Andy Eads, the Republican incumbent, leads Democratic challenger Nick Pappas in the Denton County judge race, according to unofficial results from Denton County Elections. Eads had 192,497 votes, or 50.8%, to Pappas's 186,654 votes, or 49.2%, as of 1:24 a.m. Wednesday. That is a margin of 5,843 votes out of 379,151 counted, with 236 of 252 reporting units having reported. The count is not complete.
What was at stake
The county judge chairs the Denton County Commissioners Court, the governing body that sets the county budget and property tax rate, according to the Denton County government website. The County Court of Denton County has no probate, juvenile, civil or criminal jurisdiction under Texas Government Code Section 26.161.
The key issues:
- Taxes and spending: Eads campaigned on keeping Denton County's tax rate low, stating on his campaign website that the county has the lowest countywide tax rate among the top 15 counties in Texas. Pappas called for greater fiscal accountability, saying on his campaign website that the county took $172 million in federal recovery money and stopped reporting it publicly in 2024.
- Data centers: At an Oct. 10 League of Women Voters forum at the Denton County Administrative Courthouse, Pappas said, "I am anti-data center, 100%," according to the Denton Record-Chronicle. Eads declined to participate in that forum.
- Immigration enforcement: Pappas opposed the county's 287(g) task force agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which the Commissioners Court approved in January. Eads campaigned on supporting law enforcement.
A little history
Eads, a Flower Mound resident and fifth-generation Denton County native, has served on the Commissioners Court since 2007, first as Precinct 4 commissioner and then as county judge starting in 2019, according to his Denton County biography. Pappas served 17 years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2005 to 2022, retiring as a disabled veteran, according to his campaign website.
What's next
The results remain unofficial until the canvass is complete. Under a Texas Secretary of State election advisory, the local canvass for county races must occur between Nov. 6 and Nov. 17. Late-arriving domestic mail ballots postmarked by Election Day must arrive by 5 p.m. Nov. 4. Certain overseas and military ballots may arrive through Nov. 9, and provisional ballots must be counted before the canvass can take place. A recount request for a county office must be filed by 5 p.m. on the third business day after the canvass.
Election results: Denton County Judge (Texas General Election, 2026-11-03)
Candidate | Party | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
Andy Eads | REP | 192,497 | 50.8% |
Nick Pappas | DEM | 186,654 | 49.2% |
Total | 379,151 |
Source: Denton County Elections. Results current as of Nov. 4, 2026, 1:24 a.m. CST. Reporting: 236 of 252. Unofficial results; the count is not complete.
Correction, Nov. 4, 2026: An earlier version misstated the Denton County judge’s judicial duties and the deadline for ordinary domestic mail ballots. The county court has no probate, juvenile, civil or criminal jurisdiction, and those ballots must arrive by 5 p.m. Nov. 4.
