Galveston County
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Mark HenryRepublican Incumbent
Albert Al SmithDemocraticOn ballot as
MARK HENRY
ALBERT AL SMITH
Current role
Galveston County Judge (since 2011)
Democratic nominee for Galveston County Judge
Background
- University of Houston graduate (per campaign)
- U.S. Air Force veteran, 21 years
- Owner, aircraft parts business in Galveston County (owner since 1995) (per campaign)
- Fifth-generation Texan (per campaign)
- BA in Education, Texas Southern University (per campaign)
- Master's in Special Education Administration, Prairie View A&M (per campaign)
- U.S. Marine Corps veteran, 10th Marine Regiment, Camp Lejeune (per campaign)
- Special education teacher, 15 years (per campaign)
Experience
- First elected 2010; fourth term; running for a fifth
- Creator, all-veteran-staffed Veterans Treatment Court (2013) (per campaign)
- No prior elected office listed on his campaign site
- Member, Rotary Club of Texas City
- Fellow, Texas City Rotary Club (inducted 2024)
- Democratic primary (March 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
- Lower taxes, including cutting below the no-new-revenue rate
- Public safety and investing in law enforcement
- Less government and more efficiency
- Emergency management and response
- Infrastructure and appraisal reform
- Responsible fiscal leadership and transparent government
- Public safety and emergency preparedness
- Economic growth, small business support, and infrastructure
- Expanding affordable housing
- Investing in mental and behavioral health services
Tidbits
- Property taxes and budget: In a January 2026 Community Impact Q&A: "Our #1 priority must be and under my leadership has been reducing the tax burden on residents."
- Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "Galveston County has exploded in population growth, increasing demands on public infrastructure."
- Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "Permanent and long-lasting drainage solutions will require federal, state, and regional partnerships and billions of dollars in investment."
- Public safety: In a January 2026 Community Impact Q&A: "In December 2025, we increased pay across the board and continued investing in public safety through every annual budget."
- Property taxes and budget: Campaign site: says he is "committed to responsible fiscal leadership, transparent government"
- Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: priorities include "supporting economic growth, improving infrastructure, expanding affordable housing"
- Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
- Public safety: Campaign site: pledges "leadership on public safety, fiscal responsibility, and disaster preparedness" and "investing in mental and behavioral health services outside the jail system"
Endorsements
- Gov. Greg Abbott
- State Rep. Greg Bonnen
- State Rep. Dennis Paul
- Galveston Municipal Police Association
None found in our research
Mark Henry
Republican Incumbent- On ballot as
- MARK HENRY
- Current role
- Galveston County Judge (since 2011)
- Background
- University of Houston graduate (per campaign)
- U.S. Air Force veteran, 21 years
- Owner, aircraft parts business in Galveston County (owner since 1995) (per campaign)
- Fifth-generation Texan (per campaign)
- Experience
- First elected 2010; fourth term; running for a fifth
- Creator, all-veteran-staffed Veterans Treatment Court (2013) (per campaign)
- Top priorities
- Lower taxes, including cutting below the no-new-revenue rate
- Public safety and investing in law enforcement
- Less government and more efficiency
- Emergency management and response
- Infrastructure and appraisal reform
- Tidbits
- Property taxes and budget: In a January 2026 Community Impact Q&A: "Our #1 priority must be and under my leadership has been reducing the tax burden on residents."
- Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: "Galveston County has exploded in population growth, increasing demands on public infrastructure."
- Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "Permanent and long-lasting drainage solutions will require federal, state, and regional partnerships and billions of dollars in investment."
- Public safety: In a January 2026 Community Impact Q&A: "In December 2025, we increased pay across the board and continued investing in public safety through every annual budget."
- Endorsements
- Gov. Greg Abbott
- State Rep. Greg Bonnen
- State Rep. Dennis Paul
- Galveston Municipal Police Association
- Campaign website
- judgehenry.com
Albert Al Smith
Democratic- On ballot as
- ALBERT AL SMITH
- Current role
- Democratic nominee for Galveston County Judge
- Background
- BA in Education, Texas Southern University (per campaign)
- Master's in Special Education Administration, Prairie View A&M (per campaign)
- U.S. Marine Corps veteran, 10th Marine Regiment, Camp Lejeune (per campaign)
- Special education teacher, 15 years (per campaign)
- Experience
- No prior elected office listed on his campaign site
- Member, Rotary Club of Texas City
- Fellow, Texas City Rotary Club (inducted 2024)
- Democratic primary (March 2026): unopposed
- Top priorities
- Responsible fiscal leadership and transparent government
- Public safety and emergency preparedness
- Economic growth, small business support, and infrastructure
- Expanding affordable housing
- Investing in mental and behavioral health services
- Tidbits
- Property taxes and budget: Campaign site: says he is "committed to responsible fiscal leadership, transparent government"
- Growth and infrastructure: Campaign site: priorities include "supporting economic growth, improving infrastructure, expanding affordable housing"
- Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
- Public safety: Campaign site: pledges "leadership on public safety, fiscal responsibility, and disaster preparedness" and "investing in mental and behavioral health services outside the jail system"
- Endorsements
- None found in our research
- Campaign website
- alsmithwin.com
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