The Galveston County Judge is the county’s chief elected executive, presiding over the Commissioners Court, preparing the annual budget, directing emergency management, and carrying out a limited set of judicial duties. Mark Henry has held the office since winning election in 2010, and the seat is next on the ballot in 2026.1Texas Secretary of State. Offices up for Election in 2026
Running the Commissioners Court
Texas Local Government Code Section 81.001 places the county judge at the head of the five-member Commissioners Court, which includes the judge and four precinct commissioners.2State of Texas. Texas Local Government Code Chapter 81 Despite its name, the court is the county’s legislative and policy-making body, not a judicial one. The judge sets the agenda, leads the discussion, and votes on every matter alongside the commissioners. In Galveston County, Henry currently sits with Commissioners Darrell Apffel (Precinct 1), Joe Giusti (Precinct 2), Hank Dugie (Precinct 3), and Robin Armstrong (Precinct 4).3Galveston County, TX. Commissioners Court
The court decides infrastructure spending, law enforcement funding, public health programs, and land use policy. Because the judge controls what reaches the agenda and still gets a full vote, the office carries more influence over county direction than any single commissioner.
Preparing the County Budget
In Texas counties with populations under 225,000, the county judge serves as the budget officer. Working with the county auditor, the judge prepares a proposed budget covering every county expenditure for the coming fiscal year.4Texas County Auditors Association. Understanding the Budget Process in a Texas County The proposal estimates property tax revenue and shows how it will fund departments such as the Sheriff’s Office, road and bridge maintenance, and county facilities.
The proposed budget must be filed by August 15, after which the full Commissioners Court holds public hearings and votes. If the budget requires a property tax increase, the judge must include specific language disclosing the dollar amount and percentage of the increase, along with how much of that revenue comes from newly added property on the tax rolls.5Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. Understanding the Budget Process in a Texas County Galveston County publishes its adopted budgets each year through the county judge’s office.6Galveston County, TX. Adopted Budgets
Directing Emergency Management
Under Texas Government Code Chapter 418, the county judge is the emergency management director for the county. The judge can declare a local state of disaster, which activates recovery plans and authorizes emergency aid.7State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOV’T 418.108 For a coastal county where hurricanes are a regular threat, this authority gets used.
Once a disaster is declared, the judge can order evacuations, control movement into and out of the affected area, and restrict the occupancy of buildings in the disaster zone. This authority covers incorporated cities as well as unincorporated areas, and when a county judge and a mayor conflict, the county judge’s decision prevails.7State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOV’T 418.108
The powers come with limits. A disaster declaration expires after seven days unless the Commissioners Court votes to extend it, and the judge cannot issue a new declaration for the same emergency without the commissioners’ consent after that window.8Office of the Attorney General. KP-0393 Any local declaration is subordinate to the governor’s orders, and a restriction that goes beyond what local law normally allows lasts only 60 hours unless the governor extends it.7State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOV’T 418.108
Judicial Duties in Galveston County
Every Texas county has a constitutional county court with the county judge as its presiding judicial officer. In rural counties, that can mean a heavy caseload spanning probate, guardianship, mental health commitments, misdemeanors, and civil disputes. Galveston County is different. The county has three statutory county courts at law and a dedicated Probate Court, which absorb most of the judicial work that would otherwise fall on the judge.9Galveston County, TX. Court Information
The three county courts at law carry the broad civil and criminal jurisdiction normally associated with county-level courts, including appellate jurisdiction over cases from justice and municipal courts.10State of Texas. Texas Government Code 25.0862 – Galveston County Statutory Court Provisions Because Galveston County has a statutory probate court, that court holds original jurisdiction over wills, estate administration, and guardianships for incapacitated adults and minors.11State of Texas. Texas Estates Code EST 32.002 – Original Jurisdiction for Probate Proceedings The county judge does not routinely hear the probate and guardianship cases that fill a rural judge’s docket.
One judicial function the office does retain is alcohol licensing. When someone protests an application for a beer license and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission finds reasonable grounds for the protest, the application goes to the county judge for a hearing. The judge must schedule the hearing within five to ten days of receiving the protested application and decides whether to grant or deny the license.12Justia. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 61 In those proceedings the judge acts administratively on behalf of the Commission rather than as a trial judge.13Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. County Judges Guide The judge may also perform marriage ceremonies under Texas Family Code Section 2.202.
Who Can Hold the Office
Article V, Section 15 of the Texas Constitution says the county judge “shall be well informed in the law of the State,” but it does not require a law license.14Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 Section 15 – County Court, County Judge Both attorneys and non-attorneys can hold the seat.
A candidate must also meet the statutory requirements that apply to Texas public office generally:15Texas Secretary of State. Qualifications for All Public Offices
- Be at least 18 years old and a United States citizen.
- Have lived in Texas for at least 12 consecutive months and in Galveston County for at least six consecutive months.
- Be registered to vote in Galveston County.
- Have no final felony conviction without a pardon, and no court determination of total mental incapacity or partial mental incapacity without the right to vote.
Election, Term, and Vacancies
The county judge is elected countywide through a partisan race for a four-year term. County judge contests run during midterm election years alongside the governor’s race rather than in presidential years, and the next Galveston County Judge election is in 2026.1Texas Secretary of State. Offices up for Election in 2026 There are no state-imposed term limits.
If the office becomes vacant mid-term, the four commissioners appoint a replacement by majority vote. The appointee serves until the next general election, at which point voters choose someone for the remainder of the term, and the appointee must meet the same eligibility standards as an elected judge.16State of Texas. Texas Local Government Code 87.041 – Vacancies Filled by Appointment of Commissioners Court
Compensation
The Commissioners Court sets the county judge’s salary, which is paid from the county’s general fund and supplemented by a state payment that applies to all Texas county judges. Current figures appear in the county’s adopted budget documents, which the judge’s office publishes each year.6Galveston County, TX. Adopted Budgets The amount changes as the Commissioners Court adjusts compensation during the budget process.