Sterling County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Cory Liu is the Republican candidate for Chief Justice of the Third Court of Appeals. He currently serves as a district judge in Travis County and previously worked in legal roles for Texas state leaders, per his campaign site. He holds degrees from the University of Chicago and Harvard Law School.

Darlene Byrne is the incumbent Chief Justice of the Third Court of Appeals, elected in 2020, per the court's official biography. She previously presided for 20 years over the 126th Judicial District Court in Travis County. No campaign website was found as of September 15, 2026.

John Betancourt is the Democratic candidate for Texas Senate District 31 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, per the Texas Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Election candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.

Kevin Sparks is the Republican incumbent for Texas Senate District 31, which covers 36 counties across the Panhandle and Permian Basin. He is an oil and gas operator with a business degree from the University of Texas at Austin who spent nearly four decades in the industry before entering politics, according to his official Senate biography, and he has held the seat since 2023. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026.

Shiloh Salazar is the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 72. She is also a small business owner, mother and lifelong West Texan, per the same questionnaire. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Drew Darby represents Texas House District 72 and is a lifelong West Texan from San Angelo, per his campaign site. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and accounting and a Juris Doctor, both from the University of Texas at Austin, and owns Surety Title, a business with offices throughout West Texas, per his campaign site. He chairs the House Committee on Energy Resources.