Rockwall County runoff pits Massar against Archibald for court seat

Rockwall County voters will settle the Republican runoff for County Court at Law No. 1, the local court seat that will decide who handles county court matters for the next term. The choice is between Ben Massar and Richard Archibald after a four-candidate special Republican primary on March 3 that also included Cameron Cowan and Tiffany Miller.

Early voting will run May 18-22 at the Courthouse Annex, Fate City Hall and Heath City Hall. Election Day is May 26. County officials said voters who were registered by the April 27 deadline or updated their registration by then are eligible to cast ballots in the runoff. The ballot-by-mail application deadline passed May 15, and mailed ballots must be received by May 26.

The county elections office is at 1101 E. Yellowjacket Ln., Suite 150 in Rockwall, and it is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. That office has been the hub for deadline questions as the runoff closes in, with the county reminding voters that the early-voting window is short and the mailed-ballot timeline is tighter still.

Massar has drawn support from local backers who are urging turnout in the final stretch. His campaign says he brings 30 years of legal experience, including service as Rockwall County Precinct 2 justice of the peace, assistant district attorney for Galveston County and 24 years as a self-employed attorney. It also says he has served as president of both the Rockwall County Bar Association and the Lamar County Bar Association.

Ballotpedia lists the contest as the special Republican primary runoff for Rockwall County Court at Law No. 1 on May 26, 2026. With the field narrowed to Massar and Archibald, the next week will determine which candidate earns the countywide nod and takes the seat forward into the general election cycle.