Nearly all of Bexar County’s elected leaders will be on the ballot in 2026, including big races for county judge and district attorney.
The county is responsible for overseeing the courts, jail, elections, public records and infrastructure for more than two million residents. It’s led by a county judge, as well as four county commissioners who represent different geographic precincts on the Bexar County Commissioners Court.
Each of those officials serve four-year terms, but only half of the commissioner precincts are up for reelection at a time. Precincts 2 and 4 will elect theirs in 2026, while the Precinct 1 and 3 commissioners will be on the ballot in 2028
With the exception of the Bexar County sheriff, all of the other countywide positions are up this year, including the County Clerk and District Clerk, county courts at law and a portion of the county’s state district judges.
Filing for those races closed on Dec. 8 and we’ve compiled a list of all the candidates running for top county leadership positions, as reported by the local Democratic and Republican parties, which oversee the primary process.
Democrats and Republicans will each choose their nominees for the November election in a March 3 primary. The general election ballot could also include third-party candidates that have not yet been nominated, and will be added to this list.
We’ll have a comprehensive voter guide with the candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, the Texas Legislature and judicial races that are also on the ballot in 2026 before early voting starts.
2026 Bexar County Judge race
Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai faces a primary challenge from former Mayor Ron Nirenberg, a fellow Democrat. The winner will go up against Republican Patrick Von Dohlen, who is running unopposed for his party’s nomination, in November.
Democratic candidates for Bexar County Judge
Peter Sakai
Peter Sakai was first elected Bexar County Judge in 2022, after serving many years as a civil district court judge.
Bexar County Judge race
Democrat
Incumbent
Ron Nirenberg
Ron Nirenberg was San Antonio’s mayor from 2017 to 2015, and previously managed Trinity University’s radio station.
Bexar County Judge race
Democrat
Challenger
Republican candidate for Bexar County Judge
Patrick Von Dohlen
Patrick Von Dohlen is a conservative activist who runs the San Antonio Family Association PAC.
Bexar County Judge race
Republican
Challenger
2026 Bexar County District Attorney race
District Attorney Joe Gonzales, a Democrat who has held the role since 2018, isn’t seeking reelection this year. Eight Democrats are competing for the party’s nomination to replace him, and the winner will go up against the lone Republican filer, Ashley Foster, in November.
Democratic candidates for Bexar County DA
James Bethke
James “Jim” Bethke is the director of Bexar County’s Managed Assigned Counsel Office.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Meli Carrión Powers
Angelica “Meli” Carrión Powers serves as chief of the District Attorney’s Family Violence Division.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Luz Elena Chapa
Luz Elena Chapa served on the 4th Court of Appeals until 2024 and has since worked as a visiting judge.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Luz Elena Chapa
Luz Elena Chapa served on the 4th Court of Appeals until 2024 and has since worked as a visiting judge.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Jane Davis
Jane Davis is the chief of the juvenile section of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Veronica Legarreta
Veronica Legarreta is a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor in the District Attorney’s office.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Shannon Locke
Shannon Locke is a defense attorney who previously worked in the DA’s office prosecuting financial crimes.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Oscar Salinas
Oscar Salinas is a Brownsville native who has served as a prosecutor in Bexar County for more than a decade.
Bexar County District Attorney
Democrat
Open race — no incumbent
Republicans candidate for Bexar County DA
Ashley Foster
Ashley Foster spent more than a decade with the DA’s office as a felony prosecutor.
Bexar County District Attorney
Republican
Open race — no incumbent
2026 Bexar County District Clerk race
Four Democrats are challenging District Clerk Gloria Martinez (D) in the March 3 primary. No Republicans filed to run for District Clerk in 2026.
Democratic candidates for District Clerk
Gloria A. Martinez
Gloria Martinez was elected District Clerk in 2022, having started her career in that office roughly four decades ago.
Bexar County District Clerk race
Democrat
Incumbent
Monica Ramirez Alcántara
Monica Ramirez Alcántara is a litigation paralegal who previously chaired the Bexar County Democratic Party.
Bexar County District Clerk race
Democrat
Challenger
Christine Castillo
Christine “Chris” Castillo worked in the Bexar County District Clerk’s office for 33 years before retiring in 2019.
Bexar County District Clerk race
Democrat
Challenger
Raul Davila
Raul Davila owns a litigation support company and ran for a Northside ISD school board seat in 2024.
Bexar County District Clerk race
Democrat
Challenger
Elva Abundis-Esparza
Elva Abundis-Esparza has worked for private law firms and held various roles in the District Clerk’s office.
Bexar County District Clerk race
Democrat
Challenger
Republican candidates for District Clerk
None
2026 Bexar County Clerk race
Two Democrats are challenging Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark (D) in the March 3 primary. No Republicans filed to run for Bexar County Clerk in 2026.
Democratic candidates for Bexar County Clerk
Lucy Adame-Clark
Lucy Adame-Clark started her career in the Sheriff’s Office and has served as Bexar County Clerk since 2018.
Bexar County Clerk race
Democrat
Incumbent
Bexar County Clerk race
Democrat
Challenger
Cynthia Castro
Cynthia Castro works in insurance litigation defending national insurance companies.
Bexar County Clerk race
Democrat
Challenger
Republican candidates for Bexar County Clerk
None
2026 Bexar County Pct. 2 Commissioner race
Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez (Pct. 2), a Democrat, doesn’t face a primary opponent this year. He’ll face one Republican challenger, David Sherwood Hill, who is also running unopposed for his party’s nomination, in November.
Democratic candidate for Bexar County Pct. 2 Commissioner
Justin Rodriguez
Justin Rodriguez is an attorney who has served on the Commissioners Court since 2019.
Bexar County Commissioner Pct. 2 race
Democrat
Incumbent
Republican candidate for Bexar County Pct. 2 Commissioner
David Sherwood Hill
David Sherwood Hill is an Air Force veteran who owns his own artificial intelligence company.
Bexar County Commissioner Pct. 2 race
Republican
Challenger
2026 Bexar County Pct. 5 Commissioner race
Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert (Pct. 4), a Democrat, doesn’t face a primary opponent this year, and he also did not draw a Republican challenger.
Democratic candidate for Bexar County Pct. 4 Commissioner
Tommy Calvert
Tommy Calvert is the longest-serving member of the Bexar County Commissioners Court, first elected in 2014.
Bexar County Commissioner Pct. 4
Democrat
Incumbent
Republican candidates for Bexar County Pct. 4 Commissioner
None
2026 Bexar County Party chair races
The Bexar County Democratic Party and Republican Party of Bexar County each elect their party chairs on the March primary ballot. After years of contentious fights for these positions, both incumbents are running unopposed for a second two-year term in 2026.
Democratic party chair candidate
Michelle Lowe Solis
Michelle Lowe Solis is a retired Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for the U.S. Air Force.
Bexar County Democratic Party Chair
Democrat
Incumbent
Republican party chair candidate
Kris Coons
Kris Coons is the past president of the Bexar County Republican Women club.
Republican Party of Bexar County Chair
Incumbent