Coryell County Republicans head to runoff in three county races

Coryell County voters still have three Republican races to settle, and the outcome will decide who holds the county judge post and two commissioner seats. Early voting is open through Friday, May 22, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Copperas Cove Early Voting Center, 809 S. Main St., and the Gatesville Annex, 800 E. Main St., Suite B.

The county judge race is the closest of the three. Incumbent Roger Miller led the March 3 Republican primary with 2,748 votes, or 44.93%, but Rob Erwin finished ahead of him with 3,066 votes, or 49.76%. Latisha Walton took 395 votes, or 6.36%, leaving Miller and Erwin to face off again for the nomination. Because no Democrats filed for the county judge race, the runoff winner will take office on Jan. 1, 2027.

Two commissioner contests also remain unresolved. In Precinct 2, incumbent Scott Weddle received 633 votes, or 49.7%, and advanced to the runoff against Tully Meyer, who got 266 votes, or 20.91%. Fahron Nolte finished with 194 votes, or 15.25%, and Tiffany Butler had 179 votes, or 14.07%. In Precinct 4, Ray Ashby led the field with 578 votes, or 37.68%, followed by Justin Smith with 335 votes, or 21.84%, incumbent Keith Taylor with 318 votes, or 20.73%, and Carroll Starkey with 303 votes, or 19.75%.

The runoff winners in both commissioner races will also take office on Jan. 1, 2027, since no Democrats filed for those seats. That makes the next week of voting the decisive step for the county’s governing table, from road work to budget choices.

Election Day is Tuesday, May 26, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Countywide vote centers for the runoff are the Copperas Cove Civic Center, Copperas Cove Tax Office, Gatesville Tax Office and Gatesville Civic Center. Coryell County election notices also list a separate Democratic runoff that day, but voters in the Republican primary runoff must vote in the same party’s runoff. Registered voters in Coryell County can vote at any early voting location in the county.

The runoffs are unfolding against lingering public frustration over county tax and budget decisions. Coryell County commissioners first proposed a 21% property-tax increase in 2025 before scaling it back to an 8.6% hike after public pushback, a fight that has kept county leadership under close scrutiny. The Coryell County Republican Party also held a runoff candidates meet and greet at The Feedmill on May 2, with participation from groups including the 4Cs and the Coryell County Republican Women.