County Judge - Texas Ballot Compare

Gregory Klaus

Republican Incumbent

On ballot as: GREGORY KLAUS
Current role: Bastrop County Judge
Background: Graduate, Bastrop High School (per campaign)
Vietnam-era Navy veteran (per campaign)
Former owner, Klaus Heating & Air (per campaign)
Lifelong Bastrop County resident (per campaign)
Experience: Elected 2022 (per campaign)
2022 general election: finished ahead of Jackson (per Elgin Courier)
Initiatives listed by campaign: county jail expansion, planned Justice Center, county Public Health Department, Emergency Services District No. 3
Republican primary (March 3, 2026): won, about 64% over Donald Loucks (per Community Impact)
Top priorities: "My three priorities are public safety, responsible growth and fiscal responsibility."
"We must continue strengthening emergency services and infrastructure, planning for rapid growth and protecting taxpayers."
"we must manage growth responsibly while protecting the quality of life and property rights of those who call it home"
Tidbits: Property taxes and budget: Campaign site: "Keeping property taxes low while maintaining high-quality county services."
Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact questionnaire: "Counties need greater authority to address the impacts of large industrial developments on neighboring property owners, roads, water, drainage and emergency services."
Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
Public safety: Campaign site: "Supporting law enforcement and first responders to ensure every neighborhood in Bastrop County remains safe."
Endorsements: Bastrop County Conservatives
Campaign website: electgregoryklaus.com

Dock Jackson

Democratic

On ballot as: DOCK JACKSON
Current role: Retired from Bastrop County government; former longtime Bastrop City Council member
Background: Former student, Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and University of Texas at Austin (per campaign)
Certified Municipal Official designation, Texas Municipal League Institute (per campaign)
Fifth-generation Bastropian (per campaign)
Founder, Bastrop County MLK Holiday Commission (per campaign)
Board member, Kerr Community Center and CASA (per campaign)
Experience: Bastrop County Democratic Party chairman (resigned Dec. 3, 2025 to run for county judge) (per Elgin Courier)
Ran for Bastrop County judge (2022); 32% in general election against Klaus (per Elgin Courier)
State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee (appointed 2020) (per campaign)
Bastrop City Council member and assistant county judge (more than 30 years; per Elgin Courier)
Bastrop County staff, County Judge's, County Clerk and Justice of the Peace offices (almost ten years; retired; per campaign)
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Parks and recreation director, City of Elgin (the city's first; per campaign)
Special events manager, City of Austin (per campaign)
Texas Municipal League Board of Directors and Executive Committee (over 25 years; per campaign)
Top priorities: "Manage growth responsibly while protecting water, affordability and our rural quality of life."
"Improve roads, bridges, broadband, water, electricity and other infrastructure through a countywide master plan."
"Strengthen public safety, including fire, EMS, law enforcement, emergency preparedness and workforce development."
Tidbits: Property taxes and budget: No public statement found
Growth and infrastructure: In a Community Impact questionnaire: "Developers should help pay for infrastructure their projects require."
Flooding and drainage: In a Community Impact questionnaire, on disaster preparedness: "Improve roads, water systems, wildfire protection, flood mitigation and emergency response"
Public safety: In a Community Impact questionnaire: "Strengthen public safety, including fire, EMS, law enforcement, emergency preparedness and workforce development."
Endorsements: Former Bastrop County Commissioner and Bastrop County Judge Candidate Don Loucks (listed by campaign)
Campaign website: dockjackson.com