Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

County Judge

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Denton County
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Andy EadsAndy EadsRepublican Incumbent
Nick PappasDemocratic
On ballot as
Andy Eads
Nick Pappas
Current role
Denton County Judge (elected 2018; in office since 2019) (per his Ballotpedia survey)
Retired U.S. Marine and small business owner
Background
  • B.B.A., Howard Payne University (1993)
  • Master of Public Administration, University of North Texas (1996)
  • Early career, Town of Addison (per campaign)
  • Former real estate agent, RE/MAX DFW (per campaign)
  • Fifth-generation Denton County resident (per candidate)
  • Lives in Flower Mound (per campaign)
  • Graduate, Humble High School
  • U.S. Marine Corps (2005–2022)
  • Describes himself as "a retired, disabled Marine Corps veteran of multiple combat deployments"
  • In a Community Impact Q&A, says he "transcribes and summarizes Commissioners Court weekly"
Experience
  • Denton County Commissioners Court (since 2007), including 12 years as Precinct 4 County Commissioner (per candidate)
  • Regional Transportation Council member (since 2009); chair, 2019–2020 (per candidate)
  • Chairman of the board, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) (per campaign)
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
  • Began a 2026 campaign for governor before, in his campaign's words, he "chose to focus on Denton County"
  • Did not appear on the Democratic primary ballot for governor
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): advanced
Top priorities
  • "My priorities are keeping property taxes low, strengthening public safety, improving transportation infrastructure and promoting responsible economic development."
  • "Our greatest challenge is responsibly managing rapid growth."
  • "We are accommodating growth without allowing government to grow faster than necessary."
  • "Three free meals a day for every child in Denton County."
  • "A county health campus."
  • "A foster care support system this county actually funds."
  • "a reentry program so people leaving jail have somewhere to land besides back in it"
  • "Homestead exemption at 20%, not the current 1%."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: "My priorities are keeping property taxes low, strengthening public safety, improving transportation infrastructure and promoting responsible economic development."
  • Growth and infrastructure: "Our greatest challenge is responsibly managing rapid growth." Says the county must "address increasing demands on roads, public safety, and county services while maintaining affordability"
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "Supporting our law enforcement is vital to ensuring public safety"
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
  • Property taxes and budget: "Homestead exemption at 20%, not the current 1%."
  • Growth and infrastructure: "Infrastructure projects finish on time and on budget, with the numbers public."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "We need to strengthen disaster preparedness" and "fix transportation, drainage, and mobility gaps"
  • Public safety: "Expand evidence based jail programs and improve reentry coordination."
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
Endorsements
None found in our research
  • VoteVets (listed by campaign)
  • Lewisville Democratic Club (listed by campaign)
  • Young Democrats of Denton County (listed by campaign)
Campaign website
andyeads.com
pappasfordentoncounty.com
Andy Eads

Andy Eads

Republican Incumbent
On ballot as
Andy Eads
Current role
Denton County Judge (elected 2018; in office since 2019) (per his Ballotpedia survey)
Background
  • B.B.A., Howard Payne University (1993)
  • Master of Public Administration, University of North Texas (1996)
  • Early career, Town of Addison (per campaign)
  • Former real estate agent, RE/MAX DFW (per campaign)
  • Fifth-generation Denton County resident (per candidate)
  • Lives in Flower Mound (per campaign)
Experience
  • Denton County Commissioners Court (since 2007), including 12 years as Precinct 4 County Commissioner (per candidate)
  • Regional Transportation Council member (since 2009); chair, 2019–2020 (per candidate)
  • Chairman of the board, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) (per campaign)
  • Republican primary (March 3, 2026): unopposed
Top priorities
  • "My priorities are keeping property taxes low, strengthening public safety, improving transportation infrastructure and promoting responsible economic development."
  • "Our greatest challenge is responsibly managing rapid growth."
  • "We are accommodating growth without allowing government to grow faster than necessary."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: "My priorities are keeping property taxes low, strengthening public safety, improving transportation infrastructure and promoting responsible economic development."
  • Growth and infrastructure: "Our greatest challenge is responsibly managing rapid growth." Says the county must "address increasing demands on roads, public safety, and county services while maintaining affordability"
  • Flooding and drainage: No public statement found
  • Public safety: Campaign site: "Supporting our law enforcement is vital to ensuring public safety"
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
Endorsements
None found in our research
Campaign website
andyeads.com

Nick Pappas

Democratic
On ballot as
Nick Pappas
Current role
Retired U.S. Marine and small business owner
Background
  • Graduate, Humble High School
  • U.S. Marine Corps (2005–2022)
  • Describes himself as "a retired, disabled Marine Corps veteran of multiple combat deployments"
  • In a Community Impact Q&A, says he "transcribes and summarizes Commissioners Court weekly"
Experience
  • Began a 2026 campaign for governor before, in his campaign's words, he "chose to focus on Denton County"
  • Did not appear on the Democratic primary ballot for governor
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): advanced
Top priorities
  • "Three free meals a day for every child in Denton County."
  • "A county health campus."
  • "A foster care support system this county actually funds."
  • "a reentry program so people leaving jail have somewhere to land besides back in it"
  • "Homestead exemption at 20%, not the current 1%."
Tidbits
  • Property taxes and budget: "Homestead exemption at 20%, not the current 1%."
  • Growth and infrastructure: "Infrastructure projects finish on time and on budget, with the numbers public."
  • Flooding and drainage: Campaign site: "We need to strengthen disaster preparedness" and "fix transportation, drainage, and mobility gaps"
  • Public safety: "Expand evidence based jail programs and improve reentry coordination."
Claims and the record
  • Controversies: None found in the news coverage we reviewed
Endorsements
  • VoteVets (listed by campaign)
  • Lewisville Democratic Club (listed by campaign)
  • Young Democrats of Denton County (listed by campaign)

Open in the full comparison: Denton County

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