Harris County TX (Houston) may have the longest ballots in the country. Some 100 judges are elected to 4-year terms, split between presidential and non-presidential years
Judge Randy Roll is seeking re-election to the 179th Criminal District Court. This is a trial court for felony cases. He has an opponent in the Democratic primary and will be on the ballot everywhere in the county. The opponent has been seen voting in Republican primaries. No Republican filed this year.
I am supporting him as a volunteer and I am not a lawyer.
Randy Roll was elected in 2008 to the 179th District Court. He lost to a Republican in 2012. He was elected again to the same court in 2016. He has a law degree from the South Texas College of Law, an undergraduate degree from Lamar University. As of 2016 he had 28 years experience in criminal law practice, some 8000 cases. In his term beginning in 2009 he relieved a backlog of cases left by his predecessor. He tried some 110 cases. He has made sure grand juries reflected Harris County's diversity. He has been generous in granting probation in nonviolent crime and small drug cases.
He is married to attorney Damon Crenshaw, who has previously run for a judgeship. Yes, married on June 30, 2015, after 31 ½ years together. Let’s vote to get marriage equality better entrenched!
It may seem strange for judges to be elected on a partisan basis. There is, however, a certain trend, but not a hard and fast rule. In civil cases Democrats tend to have a philosophy advantageous to the plaintiff, Republicans to the defendant. In criminal cases, Republicans tend to the state, Democrats to the defense. Judges have discretion on many subtle matters.
You can vote for him if you are registered to vote in Harris County. Early voting will start Feb. 18. Always wise to vote early so you have time to rectify problems. You must be registered, however, at least 30 days prior to Mar. 3. I make it an ironclad rule to vote in every election I get, no matter what.