Collin County Primaries Determine Local Races, Key Dates and Voting Rules

Collin County voters will decide several contested local races as the primary calendar opens, with early voting running Feb. 17 to Feb. 27 and Election Day on Tuesday, March 3. The schedule and voting rules set the timeline for countywide contests that include the Collin County Judge race and an open county commissioner’s court seat.

Early voting hours vary across the period. Early voting runs Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 20 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 21 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 23 through Friday, Feb. 27 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Election Day voting hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Registered Collin County voters may cast ballots at any Early Vote Center in the county, and “If you are in line to vote by the time the polls close, you will be allowed to vote.”

The most prominent county contest pits incumbent Collin County Judge Chris Hill against Rick Grady in the Republican primary. Chris Hill was first elected county judge in 2018 after serving as Precinct 3 county commissioner. Rick Grady is identified as a former Plano city council member. The outcome will affect budget priorities, interlocal cooperation and county administration as Collin County continues rapid growth.

Policy debates at candidate forums have highlighted service gaps and the need for coordination among local governments. A small business owner and marketing professional identified as Holmer told a League of Women Voters candidate forum that regional growth requires partnership between cities and the county. “We want to make sure we're not duplicating efforts with our cities so that we can maximize our tax dollars at the city level and at the county level as well,” Holmer said. Holmer also raised gaps in county services, noting that Collin County lacks a 24-hour emergency homeless shelter for the general population and does not have a public hospital for uninsured and underinsured residents.

Campaign ethics and legal disputes are part of the local landscape. One lawsuit alleges defamation in a dispute involving Frazier and Chabot. Court documents state that Chabot created a political action committee called “Collin County Citizens for Integrity” in December 2023 to defeat Frazier in the 2024 primary, and Frazier’s attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter on May 9, 2024 alleging Chabot had published statements that Frazier had been convicted and received a dishonorable discharge from the Dallas Police Department. The records show Frazier appealed his discharge to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which changed it to a “general discharge.”

Voter resources and candidate information remain in development. Printable League of Women Voters Collin County voters guides and online entries on VOTE411 will be available, and printed LWV guides will be distributed in Richardson at Temporary City Hall Annex and Library, Huffhines Recreation Center, Heights Recreation Center and Richardson Senior Center. Collin County sample ballots were not yet available at the time this guide was compiled.

Local party information and contacts include the Collin County Democratic Party at 972-578-1483, info@collindemocrats.org, and 6829 K AVE STE 111, Plano, TX 75074. The party page notes that some candidate listings are incomplete and that a candidate who has dropped out may still appear on the ballot. Minor-party calendars include the Texas Libertarian Party state convention April 10 to April 12, 2026, in Abilene; voters may either vote in a major party primary or participate in a minor-party convention in the same year, but not both.

What this means for Collin County residents is concrete: your vote during the Feb. 17 to Feb. 27 early-vote window or on March 3 can decide who manages county budgets, public services and regional coordination. Check sample ballots and polling locations when the Collin County Elections Department posts them, review candidate information on VOTE411 and calendars from local parties, and plan voting around the published early voting hours.