Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3
StatewideThomas Smith (R) faces Okey Anyiam (D) for Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3 on November 3, 2026.
Open seat, Richardson did not seek re-election. Alison Fox (31.3%) and Thomas Smith (30.7%) advanced from a tight first-round primary to the May 26 Republican runoff, which Smith won. Okey Anyiam ran unopposed for Democrats.
One of nine judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's court of last resort for all criminal cases, with exclusive jurisdiction over death penalty appeals.
November General Election
Nov 3, 2026No major handicapper rates Texas judicial races. This open seat pits Thomas Smith (R), winner of the May 26 runoff, against Okey Anyiam (D). Republicans have held every Court of Criminal Appeals seat since 1998. The rating reflects structural lean, not a forecast.
The November ballot, explained
Texas race coverage by email, only when something changes before Nov 3.
Runoff result
Primary Runoff
Winner.Thomas Smith
Alison FoxMarch primary result
Primary Results
Alison FoxThomas Smith
Brent Coffee
Lesli Fitzpatrick
Winner.Okey AnyiamRepublican nominee
Special Assistant Attorney General
Democratic nominee
Criminal defense attorney
Endorsement Tracker
Republican runoff endorsements
Thomas Smith(3)
Frequently Asked
Who is running for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 in 2026?
Thomas Smith (R) faces Okey Anyiam (D) in the November 3, 2026 general election.
When is the 2026 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 election?
The general election is November 3, 2026. The voter registration deadline is October 5, early voting runs October 19 to 30, and mail-ballot applications are due October 23.
Is the 2026 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 race competitive?
No major handicapper rates this race. TexPolls lists it as Safe Republican based on Texas's structural partisan lean and recent statewide results, not a forecast. Republicans have held every seat on both Texas high courts since 1999.
What does the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals do?
One of nine judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's court of last resort for all criminal cases, with exclusive jurisdiction over death penalty appeals.
How were the 2026 Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 nominees decided?
Open seat, Richardson did not seek re-election. Alison Fox (31.3%) and Thomas Smith (30.7%) advanced from a tight first-round primary to the May 26 Republican runoff, which Smith won. Okey Anyiam ran unopposed for Democrats.
Key Dates
Other judicial races
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