The Decent Ballot  /  Texas  /  Nueces County  /  Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nueces County

Who on your ballot seems like good people, in a sentence or two each, with sources. Fill out your ballot in ten minutes.

best choice in the race Seems like good people Compromised Not good people Not enough info

Who is running in Nueces County, Texas in 2026

County Judge
Aidee Hernandez and Connie Scott
County Commissioner, Precinct 2
Isabel Noyola-Martin and Ed Bennett
County Clerk
Leanna Gutierrez Gonzales and Kara Sands
District Clerk
Maria Carolina "Kina" Ventura and Anne Lorentzen
Corpus Christi Mayor
Paulette Guajardo, Gil Hernandez, Kaylynn Paxson, David Ainsworth Sr., Chelise Hyatt, John Calkusic and Dave Heasley
Corpus Christi City Council, At-Large
Nancy Vera, Carolyn Vaughn, Mark Scott, Scott F. Corliss, Michael Miller, Richard Shelton, Joshua Fraedrick, Dan McQueen, Alex Johnston, Anthem Powers, Willie Morales Jr., Sammy Gonzales, Zoraida Basaldu, Julian Jacob Hernandez and Merida Nardone Mendoza
Corpus Christi City Council, District 1
Billy Lerma, John Garcia, Vidal "Cowboy" Conde, John M. Cudd and Tracy McCall
Corpus Christi City Council, District 2
Isabel Araiza, Jen Allende, Laura Flores Commons and Selena Guerra
Corpus Christi City Council, District 3
Eric Cantu, Robert Rocha and Jessica Villarreal
Corpus Christi City Council, District 4
Kristina Nelson, Dan Herrington, Joshua Anderson and Stacie Garrecht
Corpus Christi City Council, District 5
David Pena, John Hanzalik, Merida Gonzalez Forrest, Kusumakar Sooda and Joseph Borkouski
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 27
Tanya Lloyd and Michael Cloud
U.S. Representative, District 34
Vicente Gonzalez, Eric Flores, Eddie Espinoza and Chris Royal
State Representative, District 32
Gabriel "Gabe" Lozano Marroquin and Todd Hunter
State Representative, District 34
Stephanie Guerrero Saenz and Denise Villalobos

Nueces County

These races are partisan. The county judge and four commissioners run the county budget, the jail and county roads; the county clerk also runs elections. Commissioner Precinct 4 is uncontested this year.

County Judge

Vote for one

Aidee Hernandez

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Ten years in Nueces County audit and budget jobs; two master's degrees from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Running on budget accountability, emergency management and disaster readiness, and better health care access through the hospital district. Unopposed in the March primary.

Sources: The Ballot Brief, Ballotpedia

Connie Scott

Not enough info Republican

Incumbent since 2023; state representative, District 34, 2011 to 2013

Was endorsed by Donald Trump at his October 2022 Robstown rally on her way to beating Democrat Barbara Canales. Named the overcrowded county jail as a top problem, and did not answer the VOTE411 questionnaire this year.

Sources: Caller-Times, Caller-Times, KRIS 6, VOTE411, Ballotpedia

County Commissioner, Precinct 2

Vote for one

Open seat in practice: Noyola-Martin beat 15-year Commissioner Joe A. "JAG" Gonzalez in the May Democratic runoff. We found nothing public on either nominee's record, so the pick is a tie that goes to the Democrat.

Isabel Noyola-Martin

Not enough info (best choice in this race) Democrat

Former probation officer and Democratic precinct chair; lifelong Precinct 2 resident

A former probation officer and Democratic precinct chair who beat longtime Commissioner Joe A. Gonzalez in the May runoff with about 54%. Her priorities are prosecutor pay, expanding affordable preventive care with the public health district and flood prevention.

Sources: KRIS 6, KRIS 6, VOTE411, The Ballot Brief

Ed Bennett

Not enough info Republican

Candidate

Was unopposed in the March Republican primary. Told VOTE411 his priorities are lower property taxes, public safety, zero-based line-item budgets and no deferred maintenance.

Sources: VOTE411, The Ballot Brief

County Clerk

Vote for one

The county clerk runs elections in Nueces County. Neither candidate has a record we could weigh, so the tie goes to the Democrat.

Leanna Gutierrez Gonzales

Not enough info (best choice in this race) Democrat

Candidate

Won the Democratic primary over Jo Ann Beltran. Told VOTE411 she would modernize the office and focus on accurate records and customer service.

Sources: The Ballot Brief, Branch

Kara Sands

Not enough info Republican

Incumbent since 2015

Days before the March primary her office lost its elections manager and elections coordinator; she said the coordinator left after a letter was mistakenly sent out with mail ballots. She did not answer the VOTE411 questionnaire.

Sources: KRIS 6, The Ballot Brief

District Clerk

Vote for one

We found nothing on either candidate's conduct in office or plans; the tie goes to the Democrat.

Maria Carolina "Kina" Ventura

Not enough info (best choice in this race) Democrat

Candidate

Was unopposed in the March primary. We found no campaign site or public record on her.

Sources: The Ballot Brief

Anne Lorentzen

Not enough info Republican

Incumbent since 2015; Nueces County court administrator for 20 years

Earlier worked as a legal secretary and as executive secretary to a federal judge. We found no reporting on her record as clerk.

Sources: The Ballot Brief, BallotReady

Contested judges, justices of the peace and State Board of Education

Not profiled

We haven't profiled these. Justice, 13th Court of Appeals, Place 6 (Clarissa Silva, R; John Ball, D); 94th District Court (Chris Dorsey, R; Celina Leon, D); 148th District Court (David Klein, R; Carlos Valdez, D); County Courts at Law No. 1 (Todd Robinson, R; Joseph Barrientos, D), No. 2 (Jerry Batek, R; Lisa Gonzales, D), No. 3 (Neely Balko, R; Deeanne Svoboda Galvan, D) and No. 5 (Tim McCoy, R; Mariana Garza, D); Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 3 (Rogelio "Roy" Reschman III, R; Lucy Rubio, D) and Precinct 5, Place 2 (Hermilo "Milo" Pena Jr., R; Jesse Rojas III, D); and State Board of Education, District 2 (Victoria Hinojosa, R; Thomas Ray Garcia, D). The statewide high court and 15th Court of Appeals seats are in the state section.

Unopposed county races

No contest

County Commissioner, Precinct 4 (Brent Chesney, R); 105th (Jack W. Pulcher), 117th (Susan Barclay) and 319th (David Stith) District Courts; County Court at Law No. 4 (Mark H. Woerner); Justices of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 2 (Thelma L. Rodriguez), Precinct 3 (Larry Lawrence) and Precinct 4 (Duncan Neblett Jr.). All are Republicans.

Corpus Christi elections

These races are nonpartisan, with a December 12 runoff if no one wins a majority. The city is projected to face mandatory water restrictions in early 2027, and the council has repeatedly rejected the Inner Harbor desalination plant, most recently 5-3 on September 1. The mayor was suspended for 30 days this summer after a council removal trial. 43 candidates are running for mayor and eight council seats; we flag those who applied for the county Republican Party's endorsement, since party backing has no place in a nonpartisan race.

Mayor

Vote for one

A close call among flawed candidates, and we call it a toss-up. Guajardo carries a contested council reprimand; Hernandez, Paxson and Ainsworth each sought a party endorsement in a nonpartisan race. We lean to Guajardo as the one who didn't. Two names on early lists, Davian N. Gomez and Anna Hernandez, are not on the city's October 8 candidate list.

Paulette Guajardo

Compromised (best choice in this race) Nonpartisan

Mayor since 2021; two terms as an at-large council member

In August a six-member council tribunal suspended her for 30 days and reprimanded her, including for perjury in a deposition, over a $2 million tax incentive for a downtown Homewood Suites in 2024. Police and outside legal reviews found no criminal wrongdoing, and she calls the case "a very negative event for our city."

Sources: Texas Public Radio, Caller-Times

Gil Hernandez

Compromised Nonpartisan

District 5 council member since 2018; food and beverage consultant

Says "Corpus Christi is at a crossroads" and promises to make anti-corruption measures "a cornerstone" of his campaign. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination plant and sat on the tribunal that suspended Guajardo. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Caller-Times, Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP

Kaylynn Paxson

Compromised Nonpartisan

District 4 council member, elected in a 2024 runoff, and mayor pro tem; economic development consultant

Served as acting mayor during Guajardo's suspension. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination contract in September. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Caller-Times, Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP

David Ainsworth Sr.

Compromised Nonpartisan

President, Ainsworth Trucking and Services

Has not served on the council. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: KEDT, Nueces County GOP

Chelise Hyatt

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Development executive, Scouting America; moved to Corpus Christi in 2021

A development executive for Scouting America who moved to Corpus Christi from Missouri in 2021 and has not served on the council. Her KEDT interview is audio only, and we found no written platform.

Sources: KEDT, Caller-Times

John Calkusic

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Business owner

A business owner who got under 1% for mayor in 2024. Declined KEDT's candidate interview, and we found no platform.

Sources: City of Corpus Christi, KEDT, Caller-Times

Dave Heasley

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Self-employed

Lists himself as self-employed. Declined KEDT's candidate interview, and we found no platform or record.

Sources: KEDT, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

City Council, At-Large

Vote for three

Three seats; the top three win. Incumbent Roland Barrera isn't running. We pick only Vera: the incumbents and three others sought the county GOP's endorsement, and we found too little on the rest to recommend them. Jennifer Gracia is a registered write-in candidate.

Nancy Vera

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Nonpartisan

President, Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers; former CCISD teacher

Leads the union that represents teachers in Corpus Christi ISD and nearby districts. A Del Mar College graduate who taught at several CCISD schools.

Sources: The Foghorn (Del Mar College), City of Corpus Christi

Carolyn Vaughn

Compromised Nonpartisan

Incumbent, elected 2024; retired

Topped the at-large field in 2024. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination contract in September. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Mark Scott

Compromised Nonpartisan

Incumbent, elected 2024; title and insurance business

One of three council members who voted for the Inner Harbor desalination contract in September. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Caller-Times, Nueces County GOP

Scott F. Corliss

Compromised Nonpartisan

Business owner

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Michael Miller

Compromised Nonpartisan

Construction executive

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Richard Shelton

Compromised Nonpartisan

Small business owner

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Joshua Fraedrick

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Small business owner

Owns CC-TX Lawn Care. Ran for mayor in 2024 and opposed the desalination plant at a KRIS 6 forum; we found nothing on his 2026 platform.

Sources: KRIS 6, City of Corpus Christi, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Dan McQueen

Not good people Nonpartisan

Author; mayor for 37 days in 2017

Resigned as mayor in 2017 after 37 days, amid reports that his $$61,000-a-year chief of staff lived at his address and that a degree he claimed could not be verified. The Caller-Times editorial board called him "dictatorial and heavy-handed with fellow Council members."

Sources: San Antonio Report, Fox News, KSAT, Caller-Times

Alex Johnston

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Software developer

A software developer. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Anthem Powers

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Plumber

A plumber who got about 1% for mayor in 2024. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: City of Corpus Christi, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Willie Morales Jr.

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Retired

Retired. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Sammy Gonzales

Not enough info Nonpartisan

CVS shift supervisor

A CVS shift supervisor. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Zoraida Basaldu

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Chemical engineer

A chemical engineer. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Julian Jacob Hernandez

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Outage planner

An outage planner. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Merida Nardone Mendoza

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Self-employed

Lost the 2024 District 4 runoff to Kaylynn Paxson. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: City of Corpus Christi

City Council, District 1

Vote for one

Open seat. No pick: three candidates sought the county GOP's endorsement, and we found too little on the other two.

Billy Lerma

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Retired

A Marine Corps veteran and retired postal worker who said in 2020 he had served more than 25 years as a school board trustee. Trailed Everett Roy by two votes on election night in the 2024 runoff; Roy isn't running again. We found no 2026 platform.

Sources: KIII 3, KRIS 6, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

John Garcia

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Tourism executive

A tourism executive who got about 17% in the 2024 District 1 race; in a 2020 at-large run he named fixing city streets as his top issue. We found no 2026 platform.

Sources: KIII 3, City of Corpus Christi, Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Vidal "Cowboy" Conde

Compromised Nonpartisan

Developer

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

John M. Cudd

Compromised Nonpartisan

Consultant

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Tracy McCall

Compromised Nonpartisan

Engineering business consultant

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

City Council, District 2

Vote for one

Open seat; Sylvia Campos isn't running.

Isabel Araiza

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Nonpartisan

Sociology professor

Ran for mayor in 2024 and got 11%, opposing the Inner Harbor desalination plant at a KRIS 6 forum.

Sources: KRIS 6, City of Corpus Christi

Jen Allende

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Self-employed

We found no platform or public record.

Sources: City of Corpus Christi

Laura Flores Commons

Compromised Nonpartisan

Realtor

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Selena Guerra

Compromised Nonpartisan

Health care management

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

City Council, District 3

Vote for one

Eric Cantu

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Nonpartisan

Incumbent, elected 2024 with 70%

Lists public safety, water access for all residents and no-kill animal shelters as priorities. Voted against the Inner Harbor desalination contract; EDF Action, an environmental group, spent $25,000 backing him in 2024.

Sources: KRIS 6, EDF Action, Caller-Times

Robert Rocha

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Public safety consultant

A public safety consultant. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Jessica Villarreal

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Self-employed

We found no platform or public record.

Sources: City of Corpus Christi

City Council, District 4

Vote for one

Open seat (Padre Island, Flour Bluff and the Bay Area); Kaylynn Paxson is running for mayor. No pick: we found nothing public on three candidates, and the fourth sought the county GOP's endorsement.

Kristina Nelson

Compromised Nonpartisan

Licensed professional

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Dan Herrington

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Banker

A banker. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Joshua Anderson

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Professor and nurse practitioner

A professor and nurse practitioner. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Stacie Garrecht

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Small business owner

A small business owner. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

City Council, District 5

Vote for one

Open seat; Gil Hernandez is term-limited and running for mayor. No pick: two candidates sought the county GOP's endorsement, and we found nothing on the other three.

David Pena

Compromised Nonpartisan

Business owner

Got 46% against Gil Hernandez in 2024. Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: City of Corpus Christi, Nueces County GOP

John Hanzalik

Compromised Nonpartisan

Business owner

Applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race.

Sources: Nueces County GOP, City of Corpus Christi

Merida Gonzalez Forrest

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Sales and accounting

Works in sales and accounting. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Kusumakar Sooda

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Physician

A doctor. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

Joseph Borkouski

Not enough info Nonpartisan

Retired insurance agent

A retired insurance agent. We found no platform or public record.

Sources: Caller-Times, City of Corpus Christi

School boards

These races are nonpartisan.

Corpus Christi, Calallen and Flour Bluff ISD boards

Not profiled

These races are nonpartisan, and we haven't profiled them yet. Corpus Christi ISD: District 1 (Eric Villarreal, incumbent; John Daniel Eguia), District 3 (Stuart M. "Marty" Bell, incumbent; Duke Canchola) and District 4 (Dolly Gonzales Trolley, incumbent; Samuel AundrĂ¡ Fryer; Francisco Javier Eguia). Calallen ISD: Place 1 (Heather Luckenbach, incumbent; Caleb Wright), Place 2 (Lori Jo Walker, incumbent; Ryan A. Grant), Place 5 (Kayla Otahal, unopposed) and Place 6 (Michael Hatch, incumbent; Shannon Schrank). Ryan Grant applied for the Nueces County Republican Party's endorsement in this nonpartisan race. Flour Bluff ISD canceled its election because its three incumbents were unopposed.

State and federal

Nueces County is split between two congressional districts and two state house districts, so check your sample ballot to see which are yours. No state senate seat is on the Nueces ballot this year.

U.S. Senator

Vote for one

Also on the ballot: Ted Brown (Libertarian).

James Talarico

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

State representative from Austin; former middle school teacher

A 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 Republican

Texas Attorney General

Sued to throw out four states' 2020 votes and spoke at the January 6 rally, telling the crowd "We will not quit fighting." The Republican-led Texas House impeached him for corruption 121 to 23; the state Senate acquitted him in 2023.

Sources: Wikipedia, Texas Tribune, Al Jazeera, Texas Public Radio

Governor

Vote for one

Also on the ballot: Pat Dixon (Libertarian).

Gina Hinojosa

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

State representative from Austin; former Austin ISD board president

A public school advocate who ran the Austin school board before the Legislature.

Sources: Texas Tribune

Greg Abbott

Not good people Republican

Governor since 2015

Signed 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 one

Also on the ballot: Anthony Cristo (Libertarian), Kevin McCormick (Green).

Vikki Goodwin

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

State representative from Austin

Running on school funding and against vouchers.

Sources: Texas Tribune

Dan Patrick

Not good people Republican

Lieutenant Governor since 2015

Offered up to $1 million for proof of 2020 voter fraud (the first payout went to a Democrat who caught a Republican voting twice), and pushed the Ten Commandments into classrooms.

Sources: CBS News, Wikipedia

Attorney General

Vote for one

Also on the ballot: Tom Oxford (Libertarian).

Nathan Johnson

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

State senator from Dallas; litigator

Has 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 Republican

Former state senator; oil and gas executive

Calls 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 profiled

Comptroller, 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 27

Vote for one

Most of Nueces County is in this district. Wayne Raasch is a write-in candidate.

Tanya Lloyd

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Kindergarten teacher, Lockhart ISD

Running on health care as a right, universal day care and a decent wage for every job, and wants to break up agribusiness monopolies. Won the March primary with 63%; she lost to Cloud in 2024.

Sources: Branch, Ballotpedia

Michael Cloud

Not good people Republican

Incumbent since 2018

Voted on January 6, 2021, to object to counting electoral votes from Arizona or Pennsylvania. Won 66% against Lloyd in 2024.

Sources: High Plains Public Radio, Ballotpedia, House Clerk (Roll Call 10), House Clerk (Roll Call 11)

U.S. Representative, District 34

Vote for one

Parts of Nueces County are in this district, which the 2025 mid-decade map redrew to favor Republicans; Trump would have won the new version by about 10 points. Both major-party candidates rate "not good people": Gonzalez for his votes for the Laken Riley Act and a ban on transgender girls in girls' sports, Flores for running on Trump's endorsement. Our pick goes to the Green Party's Eddie Espinoza, about whom we found nothing troubling.

Vicente Gonzalez

Not good people Democrat

Incumbent since 2017

Has beaten Republican Mayra Flores twice. In 2025 he voted for the Laken Riley Act, which requires detaining immigrants charged with crimes like theft or shoplifting; local immigrant advocates protested at his office.

Sources: Texas Tribune, KRGV, Ballotpedia

Eric Flores

Not good people Republican

Former federal prosecutor in McAllen; Texas Army National Guard officer

Endorsed by Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott and Speaker Mike Johnson; won the March primary over Mayra Flores with 57%. His ads called her a "loser" and a "failed career politician."

Sources: Texas Tribune, Ballotpedia

Eddie Espinoza

Not enough info (best choice in this race) Green

Candidate

The Green Party nominee is an Army veteran of Desert Storm who taught 26 years in Valley public schools. He refuses all PAC money, including from AIPAC, and calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, conditions on military aid to Israel and overturning Citizens United.

Sources: Campaign site, Branch

Chris Royal

Not enough info Libertarian

Candidate

An attorney and former Brownsville ISD teacher running as a Libertarian, his top priorities are "Balancing the federal budget" and "Reducing complexity in federal regulations." He won 3% as an independent in the 2022 race for this seat.

Sources: San Antonio Report, The Ballot Brief, Ballotpedia

State Representative, District 32

Vote for one

We found nothing public on Marroquin, but Hunter's record rules him out for us.

Gabriel "Gabe" Lozano Marroquin

Not enough info (best choice in this race) Democrat

Candidate

Was unopposed in the March primary. We found no campaign site or public record on him.

Sources: Ballotpedia, The Ballot Brief

Todd Hunter

Not good people Republican

Incumbent; Corpus Christi Republican

Wrote House Bill 4, the 2025 mid-decade congressional map that Trump pushed for, and said, "The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: improve Republican political performance." Voted for the 2025 private school voucher bill.

Sources: KUT, Texas Classroom Teachers Association

State Representative, District 34

Vote for one

Stephanie Guerrero Saenz

Seems like good people (best choice in this race) Democrat

Nueces County public school teacher for nearly 30 years; former organizing director, Nueces County Democratic Party

Running on school funding and teacher pay, lower drug prices, wider health care access and workers' right to organize.

Sources: The Ballot Brief, Ballotpedia

Denise Villalobos

Compromised Republican

Incumbent since 2025; chemical engineer; former Tuloso-Midway ISD trustee

Flipped the seat in 2024 promising more school funding while a pro-voucher PAC ran attack ads against her opponent; in 2025 she voted for the private school voucher bill. Also voted for a $6.5 billion teacher pay amendment.

Sources: Wikipedia, Texas Classroom Teachers Association

City propositions

We describe what each proposition does and don't make recommendations. Statewide races (U.S. Senate, governor and so on) are in the State and federal section below.

Corpus Christi, Propositions A and B

Propositions

  • Prop A: Continues the Corpus Christi Crime Control and Prevention District and its one-eighth-cent sales tax for 10 more years. The current term ends April 1, 2027. This year's district budget of about $11.2 million pays for 78 police officers plus vehicles and equipment.
  • Prop B, the "Fair Water Amendment": A citizen petition with about 12,800 verified signatures that would amend the city charter to end programs letting large industrial water users pay a fee to skip drought surcharges or curtailment, and make them pay the surcharges the council set in March 2025. The city attorney advised keeping it off the ballot; the council voted 6-2 to put it on. Industrial users may challenge it at the state Public Utility Commission.

More Texas guides

Governor, statewide offices and ballot measures: Texas statewide races.

When and where to vote

Register by
Monday, October 5 (passed). Check your registration at votetexas.gov.
Early voting
October 19 to 30. October 19 to 23, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, October 24, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, October 25, noon to 6 p.m. at the Nueces County Courthouse (901 Leopard St.) only; October 26 to 30, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Any voter can use any of the 20 sites, including the courthouse, Del Mar College Heritage Campus, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Johnny Calderon Building in Robstown, the Bishop Multipurpose Building and the Port Aransas Community Center. The full list is attached to the city's notice of election (PDF).
Election Day
Tuesday, November 3, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at county vote centers. Locations are on the Nueces County Clerk's elections page. Curbside voting is available at every site: (361) 888-0303.
Mail ballot
Application must be received (not postmarked) by 5 p.m. Friday, October 23, by the Nueces County Clerk, Attn: Elections Department, P.O. Box 2627, Corpus Christi, TX 78403. You can email it to votebymail@nuecesco.com, but you must also mail the original.
Bring
A Texas driver license or ID, election ID certificate, handgun license, passport, military ID or citizenship certificate with photo. No ID? You can still vote by signing a reasonable impediment form and showing a utility bill, bank statement or voter card. Details.
Your ballot
Races depend on where you live. Check the county elections page or call the County Clerk at (361) 888-0580.

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Last updated October 11, 2026.