Who is running for State Representative District 61 in 2026?

Private citizen

Brittany Black is a Democrat, software engineer and small business owner from McKinney with nearly 20 years in software engineering, including work for the Department of Defense, NASA and the State Department². Her campaign lists public schools, affordability, ethics reform, public safety and health care access as priorities².

Where they stand 4 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says she will fight to keep public education dollars in public schools. (2026) source
  • In a TX3DNews interview she criticized school voucher programs, asking why public money is being sent away from struggling schools. (2026) source
• GunsAdd universal background checks and red-flag lawsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says she believes in the right to keep and bear arms and backs basics like background checks. (2026) source
• AI data centersWelcome them, but make them pay their full share of grid and water costsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says AI data centers should pay for their own power and water, report what they use, and lose special tax breaks. (2026) source
• Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • In a TX3DNews interview she said she supports property tax reform including a bigger homestead exemption and limits on appraisal increases. (2026) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy, Marijuana.

Texas State Representative, District 61

Keresa Richardson is a Republican and CEO of The Lawton Group, which offers plumbing, HVAC, electrical, refrigeration and pest control services², and represents Texas House District 61³⁵. Her campaign site lists border security, protecting life, gun rights, property tax cuts, parental rights, election integrity and school choice as priorities³.

Where they stand 17 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• China policyGet tougher: broad tariffs, state bans on land purchases, and forced app saleshigh

  Said · high confidence

  • Her campaign site says she cosponsored SB 17, safeguarding Texas land from foreign adversaries such as China. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; creating a criminal offense; providing a civil penalty; it passed the House 86 to 59. (2025-05-09) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 17 (2025), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; creating a criminal offense; providing a civil penalty. (2025) source
• School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 2 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program; it passed the House 86 to 61. (2025-04-17) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 2 (2025), relating to the establishment of an education savings account program. (2025) source
  • Her campaign site lists school choice, letting parents direct education dollars to the school that works best for their child, as an issue. (2026) source
• Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 10 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms; it passed the House 82 to 46. (2025-05-25) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 10 (2025), relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. (2025) source
  • Voted yes on SB 11 (2025), relating to a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text in public schools; it passed the House 88 to 48. (2025-05-23) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 11 (2025), relating to a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text in public schools. (2025) source
• DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 12 (2025), relating to parental rights in public education, to certain public school requirements and prohibitions regarding instruction, diversity, equity, and inclusion duties, and social transitioning, and to student clubs at public schools; it passed the House 88 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
• Curriculum and booksParents, including the right to remove material they object tomedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 13 (2025), relating to a school district's library materials and catalog, the establishment of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials; it passed the House 86 to 55. (2025-05-28) source
  • Her campaign site lists parental rights, saying parents, not bureaucrats, should make the key decisions for their children. (2026) source
• RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagemedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 4 (2025, second called session), relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Texas; it passed the House 88 to 52. (2025-08-20) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 4 (2025, second called session), relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the United States House of Representatives from the State of Texas. (2025) source
• Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 9 (2025), relating to the confinement or release of defendants before trial or sentencing, including regulating charitable bail organizations, and the conditions of and procedures for setting bail and reviewing bail decisions; it passed the House 118 to 25. (2025-05-20) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SJR 5 (2025), proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony. (2025) source
  • Her campaign site lists support for law enforcement and says she helped pass a bail reform package, SJR 5. (2026) source
• School vaccinesKeep requirements with simple personal-belief exemptionsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 1586 (2025), relating to an exemption from required immunizations for school enrollment; it passed the House 83 to 54. (2025-05-14) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 1586 (2025), relating to an exemption from required immunizations for school enrollment. (2025) source
• ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site lists securing the border and stopping illegal entry as issues, and says she helped pass Senate Bill 8, empowering local law enforcement to verify immigration status for people in custody. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 8 (2025), relating to agreements between certain sheriffs and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law and a grant program to cover the costs of implementing those agreements; it passed the House 86 to 47. (2025-05-25) source
• Election rulesStrict photo ID, paper ballots, cleaner voter rolls and fewer mail ballotsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says she backs requiring proof of citizenship to register, cleaning voter rolls, and opposes weakening voter ID or expanding unsecured mail-in voting. (2026) source
• Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site lists cutting property taxes and delivering lasting property tax relief as an issue. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 10 (2025, second called session), relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain taxing units; it passed the House 78 to 52. (2025-08-25) source
• Nuclear powerBack new reactors with public funds, tax credits, and streamlined approvalsmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 14 (2025), relating to support for the development of the nuclear energy industry. (2025) source
• Kids onlineBan social media accounts for minorslow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 186 (2025), relating to prohibiting use of social media platforms by children; it passed the House 116 to 25. (2025-04-30) source
• AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site lists protecting life as an issue and says she cosponsored SB 33 to bar taxpayer money from supporting out-of-state abortions. (2026) source
  • Voted yes on HB 7 (2025, second called session), relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, including the jurisdiction of and effect of certain judgments by courts within and outside this state with respect to the manufacture and provision of those drugs, and to protections from certain counteractions under the laws of other states and jurisdictions; authorizing qui tam actions; it passed the House 82 to 48. (2025-08-28) source
  • Was listed as a House coauthor of HB 7 (2025, second called session), relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, including the jurisdiction of and effect of certain judgments by courts within and outside this state with respect to the manufacture and provision of those drugs, and to protections from certain counteractions under the laws of other states and jurisdictions; authorizing qui tam actions. (2025) source
  • Was listed as a House cosponsor of SB 33 (2025), relating to certain prohibited transactions and logistical support between a governmental entity and an abortion assistance entity or abortion provider for the procurement of an abortion or related services. (2025) source
• AI data centersNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 6 (2025), relating to the planning for, interconnection and operation of, and costs related to providing service for certain electrical loads and to the generation of electric power by a water supply or sewer service corporation; it passed the House 103 to 25. (2025-05-27) source
• MarijuanaNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 46 (2025), relating to the medical use of low-THC cannabis under and the administration of the Texas Compassionate-Use Program; requiring registration; it passed the House 122 to 21. (2025-05-13) source
  • Voted yes on SB 3 (2025), relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; requiring occupational licenses and permits; imposing fees; creating criminal offenses; authorizing an administrative penalty; it passed the House 87 to 54. (2025-05-22) source
• Housing and growthNo single answer fitsmedium

  Voted · medium confidence

  • Voted no on SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; authorizing a fee; it passed the House 86 to 43. (2025-05-28) source
  • Voted no on the final version of SB 15 (2025), relating to size and density requirements for residential lots in certain municipalities; authorizing a fee; the House adopted the conference committee report 78 to 57. (2025-06-01) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Guns, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Gender care for minors, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes.

Realtor

Anissa Chilmeran is the Green Party candidate for Texas House District 61 in the McKinney area and works as a realtor². She was born in Plano, raised in McKinney, and holds a bachelor's degree in environmental studies and public health². The party page says she is running to ensure tax dollars remain in communities and to build a more vibrant, sustainable and safe environment, and that her activism for Palestine inspired her to run².

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, AI data centers, School choice, Curriculum and books, Property taxes, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.