14 candidates are on the ballot. One ballot can carry several appellate seats, and the note below sets out which contest is which. For each judge: the record, any official performance evaluation, and the arguments published for and against them.
Texas elects its appellate judges in partisan elections, and every voter in the state votes on all seven statewide appellate seats on the November 3, 2026 ballot. In ballot order: Supreme Court of Texas (the state's highest civil court) — Chief Justice, Jimmy Blacklock (R, incumbent) vs. Maggie Ellis (D); Place 2, James Sullivan (R, incumbent) vs. Chari Kelly (D); Place 7, Kyle Hawkins (R, incumbent) vs. Kristen Hawkins (D); Place 8, Brett Busby (R, incumbent) vs. Gisela Triana (D). Then the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (the state's highest criminal court, a separate body) — Place 3, Thomas Smith (R) vs. Okey Anyiam (D), an open seat with no incumbent running; Place 4, Kevin Yeary (R, incumbent) vs. Audra Riley (D); Place 9, John Messinger (R) vs. Holly Taylor (D), also an open seat. All nine sitting members of each court are Republicans. Separately from these seven, Texas has fourteen regional Courts of Appeals whose judges are elected only by the counties in that appellate district; those races appear on the ballot too, but they differ from county to county and are not covered here. The roster above comes from the Texas Secretary of State's 2026 primary and runoff results as reported by The Texas Tribune and KERA; primaries were held March 3, 2026, with a Republican runoff for Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 on May 26, 2026.
14 candidates · ballot order · Jimmy Blacklock currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Deciding cases on the plain text of the Texas and United States Constitutions rather than on policy preference.
Raising judicial salaries, which he has described as necessary to keep experienced judges on the bench.
Changes to Texas bail law.
An originalist method of constitutional interpretation.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas since January 2025; associate justice 2018–2025.
General counsel to Governor Greg Abbott, 2015–2018.
Attorney in the Texas Attorney General's office, 2009–2015, where he worked on the state's challenges to the Affordable Care Act, its defence of Texas abortion laws, and litigation over benefits for same-sex couples.
Law clerk to a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Graduate of Yale Law School.
Unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary, receiving 1,755,485 votes.
Arguments in favor
Blacklock was endorsed for chief justice in 2026 by a business-aligned civil-justice group that advocates limits on liability litigation, which included him on its early judicial endorsement slate alongside the court's other Republican incumbents.
— Texas Civil Justice League PAC
Arguments against
Ellis says she entered the race after the Supreme Court of Texas, which Blacklock leads as chief justice, issued guidance stating that judges are not required to perform same-sex marriages — guidance she called "an attack on our community and our Constitution."
— Maggie Ellis, his opponent
What we couldn’t verify
No judicial performance evaluation of Texas appellate judges is published by the state; Texas does not run a statutory performance commission of the kind Arizona, Colorado, Alaska, New Mexico and Utah use.
General-election newspaper endorsements in this race had not been published at the time of research; the endorsements found were from the February 2026 primary.
Removing partisan politics from judicial decision-making.
Expanding access to justice for people who cannot afford a lawyer.
Equal treatment of LGBTQ Texans in the state's courts.
Applying the Texas Constitution's guarantees as written.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Third Court of Appeals of Texas, 2025–present.
Former administrative law judge, prosecutor and trial attorney, with a practice that included juvenile law.
Former public school teacher.
Graduate of Baylor Law School.
Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary with 1,570,349 votes (76.8%) against former Fifth Court of Appeals justice Cory Carlyle.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Ellis by name was found. Searched: Republican Party of Texas material, the Blacklock campaign site, Texas Tribune and KERA election coverage, and San Antonio Report's candidate profile.
Ellis's record as an appellate justice is short — she took the bench in 2025 — and no analysis of her published opinions was found.
No state or bar-run judicial performance evaluation exists in Texas to draw on.
A conservative judicial method he describes as running through a wall for the rule of law.
Interpreting statutes according to their text as enacted.
Limits on judicial authority to expand rights beyond the constitutional text.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, appointed January 2025.
General counsel to Governor Greg Abbott.
Assistant solicitor general of Texas.
As a lawyer, litigated cases against the Affordable Care Act and against Planned Parenthood.
Law clerk to a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Graduate of Harvard Law School.
Unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary, receiving 1,741,721 votes.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Sullivan has been on the court since January 2025 and no independent analysis of his published opinions was found.
No criticism of Sullivan by name was found. Searched: Texas Democratic Party material, the Chari Kelly campaign, Texas Tribune and KERA coverage, and Houston Chronicle and Dallas Morning News editorial pages.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Deciding appeals on the record and the law rather than on the parties involved.
Judicial experience on an appellate court as the qualification for the state's highest civil court.
Access to the courts for ordinary litigants.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Third Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019–present.
Former prosecutor.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the March 3, 2026 primary.
Endorsed by EMILYs List and by the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation in 2026.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Kelly by name was found. Searched: Republican Party of Texas material, the Sullivan campaign site, Texas Tribune, KERA and San Antonio Report coverage.
No independent analysis of Kelly's opinions on the Third Court of Appeals was found.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Textualist reading of statutes and the constitution.
Deference to the legislature on policy questions.
Appellate practice experience as preparation for the court's civil docket.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, appointed October 2025.
Solicitor General of Texas, 2018–2021.
As solicitor general and in private practice, litigated cases against the Affordable Care Act and against Planned Parenthood.
Testified to Congress raising constitutional concerns about the Voting Rights Act.
Law clerk to Justice Samuel Alito of the U.S. Supreme Court and to a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
Hawkins joined the court in October 2025 and has almost no published record as a justice; no analysis of his opinions was found.
No criticism of Hawkins by name was found. Searched: Texas Democratic Party material, the Kristen Hawkins campaign, Texas Tribune, KERA and TPR coverage.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Trial-court experience with civil litigants as preparation for the state's highest civil court.
Consistent application of civil procedure rules.
Access to the courts for ordinary plaintiffs and defendants.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Judge, 11th Texas District Court, Harris County, 2017–present.
Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary against former First Court of Appeals justice Gordon Goodman.
Endorsed in the Democratic primary by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Hawkins by name was found. Searched: Republican Party of Texas material, the Kyle Hawkins campaign, Texas Tribune, KERA and Houston Chronicle coverage.
No independent evaluation of her work as a district judge was found; Harris County has no published judicial performance survey.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Expanding access to legal services for Texans who cannot afford a lawyer.
Civic education about the courts.
Textual interpretation of Texas statutes.
Appellate specialisation as a qualification for the court.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, 2019–present; elected statewide in 2020.
Justice, Fourteenth Court of Appeals of Texas, 2012–2018.
Law clerk to Justice John Paul Stevens of the U.S. Supreme Court and to a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Adjunct professor, University of Texas School of Law.
Unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary.
Has worked with the Federalist Society, Alliance Defending Freedom and First Liberty Institute.
Arguments in favor
Busby was endorsed for re-election in 2026 by a business-aligned civil-justice group that advocates limits on liability litigation, which included him on its early judicial endorsement slate.
— Texas Civil Justice League PAC
Arguments against
Triana, who is running against Busby for the second time, argued when she challenged him in 2020 that the court's all-Republican membership made it "result-oriented and beholden to special interests," citing its rulings allowing evictions and debt collections to resume during the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Gisela Triana, his opponent, in her 2020 campaign
What we couldn’t verify
The criticism above is from Triana's 2020 campaign against the same seat; no 2026 campaign statement criticising Busby by name was found.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
A judiciary she describes as independent of special interests.
Long trial-court and appellate experience as the qualification for the state's highest civil court.
Access to the courts for tenants, consumers and debtors.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Justice, Third Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019–present.
Judge in Travis County courts, including district court, before 2019.
Democratic nominee for Supreme Court of Texas Place 8 in 2020, losing to Brett Busby.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the March 3, 2026 primary.
Endorsed by EMILYs List in 2026.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Triana by name was found. Searched: Republican Party of Texas material, the Busby campaign site, Texas Tribune, KERA and Austin-area coverage.
No independent analysis of her opinions on the Third Court of Appeals was found.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Applying criminal statutes as the legislature wrote them.
Protection of children and families as a stated focus of his candidacy.
A conservative judicial philosophy limiting the court's power to expand rights beyond the constitutional text.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Assistant attorney general, Texas Attorney General's office.
Former counsel in the Texas Attorney General's office under Ken Paxton.
Advanced from the March 3, 2026 Republican primary to a May 26, 2026 runoff, which he won against Alison Fox.
Endorsed in the primary by several Republican state senators and conservative activist groups.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No campaign website for Smith was located.
No published criticism of Smith by name was found. Searched: Texas Democratic Party material, Texas Tribune, KERA, KSAT and Texas Scorecard coverage of the primary and runoff.
Smith has no judicial record, so there are no published opinions to describe.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Applying statutes according to the legislature's intent rather than judicial preference.
Defence-side courtroom experience as a perspective the court lacks.
Restraint in expanding judicial authority.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Criminal defence attorney in private practice.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Place 3 in the March 3, 2026 primary.
Reported minimal campaign fundraising in the primary period.
Married to a judge who has previously run for this court.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No campaign website for Anyiam was located.
No published criticism of Anyiam by name was found, and no endorsement of him by a named organisation was found. Searched: Texas Tribune, KERA, KSAT primary coverage and Texas Democratic Party material.
Anyiam has no judicial record, so there are no published opinions to describe.
Narrow reading of the court's authority to reopen cases that have already been decided.
Deference to jury verdicts and trial-court findings on appeal.
Textual application of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 2015–present; current term ends December 31, 2026.
Was the sole dissenter from the court's 2021 ruling that the Texas Attorney General's office may not unilaterally prosecute election cases.
Dissented, joined by Judge Michelle Parker, from the court's 2025 order staying Robert Roberson's execution and returning his case to the Anderson County trial court, writing that reopening a subsequent writ application already disposed of "may be justified only under the most extraordinary of circumstance."
Former appellate prosecutor in several large Texas counties; former briefing attorney at the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Unopposed in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary.
Endorsed for re-election by Governor Greg Abbott.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No criticism of Yeary by name from a named organisation or from his opponent was found. Searched: Texas Democratic Party material, the Audra Riley campaign, Innocence Project of Texas statements, Houston Chronicle and Texas Tribune coverage of the Roberson case.
His dissents are described above as holdings, in `record`. No attributed argument for or against him was found that met the standard, so both columns are left empty rather than filling one.
Texas publishes no official judicial performance evaluation.
Applying criminal law consistently regardless of who the defendant is.
Felony trial-court experience as a perspective the appellate court needs.
Timely handling of the court's docket.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Judge, Criminal District Court No. 3, Dallas County, January 2021–present.
Graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Place 4 in the March 3, 2026 primary.
Endorsed in the primary by Dallas-area Democratic clubs.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No campaign website for Riley was located.
No published criticism of Riley by name was found. Searched: Republican Party of Texas material, the Yeary campaign, Texas Tribune, KERA, KSAT and Dallas Morning News coverage.
No independent evaluation of her work as a Dallas County district judge was found.
Judicial independence from party politics on a court whose members are all from one party.
Applying the constitution and the rules of appellate procedure as written.
Appellate experience, including inside the court, as the relevant qualification.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Criminal and civil appeals attorney in practice.
Former rules attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Previously a candidate for presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Unopposed for the Democratic nomination for Place 9 in the March 3, 2026 primary.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No campaign website for Taylor was located.
No published criticism of Taylor by name was found, and no endorsement by a named organisation was found. Searched: Republican Party of Texas material, Texas Tribune, KERA and KSAT primary coverage.
Taylor has no judicial record, so there are no published opinions to describe.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Texas ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.