Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

County Clerk

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Tarrant County
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Mary Louise NicholsonMary Louise NicholsonRepublican Incumbent
Lydia BeanLydia BeanDemocratic
On ballot as
Mary Louise Nicholson
Lydia Bean
Current role
Tarrant County Clerk (since January 1, 2011)
Founder and president, Equipa (consulting firm advising nonprofits and foundations on strategy, evaluation and leadership development)
Background
  • Bachelor of Arts in criminology and criminal justice, magna cum laude, University of Texas at Arlington (per her questionnaire)
  • Born and raised in Tarrant County, in a military family in Fort Worth (per campaign)
  • Age 60 (per her questionnaire, October 2026)
  • Ph.D. and M.A. in sociology, Harvard University (per her questionnaire)
  • B.A. in Spanish and music, Austin College (per her questionnaire)
  • Former assistant professor of research, University of Texas at Arlington
  • Lives in Arlington (per campaign)
  • Age 45 (per her questionnaire, October 2026)
Experience
  • Tarrant County Sheriff's command staff (eight years, before becoming county clerk)
  • Chairwoman of the board, Texas County and District Retirement System (per campaign)
  • Member, Tarrant County Bail Bond Board (per campaign)
  • Member, Tarrant County Elections Commission (per campaign)
  • Co-founder, Whistleblower Aid (legal nonprofit for government employees reporting lawbreaking)
  • Democratic candidate, U.S. House District 6 (2021 special election)
  • Democratic nominee, Texas House District 93 (2020)
  • Co-founder, coalition that helps residents advocate before Tarrant County government (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "Balance enhanced delivery of service against budgetary restraint"
  • "Recruit, train and retain high performing employees"
  • "Provide great customer service"
  • "Simplified and expedited access to the services or documents they need"
  • "I will champion greater participation and transparency in the County budget."
  • "I will protect free and fair elections as Vice Chair of the Tarrant County Elections Commission."
  • "I will fight deed fraud in Tarrant County and throughout Texas"
  • "Doing business with Tarrant County should be fast, friendly, and frustration-free"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: Her budget priority, in a candidate questionnaire: "Continuously evaluate business processes and the use of technology to enhance services while reducing costs."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a candidate questionnaire: "To help address rapid growth, our office ensures the security and reliability of these documents online"
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
  • Property taxes and budget: In a candidate questionnaire: "I will champion greater participation and transparency in the County budget."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a candidate questionnaire: "We need to make sure that all of our infrastructure keeps up with our growing population, from transportation to water to healthcare to county services."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • Craig Goldman, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Phil King, Texas State Senator District 10 (listed by campaign)
  • David Cook, Texas State Representative District 96 (listed by campaign)
  • Phil Sorrells, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney (listed by campaign)
Show all 16
  • Manny Ramirez, Tarrant County Commissioner Precinct 4 (listed by campaign)
  • Mattie Parker, City of Fort Worth Mayor (listed by campaign)
  • Tarrant Star Republican Club (listed by campaign)
  • Fort Worth Republican Women (listed by campaign)
  • Arlington Republican Club (listed by campaign)
  • Reagan Legacy Republican Women (listed by campaign)
  • MetroTex Association of Realtors (listed by campaign)
  • Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors (listed by campaign)
  • Fort Worth Apartment Association (listed by campaign)
  • Tarrant County Law Enforcement Association (listed by campaign)
  • Texas Association of REALTORS Political Action Committee (listed by campaign)
None found in our research
Campaign website
marylouise.info
lydiafortexas.com
Mary Louise Nicholson

Mary Louise Nicholson

Republican Incumbent
On ballot as
Mary Louise Nicholson
Current role
Tarrant County Clerk (since January 1, 2011)
Background
  • Bachelor of Arts in criminology and criminal justice, magna cum laude, University of Texas at Arlington (per her questionnaire)
  • Born and raised in Tarrant County, in a military family in Fort Worth (per campaign)
  • Age 60 (per her questionnaire, October 2026)
Experience
  • Tarrant County Sheriff's command staff (eight years, before becoming county clerk)
  • Chairwoman of the board, Texas County and District Retirement System (per campaign)
  • Member, Tarrant County Bail Bond Board (per campaign)
  • Member, Tarrant County Elections Commission (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "Balance enhanced delivery of service against budgetary restraint"
  • "Recruit, train and retain high performing employees"
  • "Provide great customer service"
  • "Simplified and expedited access to the services or documents they need"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: Her budget priority, in a candidate questionnaire: "Continuously evaluate business processes and the use of technology to enhance services while reducing costs."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a candidate questionnaire: "To help address rapid growth, our office ensures the security and reliability of these documents online"
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • Craig Goldman, U.S. Congressman (listed by campaign)
  • Bill Waybourn, Tarrant County Sheriff (listed by campaign)
  • Phil King, Texas State Senator District 10 (listed by campaign)
  • David Cook, Texas State Representative District 96 (listed by campaign)
  • Phil Sorrells, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney (listed by campaign)
Show all 16
  • Manny Ramirez, Tarrant County Commissioner Precinct 4 (listed by campaign)
  • Mattie Parker, City of Fort Worth Mayor (listed by campaign)
  • Tarrant Star Republican Club (listed by campaign)
  • Fort Worth Republican Women (listed by campaign)
  • Arlington Republican Club (listed by campaign)
  • Reagan Legacy Republican Women (listed by campaign)
  • MetroTex Association of Realtors (listed by campaign)
  • Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors (listed by campaign)
  • Fort Worth Apartment Association (listed by campaign)
  • Tarrant County Law Enforcement Association (listed by campaign)
  • Texas Association of REALTORS Political Action Committee (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
marylouise.info
Lydia Bean

Lydia Bean

Democratic
On ballot as
Lydia Bean
Current role
Founder and president, Equipa (consulting firm advising nonprofits and foundations on strategy, evaluation and leadership development)
Background
  • Ph.D. and M.A. in sociology, Harvard University (per her questionnaire)
  • B.A. in Spanish and music, Austin College (per her questionnaire)
  • Former assistant professor of research, University of Texas at Arlington
  • Lives in Arlington (per campaign)
  • Age 45 (per her questionnaire, October 2026)
Experience
  • Co-founder, Whistleblower Aid (legal nonprofit for government employees reporting lawbreaking)
  • Democratic candidate, U.S. House District 6 (2021 special election)
  • Democratic nominee, Texas House District 93 (2020)
  • Co-founder, coalition that helps residents advocate before Tarrant County government (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "I will champion greater participation and transparency in the County budget."
  • "I will protect free and fair elections as Vice Chair of the Tarrant County Elections Commission."
  • "I will fight deed fraud in Tarrant County and throughout Texas"
  • "Doing business with Tarrant County should be fast, friendly, and frustration-free"
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: In a candidate questionnaire: "I will champion greater participation and transparency in the County budget."
  • Growth and infrastructure: In a candidate questionnaire: "We need to make sure that all of our infrastructure keeps up with our growing population, from transportation to water to healthcare to county services."
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: No public statement found
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
lydiafortexas.com

Open in the full comparison: Tarrant County

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