Smith County, Texas

Smith County Judge

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One candidate is tracked for Smith County Judge on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Neal Franklin. Candidate information follows official Smith County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

Single-nominee race: Neal Franklin is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot; no primary contest for this seat was reported among Smith County's contested March 3 races, and no Democrat filed, per Tyler Morning Telegraph and KLTV coverage of his re-election campaign.

Neal Franklin

Republican

Franklin has served as Smith County Judge since November 2022 and previously served as Smith County Precinct 1 Commissioner. He spent more than 30 years in fire and emergency management leadership, including as Tyler's Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator and as General Manager of ETMC EMS, per the county's official website.

2026 priorities (per the KLTV news article)

Local economic growth through strategic planning and accountable investment in services and public safety
Tax relief and strong community partnerships

Verify this race
Candidate roster from official Smith County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified 2026-09-06. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Texas election office, or see the full Smith County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.