Seven seats on Texas' two highest courts are on the Nov. 3 ballot, and early voting starts Monday, Oct. 19. Four are on the Supreme Court of Texas and three on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. All seven races appear on the Collin County elections department's all-race sample ballot.
In two of the three criminal court races, the judge the court now lists in that seat is not among the candidates.
Supreme Court of Texas
The court, made up of a chief justice and eight justices, is the state's court of last resort for civil matters, according to its website. Each race below has a Republican and a Democrat:
- Chief Justice: Jimmy Blacklock, Republican, and Maggie Ellis, Democrat. Blacklock became chief justice in January 2025 by appointment from Gov. Greg Abbott, after first joining the court by appointment in 2018 and winning elections in 2018 and 2024, the court says.
- Place 2 (unexpired term): James P. Sullivan, Republican, and Chari Kelly, Democrat. Sullivan was appointed to the seat in January 2025 and earlier served as Abbott's general counsel.
- Place 7: Kyle Hawkins, Republican, and Kristen Hawkins, Democrat. Kyle D. Hawkins was appointed in October 2025; he is a former Texas solicitor general.
- Place 8: Brett Busby, Republican, and Gisela D. Triana, Democrat. Busby was appointed in 2019 and elected to a full term in 2020.
Court of Criminal Appeals
The Court of Criminal Appeals is the state's highest court for criminal cases. Its presiding judge and eight judges are elected by voters across Texas to six-year terms, the court says.
- Place 3: Thomas Smith, Republican; Okey Anyiam, Democrat; and Mark Ash, Libertarian. The court's website lists Bert Richardson, first elected in 2014, in Place 3. He is not on the ballot.
- Place 4: Kevin Patrick Yeary, Republican, and Audra Riley, Democrat. The court lists Yeary in Place 4 and says he was elected to the court in 2014.
- Place 9: John Messinger, Republican, and Holly Taylor, Democrat. David Newell, elected in 2014, is listed in Place 9 and is not a candidate.
