Who is running for Harris County Judge in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Harris County Judge on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Harris County.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Letitia PlummerDemocrat | Vince DuncanIndependent | Marianne "Yan" HessIndependent | Orlando SanchezRepublican |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immigration | No single answer fits; see evidence | No public position | No public position | Tighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsSaid · medium |
| Property taxes | Hold them about steadySaid · medium | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · medium | Hold them about steadyQuestionnaire answer · medium | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · medium |
| Policing and crime | Major reform: much less incarceration and a smaller role for policeSaid · medium | No public position | No public position | Tougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailSaid · medium |
Letitia Plummer
DemocratFormer Houston City Council member, At-Large Position 4
Letitia Plummer is a dentist and small business owner who served on Houston City Council in At-Large Position 4 from January 2020 until she resigned to run for county judge in 20252. She holds degrees from Spelman College and Baylor College of Dentistry2. She is the Democratic nominee for Harris County Judge1.
Where they stand 3 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Property taxesHold them about steadymedium
Said · medium confidence- In a 2026 candidate Q&A she said: "I do not support raising taxes while residents face an affordability crisis." (2026-09) source
- Her platform pledges to stop county property tax increases and keep the overall tax rate low. (2026) source
- She said she would have voted against the 7.6 percent county tax rate increase approved on Sept. 8, 2026. (2026-09-12) source
- In October 2024, as a Houston council member, she joined three colleagues in proposing a 5 percent city property tax rate increase to cover Hurricane Beryl and derecho cleanup; the proposal was withdrawn after the state announced disaster aid. She has described it as an emergency measure. (2024-10) source
Policing and crimeMajor reform: much less incarceration and a smaller role for policemedium
Said · medium confidence- In her 2026 primary voters guide answer she called for "Justice Decarceration and Reinvestment": shifting county funding to maximize cite and release, expand the Public Defender's Office and invest in non-police emergency response "to dramatically reduce the jail population." (2026) source
- In June 2020 she proposed Houston budget amendments to eliminate 199 vacant police positions and shift about $11.4 million to police oversight, de-escalation training and diversion programs, and to fund a mental health response team from a cadet class; council rejected or referred them. (2020-06) source
- She said in 2020 that her proposals were not about eliminating the police. (2020-06-11) source
- In 2026 she questioned the cost of the county's law enforcement pay parity raises and said pay should reflect each agency's duties. (2026-08) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium
Official action · medium confidence- As a Houston City Council member she proposed the first city ordinance limiting how Houston police interact with ICE; it was adopted after she left office and later amended. (2025) source
- She said she is the only candidate in the race who does not support the 287(g) agreements with ICE that state law now requires large-county sheriffs to seek, and said she would use county oversight to support legal help for detained immigrants. (2026-09-12) source
- Her platform says she will defend immigrant rights and seek transparency in the use of local resources for federal immigration enforcement. (2026) source
No public position found on: AI data centers, Election rules, Judges, Redistricting, Death penalty.
Vince Duncan
IndependentPrivate citizen
Declared write-in candidate for Harris County Judge1. Vince Duncan is a carpenter who owns a custom church furniture company and has served as an officer of the Groveland Terrace civic club in Houston23. He is running as a political independent4.
Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium
Said · medium confidence- His "Free and Clear Property Ownership Reform Act" would have homestead owners pay county property taxes for 15 years, after which the home would be owned free and clear of future taxes until it is sold. (2026) source
Election rulesNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His "Voting Reform Act" proposes permanent voting centers at county annex buildings and giving each voter a receipt listing the candidates and propositions they voted for. (2026) source
- The issues page of his campaign site, written for his U.S. House District 18 campaign, also proposes a three-day verification period for voters to compare county results with their receipts and a gag order on media outlets calling elections. (2025) source
No public position found on: Immigration, AI data centers, Policing and crime, Judges, Redistricting, Death penalty.
Marianne "Yan" Hess
IndependentPrivate citizen
Declared write-in candidate for Harris County Judge1. Marianne "Yan" Hess describes herself as a politically unaffiliated homeowner and small business owner who has focused on family, local nonprofit work and her household business2.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Property taxesHold them about steadymedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence
No public position found on: Immigration, AI data centers, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Redistricting, Death penalty.
Orlando Sanchez
RepublicanFormer Harris County Treasurer
Orlando Sanchez was born in Havana, Cuba, came to Houston as a child, won a Houston City Council seat in 1995 and later served three terms as Harris County Treasurer after winning the office in 20062. He lists U.S. Air Force and Texas National Guard service and a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston3. He is the Republican nominee for Harris County Judge1.
Where they stand 3 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
ImmigrationTighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsmedium
Said · medium confidence- At an August 2026 LULAC breakfast he said the county has nothing to do with federal immigration enforcement and that Congress can change immigration law, and suggested that people concerned about immigration policy contact U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar to support her Dignity Act, which pairs border security and enforcement funding with a legal status for long-term undocumented workers without a direct path to citizenship. (2026-08-15) source
- He has said he supports immigration enforcement but wants accountability when ICE uses deadly force, and in April 2026 he opposed Harris County efforts to restrict cooperation with ICE, arguing criminals in the country illegally should not get special protections. (2026) source
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium
Said · medium confidence- In a 2026 candidate Q&A he said taxes are too high and that as county judge he will "cut taxes." (2026-09) source
- He said he would have voted against the 7.6 percent county tax rate increase approved on Sept. 8, 2026, that there is "plenty of fat to cut" in the budget, and that he would never ask for a tax increase. (2026-09-12) source
- In a 2026 candidate Q&A he said "wrong projections don't justify higher taxes" and that he would demand efficiencies before asking residents for more. (2026-09) source
- His campaign platform calls for property tax relief and a public savings review before any tax increase is considered. (2026) source
- He said he helped pass a property tax rate cut while on Houston City Council. (2026) source
Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium
Said · medium confidence- He said crime is out of control with a "revolving-door justice system" and pledged to hold criminals accountable. (2026-09) source
- In a 2025 radio interview he said the county must expand its jail and courts, and credited the commercial bail bond system with getting defendants to show up for court. (2025-09-23) source
- His platform pledges to fully support the Sheriff's Office, constables, prosecutors and courts. (2026) source
No public position found on: AI data centers, Election rules, Judges, Redistricting, Death penalty.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.