County

Bexar County Judge

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The county judge presides over the Commissioners Court, which runs county government and sets the county budget and tax rate.

Candidates Compare by issue

Patrick Von Dohlen

Republican

Financial adviser

The gist

Opposes property taxes growing faster than family incomes.
Pledges to address jail overtime costs and in-custody deaths.
Supports showing taxpayers what county spending accomplishes.
Opposes downtown deals where risk is public, profit private.
Proposes an audit of county flood-control spending.
Supports delivering results from dedicated flood-control tax revenue.
Proposes requiring every county program to justify its continuation.

More about Patrick

View sources (1)

Opposes property taxes growing faster than family incomes.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“Property taxes have grown eight times (8x) faster than family incomes.”
Pledges to address jail overtime costs and in-custody deaths.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“addressing the jail crisis—not just the $15 million in overtime costs, but the fact that 85 people have died in our custody.”
Supports showing taxpayers what county spending accomplishes.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“transparency where the people funding this government deserve to know what their money accomplishes.”
Opposes downtown deals where risk is public, profit private.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“We must avoid arrangements where the risk is public but the profit is private.”
Proposes an audit of county flood-control spending.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“An audit is needed to determine where current funds are going and whether they're reaching the areas with greatest need.”
Supports delivering results from dedicated flood-control tax revenue.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“Dedicated tax revenue creates an ethical and even moral obligation to deliver”
Proposes requiring every county program to justify its continuation.
Patrick Von Dohlen | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“Every program must justify its continuation based on whether it actually serves people and is essential”

Ron Nirenberg

Democratic

Professor of practice, Trinity University

The gist

Pledges a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
Proposes a regional growth plan for infrastructure and resilience.
Supports an adequate supply of affordable housing.
Pledges weekly public budget work sessions.
Proposes eliminating duplicated services with San Antonio and other cities.
Supports natural stormwater management and more flood-warning investment.
Proposes promoting Bexar County globally and workforce preparation.

More about Ron

View sources (1)

Pledges a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“Protect public safety and deliver a fair, efficient, and effective justice system that keeps dangerous criminals off the streets.”
Proposes a regional growth plan for infrastructure and resilience.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“Create and implement a regional growth plan to improve infrastructure, protect natural resources and quality of life, improve resilience”
Supports an adequate supply of affordable housing.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“ensuring there is an adequate supply of quality, affordable housing”
Pledges weekly public budget work sessions.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“I am committed to weekly, public budget work sessions.”
Proposes eliminating duplicated services with San Antonio and other cities.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“begin working collaboratively with the City of San Antonio and other municipalities to identify and eliminate duplication of services”
Supports natural stormwater management and more flood-warning investment.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“proven methods of natural stormwater management that prevent downstream flooding, while increasing investment—now, not later—in flood warning technology”
Proposes promoting Bexar County globally and workforce preparation.
Ron Nirenberg | 2026 candidate for Bexar County Judge
Candidate questionnaire · San Antonio Report · sanantonioreport.org
“Stimulate economic opportunity by promoting Bexar County globally, preparing our workforce, expanding health care access”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 8 issues covered in this race.