No matter their political party, Hays County voters will be facing several choice in the Democratic and Republican primary elections May 3.

Hays County Sheriff

There’s a race in both parties for sheriff, where incumbent Republican Gary Cutler will face challenger David Graham of Dripping Springs. On the Democratic side, candidates Alex Villalobos and Dickey Haverda, both of Kyle, will go head to head to win the nomination.

Hays County Constable, Precinct 1

Other law enforcement positions up for election include Constable Pct. 1, where incumbent David Peterson of San Marcos will face challenger Cody Cheatham, also of San Marcos. The winner there will face Republican Eliseo Galarza of San Marcos in the fall.

Hays County Constable,
Precinct 2

Constable Pct. 2 incumbent Democrat Michael Torres of Kyle has no primary challenger, but will face Republican Steve Avalos of Kyle in November. Republican Constable Pct. 3 Ray Helm of Wimberley has no primary challenge and no Democrat has filed to run against him. The same goes for Constable Pct. 4 Ron Hood of Dripping Springs and Constable Pct. 5 John Ellen of Buda.

Hays County Court
at Law No. 3

Judicial positions on the ballot include Hays County Court at Law No. 3, where incumbent Republican Tacie Zelhart of San Marcos, who was appointed to the position when the court was created in November, Zelhart will face either Tony Fusco of San Marcos or Millie Thompson of Dripping Springs, Democratic primary opponents.

Hays County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1

Incumbent Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 1 Joann Prado of San Marcos, a Democrat, has no primary challenger nor Republican opponent.

Hays County Commissioner, Precinct 1

Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe of San Marcos, Democratic incumbent commissioner for Pct. 1 is unopposed in both the primary and general election; though Pct. 3 commissioner Lon Shell of San Marcos, who has no primary opponent, will face Democrat Lisa Prewitt of San Marcos in November.

Hays County Tax Assessor-Collector

Hays County incumbent Tax Assessor-Collector Jenifer O’Kane of Wimberley, a Republican, has no primary opponent but will go up against Democrat Daphne Tenorio of Kyle in the fall.

Railroad Commissioner

Regarding state-wide races. Roberto Alonzo of Dallas, Chrysta Castañeda of Dallas, Kelly Stone of San Marcos and Mark Watson of Dallas will compete in the Democratic primary; on the Republican side, incumbent Ryan Sitton of Austin and James “Jim” Wright of Robstown will battle it out for the nomination.

Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court

For the position of Chief Justice of the state’s Supreme Court, incumbent Republican Nathan Hecht has no primary opponent, but will face either Amy Clark Meachum of Austin or Gerald Zimerer of Bellaire in the general election.

Texas Supreme Court Justices

There’s no primary challenge for incumbent Supreme Court Justice Place 6 Republican Jane Bland of Austin; she will face either Kathy Cheng of Houston or Larry Praeger of Dallas in November. Regarding Place 7 on the Supreme Court, incumbent Republican Jeff Boyd of Austin will go up against Brandy Voss of McAllen or Staci Williams of Dallas in November. Democrats Peter Kelly of Houston and Gisela D. Triana of Austin will face off in the primary for Place 8 on the high court, the winner facing incumbent Republican Brett Busby of Austin in the general election.

Court of Criminal Appeals

Bert Richardson of San Antonio, Republican incumbent in Place 3 on the Court of Criminal Appeals, has no primary challenger but will square off  against either William Pieratt Demond of Houston, Elizabeth Davis Frizell of Cedar Hill or Dan Wood Terrell  in the fall. Keven Patrick Yeary, incumbent in Place 4, is unchallenged in the primary; while Democrats Tina Clinton of Dallas and Stevenn Miears of Grapevine will face off in the primary. In the race of Place 9 on the court are Republican incumbent Republican David Newell of Richmond and Democrat Brandon Birmingham of Carrollton.

State Board of
Education

No incumbents are in the race for State Board of Education District 1. Republican Jennifer Ivey of Clint will face Democrat Georgina Perez of El Paso in November. Regarding District 5, State Board of Education, Republicans Inga Cotton, Robert Morrow of Austin and Lani Popp of Fair Oaks Ranchwill go head-to-head March 3; the winner of that contest will face either Rebecca Bell-Metereau of San Marcos or Letti Bresnahan of San Antonio in the fall.

Republican Will Hickman of Houston has no opponent in the primary for District 6 on the State Board of Education; while Democrats Dera Kerner of Bellaire, Kimberley McLeod of Houston and Michelle Palmer of Houston will face off on March 3.

More State Board of Education races are in District 8, 9, 10, 14 and 15. In District 8, Republican Audrey Yonbmg is unopposed; in District 9, incumbent Republican Keven M. Ellis will face Democrat Brenda Davis; in District 10, incumbent Tom Maynard, a Republican, will face  either Marsha Burnett-Websterr or Stephen Wyman of Georgetown; in District 14, incumbent Republican Sue Melton-Malone of Robinson will face Democrat Greg Alvord of Aubrey; In District 15, Democrat John Betancourt of Amarillo will go up against Republican Jay Johnson of Pampa.

Texas State Representatives

Democratic incumbent State Senator Judith Zaffirini, representing District 21, will face Republican Dade Phelan of Nederland in November. In the race for State Representative District 45 are Republicans Carrie Isaac of Dripping Springs, Bud Wymore of Driftwood and Austin Talley of Kyle; Democrats in the race are incumbent Erin Zwiener of Driftwood and Lilian Posada of Kyle.

District Judge

District Judge races include 22nd Judicial District incumbent Bruce Boyer of New Braunfels, a Republican, will face former Hays District Attorney Sherri Tibbe of Buda, a Democrat.

U.S. Senate

In the race for the U.S. Senate, incumbent Republican John Cornyn of Austin faces primary challengers Virgil Bierschwale of Junction, Dwayne Stovall and Mark Yancey of Dallas; Democrats vying for the nomination are Chris Bell of Houston, Michael Cooper of Beaumont, Amanda Edwards of Houston, Jack Daniel Foster Jr. of Baytown, Annie “mama’ Garcia of Houston, Victor Hugo Harris of Harlingen, Mary “MJ” Hegar of Round Rock, Sema Hernandez of Pasadena, D.R. Hunter of Amarillo, Adrian Ocegueda of Flower Mound, Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez of Austin and Royce West of Dallas.

Incumbent Chip Roy of Austin, U.S. Representative, District 21, has no primary challenger but will face either Wendy R. Davis of Austin or Jennie Lou Leeder, also of Austin. Incumbent Democrat Lloyd Doggett of Austin in District 35 faces challenger Raphael Alcoser III of San Antonio. No Republicans are in that race.