Hays County, Texas

Judge, 274th District Court

One candidate is tracked for Judge, 274th District Court on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Gary L. Steel. Candidate information follows official Hays County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Single-nominee race: Gary L. Steel won the Republican nomination unopposed in the March 3 primary. No Democrat filed, so he is the only candidate on the November 3 ballot, per the Hays Free Press's report on the county's official primary results (Texas prints unopposed nominees).

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. One name is on the ballot for this seat.

Texas › Hays County › Judge, 274th District Court

Gary L. Steel

Republican

Biography

Gary L. Steel is the judge of the 274th District Court, serving Hays, Guadalupe, and Comal counties, per the Seguin Gazette. He earned a J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1983 and worked in private practice before taking the bench, per the San Marcos Corridor News, which also reported his appointment to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Gary L. Steel appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Judge, 274th District Court, per the county elections office's certified candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 6, 2026.

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Judge, 274th District Court in 2026?

When is the Judge, 274th District Court election in Texas?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Texas are on the Texas election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Hays County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Hays County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Texas election office, or see the full Hays County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Hays County ballot

21 tracked races in Hays County, Texas. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2 Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 1 Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3 See all 21 Hays County races

Candidate profiles

Gary L. Steel, full profile Official Texas election office