Coryell County voters elect new leaders in runoff races after controversy

Rob Erwin ousted Roger Miller as Coryell County judge, and Tully Meyer won the Precinct 2 commissioner seat in a runoff that gave Coryell County a clear political reset. For households across Gatesville, Copperas Cove and the surrounding precincts, the changes matter because the county judge and commissioners help drive decisions on budgets, road work, public safety spending and the everyday services that residents feel first.

The results capped a primary season that had already sent three Republican county races to runoff. Miller led the March 3 county judge primary with 2,748 votes, or 44.93 percent, but Erwin finished close behind with 3,066 votes, or 49.76 percent. In Precinct 2, Scott Weddle drew 633 votes, or 49.7 percent, while Meyer finished with 266 votes, or 20.91 percent. With no Democratic candidates on the ballot for Coryell County offices, the Republican primary and runoff effectively decided who will take office on January 1, 2027.

The runoff carried extra weight because it unfolded under a cloud of controversy. Coryell County Attorney Brandon Belt asked the Texas Rangers to investigate Miller and Weddle after complaints were received, then recused his office and requested a special prosecutor. One allegation against Miller centered on a May 20, 2025, incident in the courthouse district clerk office, where he allegedly brought in a locksmith and changed the lock. Weddle faced allegations tied to ethics and nepotism concerns stemming from commissioners court discussions in July, August and September 2024 involving his wife’s county position.

Tax anger also shaped the mood around the election. In September 2025, commissioners scaled back a proposed property tax rate from 53 cents to 47.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation after residents pushed back at a heated budget hearing. The earlier proposal had been described as an effective 21.17 percent increase, and that fight helped turn the runoff into a judgment on trust, spending and how county government should be run.

Early voting for the runoff ran from May 18 through May 22, with election day on May 26. Countywide vote centers included the Copperas Cove Early Voting Center, the Gatesville Annex, the Copperas Cove Civic Center, the Copperas Cove Tax Office, the Gatesville Tax Office and the Gatesville Civic Center. A separate Precinct 4 commissioner runoff was also on the ballot after Ray Ashby led the March primary with 578 votes, or 37.68 percent, ahead of Justin Smith, Keith Taylor and Carroll Starkey. The new lineup will now face the county’s next budget fight, road priorities and service demands with voters watching closely.