Election Results 2026: Starnes leads unopposed in Tarrant County criminal court race

Eric Starnes, the Republican incumbent, holds 293,703 votes and 100% of the count in the Tarrant County Criminal Court-at-Law No. 7 race, according to unofficial results from Tarrant County Elections.

Starnes is the only candidate on the ballot. Zero of 864 reporting units had reported as of 7:06 p.m. CST on Nov. 3.

What was at stake

Tarrant County has 10 criminal courts that handle misdemeanor-level criminal matters, according to the Fort Worth Report. Each judge serves a four-year term.

The key issues:

• Starnes ran unopposed in both the March 3 Republican primary and the Nov. 3 general election, according to NBC DFW.
• The court handles misdemeanor criminal cases for Tarrant County residents.
• Starnes, on his campaign website, has said he seeks to move cases through the court system efficiently.

A little history

Starnes, a Republican, has held the Court No. 7 seat since 2023, according to the Fort Worth Report. He served more than 23 years with the Euless Police Department, working his way up from patrol officer to lieutenant of investigations.

He earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of North Texas and a law degree from Texas Wesleyan University, according to his campaign website.

Before joining the bench, Starnes also worked as a Tarrant County assistant criminal district attorney, handling felony and misdemeanor cases, according to his campaign website.

What's next

The results remain unofficial until the Tarrant County Commissioners Court completes its canvass. Under Texas law, the canvass must take place no earlier than Nov. 6 and no later than Nov. 17, according to a Brennan Center report on Texas election certification.

Election results: Tarrant County Criminal Court-at-Law Judge - Court 7 (Texas General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: Tarrant County Elections. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 7:06 p.m. CST. Reporting: 0 of 864. Unofficial results; the count is not complete.