Montgomery County, Texas

County Judge

2 candidates are tracked for County Judge on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Mark Keough and James Graf. Candidate information follows official Montgomery County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

March 3 primary result: Mark Keough won the Republican nomination outright with 51.00% over Wayne Mack, per the county's official canvass, and meets unopposed Democratic nominee James Graf on the November 3 ballot.

What this office does

County judge (county executive). In Texas and a few other states the county judge is the county's chief executive and presides over the commissioners court, the county's governing board. The office prepares the budget, runs county administration and emergency management and, in smaller counties, still hears some probate and misdemeanor matters. It is an administrative office more than a courtroom one.

This race. Every voter in Montgomery County votes on this seat. The sitting officeholder, Mark Keough, is on the ballot.

Texas › Montgomery County › County Judge

Mark Keough

Republican Incumbent

Top priorities

Fund road, bridge and traffic-signal projects identified in the county's 2025 Mobility Study while managing growth on a pay-as-you-go basis
Hold the line on the county tax rate and maintain its AAA credit rating
Fund a deputy pay-parity plan and disaster-response resources for the sheriff's office

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Mark Keough is the incumbent Montgomery County Judge, first elected in 2019 after 26 years in the automotive industry, including as general sales manager of Northside Lexus, per his campaign site. He previously served in the Texas House of Representatives and is senior pastor of The Woodlands Bible Church, per his campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

James Graf

Democratic

Biography

James Graf is the interim chief financial officer at NK Gen Biotech and the Democratic nominee for Montgomery County Judge, per Houston Public Media. No campaign website was found as of September 3, 2026; the official election filing is the only verifiable source for James Graf.

Next on your ballotCounty Commissioner, Precinct No. 2

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Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for County Judge in 2026?

When is the County Judge 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

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

The rest of your Montgomery County ballot

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

Also on your ballot

County Commissioner, Precinct No. 4 District Judge, 221st Judicial District District Judge, 284th Judicial District See all 26 Montgomery County races

Candidate profiles

Mark Keough, full profile James Graf, full profile Official Texas election office