Harris County Judge Primary Runoffs Set for May

Both Democrats and Republicans will face runoffs to choose their nominees for the county judge seat.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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According to unofficial election results, none of the six Republican candidates vying for the Harris County judge seat were able to cross the 50-percent-plus-one threshold needed to win outright. The Republican runoff will be between Orlando Sanchez and Warren Howell, who received 27% and 21% of the vote respectively. On the Democratic side, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker will face former Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer, who received 47% and 37% of the vote respectively.

Why it matters

The Harris County judge is a powerful position that oversees the county's budget, infrastructure, and emergency management. The runoff elections will determine the nominees for both parties, setting the stage for the general election in November.

The details

Marty Lancton, a firefighter-turned-union-leader who had the endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott, finished third in the Republican primary, a few hundred votes behind Howell. Early voting in the runoff elections starts on May 18.

  • The Republican and Democratic primary runoffs will be held in May 2026.
  • Early voting in the runoff elections starts on May 18, 2026.

The players

Orlando Sanchez

A Republican candidate who received 27% of the vote in the primary and will advance to the runoff.

Warren Howell

A Republican candidate who received 21% of the vote in the primary and will advance to the runoff.

Annise Parker

The former Democratic mayor of Houston who received 47% of the vote in the primary and will advance to the runoff.

Letitia Plummer

A former Democratic Houston City Council member who received 37% of the vote in the primary and will advance to the runoff.

Marty Lancton

A Republican candidate who was endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott but finished third in the primary, a few hundred votes behind Howell.

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The takeaway

The Harris County judge primary runoffs will be a closely watched race, as the winner of each party's nomination will be in a strong position to win the general election and take on the powerful county judge role.