough info (best choice in this race) DemocratEndorsed by the McKinney Area Democratic Club. We found almost nothing else on him: no campaign site, record or stated positions.
Chris Hill
Compromised RepublicanRuns on low taxes, property rights and limited government, and points to his fight against COVID lockdowns and mandates. He was named, with the other commissioners, in a 2022 federal lawsuit over how the court handled harassment and retaliation complaints against DA Greg Willis, and former state GOP chair Matt Rinaldi calls him "the best local official in Texas."
Sources: Community Impact Q&A, County bio, Androvett (lawsuit), Community Impact, Campaign site
County Clerk
Vote for oneKemp belongs to several Republican women's clubs, so the pick goes to Russell.
John Russell
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratFiled because "no race should go unchallenged." Wants posted service levels, secure public records, evening hours and better language access for the county's Asian and Latino residents. Endorsed by the McKinney Area Democratic Club and Collin County Young Democrats.
Sources: Ballotpedia
Stacey Kemp
Compromised RepublicanBrought in electronic filing, online judicial searches and Property Fraud Alert notices for deed fraud. Belongs to several Republican women's clubs and has served on the county Lincoln Day Committee.
Sources: Campaign site, Campaign site
County Commissioner, Precinct 4
Vote for oneSouthwest Collin County, including much of Plano. Both candidates gave up Plano City Council seats to run.
Julie Holmer
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratSays growth is why she is running, with transportation, water and health care first, and budget discipline to hold down property taxes. Endorsed by the Collin County Democratic Party and the McKinney Area Democratic Club.
Sources: Community Impact, Campaign site, Ballotpedia
Shelby Williams
Not good people RepublicanWon his primary by 186 votes and runs on roads, tax relief and law enforcement. A former county GOP chair, endorsed by Gov. Abbott, the Plano Police Association, the Dallas Police PAC, MetroTex Realtors and Texas Values Action.
Sources: KERA, Community Impact, Campaign site
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2
Vote for oneDarsell E. Johnson
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratSays truancy cases call for "addressing root causes and supporting families, not criminalizing children," and wants flexible scheduling and virtual hearings for working families.
Sources: Campaign site, Princeton Herald
Ellen Kinnebrew
Compromised RepublicanFirst-term incumbent. Her campaign is backed by the Collin County Precinct 125 Republicans and Plano Republican Women; we found little on how she runs the court.
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3
Vote for oneKemp belongs to several Republican women's clubs, so the pick goes to Russell. Missildine's record on the bench is a good one.
Irvin Lynn Barrett
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratHas worked as a pastoral liaison for Child Protective Services, in clergy and police partnerships, and with youth recovery groups.
Sources: Campaign site
Mike Missildine
Seems like good people RepublicanAdded a 24-hour drop box, quarterly evening dockets and Zoom hearings, and set up a partnership with Legal Aid of Northwest Texas so tenants and landlords facing eviction can get a lawyer.
Sources: Local Profile Q&A
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4
Vote for oneEli Worthy
Not enough info (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning for the first time, on a night court for working residents, more interpreters and faster caseloads. Young, with no record yet; endorsed by the McKinney Area Democratic Club and Collin County Young Democrats.
Sources: Campaign site, Ballotpedia
Stephen Kallas
Not good people RepublicanTalks about restorative justice and a "People's Court." He is a county GOP officer endorsed by Sen. Angela Paxton, the Collin County Republican Assembly, the True Texas Project and the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas, whose members file evictions in this court.
Sources: Branch, Ballotpedia
Unopposed county races
No contestCriminal District Attorney (Greg Willis), District Clerk (Mike Gould), Commissioner, Precinct 2 (Michael Slaughter), Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 (Paul M. Raleeh), County Courts at Law No. 1 (Corinne Mason), No. 2 (Barnett Walker), No. 3 (Lance S. Baxter), No. 4 (David Rippel), No. 5 (Randy Johnson), No. 6 (Jay A. Bender) and No. 7 (David Waddill), Probate Court (Sarah R. Duff), and District Judges for the 219th (Jennifer Edgeworth), 296th (Piper McCraw), 366th (Tom Nowak), 417th (Cyndi McCrann Wheless), 429th (Jill Willis), 471st (Bryan Gantt) and 494th (Kathryn Pruitt). All are Republicans.
School boards
Plano, Frisco, McKinney and Allen ISDs elect trustees in May, so only Princeton and Wylie ISDs have board races this November. These races are nonpartisan. McKinney ISD's tax rate and bond propositions are in the propositions section.
Princeton ISD Board of Trustees
Vote for twoTwo at-large seats. All three candidates who came to the September forum opposed school vouchers; we picked the two career teachers.
Cyndi Darland
Seems like good people (best choice in this race)Called vouchers "a bad idea" and says the district has to keep speaking up for students with special needs. Wants a focus on reading and classroom discipline: "they can't learn if they can't read."
Sources: Princeton Herald, Princeton Herald
Charlotte Wilson
Seems like good people (best choice in this race)Says a public school trustee "should never support something that takes away from its student population," meaning vouchers. Names special education as the district's biggest need, and worries rezoning pushes young kids farther from home.
Sources: Princeton Herald, Princeton Herald
Starla Sharpe
Seems like good peopleThe district's first African American woman trustee. Opposes vouchers and says of special education, "compliance is the minimum; serving our kids effectively is our goal."
Sources: Princeton Herald, Princeton Herald
Ricky Gillespie
Not enough infoSkipped the September forum hosted by the chamber and the League of Women Voters, and we found nothing on what he would do if returned to the board.
Sources: Princeton Herald, Princeton Herald
Wylie ISD Board of Trustees, Place 2
Vote for oneOpen seat, five candidates. We found little on three of them.
Brett Fagan
Seems like good people (best choice in this race)Has driven a Wylie ISD bus and served as an officer of the Wylie East band boosters. Running on academics, keeping teachers, careful spending and school safety.
Sources: Campaign site
Sam Satterwhite
CompromisedA 30-year resident whose three children graduated from Wylie ISD. He spent two decades recruiting business and development to Wylie.
Sources: Wylie ISD forum info
Scott Johnson
Not enough infoSpent 37 years in the fire service and is also an ordained minister. We found no stated positions on the schools.
Sources: FireBoss Realty
Bonnie Tinsley
Not enough infoVolunteers with the Wylie Farmers Market. We found no stated positions on the schools.
Sources: Wylie City Council video, Wylie ISD
Brandon Thomas
Not enough infoFiled his paperwork with the district. We found nothing on his background or positions.
Sources: Wylie ISD
Unopposed trustees
No contestWylie ISD Place 1 (Stacie Smith), Place 5 (Virdie Montgomery) and Place 6 (Jacob Day).
Princeton elections
Council seats are nonpartisan. Place 7 (DeShawyna Walker) is unopposed. Water and wastewater billing errors and how fast the city is growing came up again and again at the September forum. Plano, McKinney, Frisco and Allen hold their council elections in May; Plano's arena proposition is in the propositions section.
City Council, Place 6
Vote for oneSumbel "Susan" Zeb
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democratic-alignedWants roads, water and utilities planned "before approving new developments," and pressed the city at the forum for regular updates on water billing refunds and daily usage data.
Sources: Campaign site, Princeton Herald, City of Princeton
Kenneth Seligman
Not enough info RepublicanCampaigns as a "Faith-Driven Republican" in a nonpartisan race. His group pushed charter changes, including requiring the city manager to live in town, and he has pressed the council on infrastructure plans and the water billing mess.
Sources: Safeguard Princeton, TX3D News
State and federal
Collin is split among three congressional districts and six state house districts, so check the county sample ballot to see which are yours. Senate District 2 is the only state senate seat on the county's ballot this year.
U.S. Senator
Vote for oneAlso on the ballot: Ted Brown (Libertarian).
James Talarico
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratA former teacher who wrote the Texas law capping insulin at $25 a month and co-wrote a ban on police chokeholds.
Sources: Wikipedia
Ken Paxton
Not good people RepublicanSued to throw out four states' 2020 votes and spoke at the January 6 rally. The Republican-led Texas House impeached him for corruption 121 to 23.
Sources: Wikipedia
Governor
Vote for oneAlso on the ballot: Pat Dixon (Libertarian).
Gina Hinojosa
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratA public school advocate who ran the Austin school board before the Legislature.
Sources: Texas Tribune
Greg Abbott
Not good people RepublicanSigned SB 4, which lets state police arrest and deport people on suspicion of illegal entry, and bused more than 100,000 migrants to other cities as a stunt. Also signed the school voucher law.
Sources: Texas Tribune, Wikipedia
Lieutenant Governor
Vote for oneAlso on the ballot: Anthony Cristo (Libertarian), Kevin McCormick (Green).
Vikki Goodwin
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on school funding and against vouchers.
Sources: Texas Tribune
Attorney General
Vote for oneAlso on the ballot: Tom Oxford (Libertarian).
Nathan Johnson
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratHas passed about 134 bills since 2019 and promises to run the AG's office as a law office again instead of a political shop.
Sources: Texas Tribune
Mayes Middleton
Not good people RepublicanCalls himself "MAGA Mayes" and has called 2020 "a stolen election." Beat Chip Roy by attacking him for certifying the 2020 results.
Sources: Texas Tribune, KSAT
Everything else on the statewide ballot
Not profiledComptroller, Land Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, Railroad Commissioner, the State Board of Education, and the Supreme Court and appeals court seats. We haven't profiled these yet.
U.S. Representative, District 3
Vote for oneEvan Hunt
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratBacks a ban on congressional stock trading and term limits, and immigration reform that secures the border and gives "law-abiding immigrants a path to earn their place." Has challenged Self to debates.
Sources: Campaign site, TX3D News, Campaign site
Keith Self
Not good people RepublicanHeld out on Mike Johnson for speaker in 2025, then switched after two calls with Trump. Later that year he abruptly adjourned a subcommittee hearing when he was called out for repeatedly misgendering Rep. Sarah McBride.
Sources: Texas Tribune, FOX 4, House bio
U.S. Representative, District 4
Vote for oneJason Pearce
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratSays leadership "should be about service, not power." Wants to overturn Citizens United, stop investment firms from buying single-family homes, oppose school vouchers and secure the border.
Sources: TX3D News, Community Impact Q&A
Pat Fallon
Not good people RepublicanVoted on January 7, 2021 to object to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes. Endorsed by Trump, and says House leaders must "align with President Trump." Congress's ethics office found he was late disclosing up to $17 million in stock trades; the Ethics Committee dropped it as unintentional.
Sources: KSAT, House press release, Campaign Legal Center, iVoterGuide
U.S. Representative, District 32
Vote for oneDan Barrios
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratLeft the council to run, on living costs, consumer protection and health care. Calls the new district "gerrymandered" and says "government requires participation."
Sources: Retrograde News, Lake Highlands Advocate, McKinney Area Democratic Club
Jace Yarbrough
Not good people RepublicanSays he is running because "President Trump needs reinforcements in DC." Endorsed by Trump, Speaker Johnson and the Freedom Caucus Fund; worked as an "election integrity" lawyer in Detroit in 2024.
Sources: Campaign site, Texas Tribune
State Senator, District 2
Vote for oneKeenen Colbert
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on full funding for public schools, against vouchers, for reproductive rights, and on housing and utility costs. Endorsed by Planned Parenthood Texas Votes and the McKinney Area Democratic Club.
Sources: BallotReady, McKinney Area Democratic Club, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes
Bob Hall
Compromised RepublicanHas filed bills again and again to end countywide voting centers and cut back voting machines in favor of hand-marked ballots. Endorsed by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and NFIB.
Sources: Express-News, TXBIZ, Wikipedia
State Representative, District 33
Vote for oneOrlando Lopez
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWants to "properly fund and strengthen public schools," support immigrant workers and lower living costs. Endorsed by Run for Something and the Texas Democratic Veterans Caucus.
Sources: Texas Tribune, Campaign site
Katrina Pierson
Not good people RepublicanWas subpoenaed by the January 6th Committee over her role arranging speakers for the rally at the Ellipse. Running on border security and phasing out property taxes.
Sources: Wikipedia, Community Impact Q&A
State Representative, District 61
Vote for oneBrittany Black
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on costs, school funding and health care, endorsed by Texas AFT and Planned Parenthood Texas Votes. Answered Richardson's remarks with "You belong here" to Muslim families, and has owned up to a 2006 DUI and drug plea in Illinois.
Sources: Community Impact Q&A, TX3D News, Texas Scorecard, Texas AFT
Keresa Richardson
Not good people RepublicanSaid of Muslims in Texas at a 2026 Faith Fest panel, "The more uncomfortable they are, the better." Endorsed by Trump, Abbott, Paxton and Cruz.
Sources: Houston Chronicle, Campaign site
Anissa Chilmeran
Not enough info GreenThe Green Party nominee. She didn't answer the Community Impact questionnaire, and we found no stated positions.
Sources: Community Impact Q&A
State Representative, District 66
Vote for oneSandeep Srivastava
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratRunning on public school funding, property tax cuts and reproductive rights. Endorsed by the Texas AFL-CIO and the UAW.
Sources: Campaign site, iVoterGuide
Matt Shaheen
Compromised RepublicanWrote the state's age-verification law for adult websites and a bill raising penalties for election fraud. Touts that Texas has built "more of the border wall than even the Trump Administration."
Sources: KERA, Campaign site
State Representative, District 67
Vote for oneJordan Wheatley
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWants to stop vouchers that pull money from neighborhood schools and end "billion-dollar handouts to corporate giants." Endorsed by the DLCC and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
Sources: Campaign site, DLCC
Jeff Leach
Not good people RepublicanTo his credit, voted to impeach Ken Paxton and pushed the courts to take another look at death row inmate Robert Roberson's case. He also lists Trump's endorsement, along with Abbott's and the NRA's.
Sources: Texas Tribune, Campaign site
State Representative, District 70
Vote for oneMihaela Elizabeth Plesa
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratVoted against the 2025 private school voucher bill and wrote a law against illegal street racing. Endorsed by the Texas AFL-CIO, CWA and Planned Parenthood Texas Votes.
Sources: Texas House, ATPE Teach the Vote, CWA District 6
George Flint
Not good people RepublicanRunning on property taxes, government waste and health care costs. A former county GOP chair who wrote this year in defense of the party's election laws, endorsed by Collin County Conservative Republicans and Texas Gun Rights PAC.
Sources: Community Impact Q&A, Texas Policy Research, Collin County Conservative Republicans
State Representative, District 89
Vote for oneAngie Carraway
Seems like good people (best choice in this race) DemocratWants "to keep public dollars in public schools and end voucher programs that drain them," plus lower insurance rates and a higher minimum wage. Endorsed by Moms Demand Action and Save Our Public Schools.
Sources: Community Impact Q&A, Campaign site
Candy Noble
Not good people RepublicanVoted to impeach Ken Paxton in 2023. Sponsored the 2023 bill to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms and voted for the 2021 abortion ban; endorsed by Trump and Abbott.
Sources: CBS Texas, Wikipedia, Lone Star Left
Fifth Court of Appeals
Not profiledAlso on the ballot, and not rated: Place 3 (Matthew Kolodoski, Republican; Amanda Reichek, Democrat), Place 6 (Ben Smith, Republican; Monica Purdy, Democrat) and Place 8 (Ashley Wysocki, Republican; Andrea D. Plumlee, Democrat).
County, college, city and school propositions
We describe what each proposition does and don't make recommendations. Every bond below is marked on the ballot as a tax increase. Several new MUD (municipal utility district) confirmation, bond and tax propositions are also on ballots in those developments, and Anna, Lavon and Bland ISD have smaller measures. Statewide races (U.S. Senate, governor and so on) are in the State and federal section below.
Collin County, Propositions A to D
Propositions- Prop A: $296.5 million in bonds for courts, adult detention, medical and mental health detention, and adult probation facilities.
- Prop B: $475 million in bonds for non-tolled roads and bridges, including land and right-of-way.
- Prop C: $6 million in bonds for parks and open space, including joint county and city projects.
- Prop D: $40 million in bonds for a new county elections and storage building, which would also hold county records and historical documents.
Collin College, Proposition A
Propositions- Prop A: $600 million in bonds for college buildings used for workforce training, career and technical education, and academic classes.
Plano, Proposition A
Propositions- Prop A: Approves a new multipurpose arena for pro or amateur sports, entertainment and civic events in the Shops at Willow Bend area, paid for with up to five new taxes: up to 5% on short-term car rentals, up to $3 per car for event parking, up to 10% on event tickets, up to $5,000 per game on each visiting major league player, and up to 2% more on hotel rooms, which would bring Plano's total hotel tax to 15%.
McKinney ISD, Propositions A to E
PropositionsA tax ratification election asks voters to approve a rate the school board already adopted. If it fails, the rate drops to the lower limit allowed without voter approval.
- Prop A: Ratifies a $1.0664 tax rate, a 4.42% increase in operating revenue, about $9.1 million more this year.
- Prop B: $430.95 million in bonds for building, renovating and equipping schools, buying school sites, and buses and other vehicles.
- Prop C: $62 million in bonds for classroom technology.
- Prop D: $4.5 million in bonds to renovate the McKinney High School training pool.
- Prop E: $2.55 million in bonds to renovate existing stadium facilities.
Wylie, Propositions A to E
Propositions- Prop A: $25.5 million in bonds for streets in the downtown historic district and on Ballard/Sachse Road.
- Prop B: $22.5 million in bonds for Founders, Community, East Fork and Avalon Lake parks, land for future parks, and converting a city building for the parks department.
- Prop C: $25 million in bonds for public safety buildings.
- Prop D: $5.5 million in bonds for a public works complex.
- Prop E: $12 million in bonds for an animal shelter.
Dallas and Garland, Proposition A
PropositionsFor Collin County residents who live inside those cities.
- Dallas, Prop A: $443 million in bonds for fire, police and emergency services buildings. The city estimates total repayment with interest at about $629.6 million.
- Garland, Prop A: Approves a tax rate of $0.6799 per $100 of value, about 3.7 cents above the rate allowed without voter approval, to hire more police, fire, 9-1-1 and parks staff, spend more on roads, and raise pay. Last year's rate was $0.6897.