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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) The filing period for the upcoming March primaries will remain open through Monday, Dec. 8.
With less than a week remaining before the filing deadline in the March primaries, candidates have continued to add their names to the ballot.
Filing opened Saturday, Nov. 8 and the deadline for primary and independent candidates filing a declaration of intent is Monday, Dec. 8.
As of Monday, Dec. 1, Republican candidates that filed for the position of Young County Judge are incumbent Win Graham, along with candidates Donald Sexton and former Young County Judge John Bullock.
Republican candidate Travis Kunkel and incumbent Scott Shook filed for the Young County Precinct 2 Commissioner seat.
Candidates Charlotte King, Cooper Dodd and Bobby Swetnam filed to run for the Young County Precinct 4 Commissioner seat in the Republican primary. Incumbent Jimmy Wiley said he will not be filing for reelection.
Incumbent Tina Gilliam and candidate Timi Boucher-Hall filed to run for the seat of county clerk in the Republican primary.
Other incumbents that have filed for reelection in the Republican primary are Country Treasurer Kyle Milam, Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Jason Hearne, Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Joey Stewart, District Clerk Stacey Beller Mallory and Republican Chairman Lane Burgess.
As of Monday, no democratic candidates filed to run for any Young County offices in the March primary.
The primary election will be held March 3, 2026, with early voting running from Feb. 17-27. The winners of each party’s primary elections will be that party’s nominee in the upcoming general election Nov. 3, 2026.
Per state law, those who vote with one political party in the primary election must vote in the same political party for the runoff election. If a runoff election is required for any candidates, the date for that election will be May 26, 2026, with early voting from May 18-22.
Candidate applications may be downloaded from the Texas Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.state.tx.us, or picked up from the Young County election office located at 417 Second St., Suite 105.
In order to become a Republican or Democratic Party nominee for an office, an application for a place on the ballot must be filed with the county or state party chair.
The Young County Republican Chair is Lane Burgess and he can be contacted at lburgess@brazosnet.com. The Young County Democratic Chair is Jeff French and he can be contacted at yngcodem.chair@gmail.com.
The application for a place on the primary ballot includes either a filing fee or a petition in lieu of a filing fee that is signed by a number of qualified voters. The petition can be found online at www.sos.state.tx.us, as well as the filling fee amounts which vary for each public office.
Offices up for election in 2026
U.S. Senator (six-year term)
Current officeholder - John Cornyn
25th U.S. District Representative (two-year term)
Current officeholder - Roger Williams
Governor (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Greg Abbott
Lieutenant Governor (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Dan Patrick
Attorney General (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Ken Paxton
Comptroller of Public Accounts (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Kelly Hancock
Commissioner of General Land Office (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Dawn Buckingham
Commissioner of Agriculture (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Sid Miller
Railroad Commissioner (six-year term)
Current officeholder - Jim Wright
Supreme Court Place 1, 2, 7, 8 (six-year terms)
Current officeholders - Jimmy Blacklock, James Sullivan, Jeffrey Boyd, Brett Busby
Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3, 4, 9 (six-year terms)
Current officeholders - Bert Richardson, Bert Richardson, David Newell
District 68 State Representative (two-year term)
Current officeholder - David Spiller
County Judge (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Win Graham
District Clerk (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Stacey Beller Mallory
County Clerk (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Tina Gilliam
County Treasurer (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Kyle Milam
Precinct 2 County Commissioner (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Scott Shook
Precinct 4 County Commissioner (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Jimmy Wiley
Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Jason Hearne
Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace (four-year term)
Current officeholder - Joey Stewart
Republican Chair (two-year term)
Current officeholder - Lane Burgess
Democratic Chair (two-year term)
Current officeholder - Jeff French
