Simoneaux leads Wright in Harris County Probate Court 1 race

Jerry Simoneaux, a Democrat, leads Republican Loyd H. Wright in the Harris County Probate Court 1 race in unofficial results from the Nov. 3 election. Simoneaux received 816,611 votes, or 62.2%, to Republican Loyd H. Wright's 496,144 votes, or 37.8%, according to unofficial results from Harris County Clerk Elections Department. All 1,224 reporting units had reported, with 1,312,755 votes counted. Simoneaux led by 320,467 votes, a margin of 24.4 percentage points.

What was at stake

Harris County Probate Court No. 1 handles estate settlements after a death, guardianships for people with diminished capacity and disputes over trusts, wrongful death claims and accusations of wrongdoing by executors or guardians. According to the court's website, Harris County has five probate courts, more than any other Texas county.

The key issues:

• Wright, in a candidate questionnaire, said he wanted to expedite courtroom matters and help attorneys find solutions without litigation. Simoneaux's campaign website said the court had cut average time from filing to final trial from two years to nine months.
• Both candidates brought deep probate experience. Wright said in his questionnaire he had been a probate attorney or judge for more than 44 years. Simoneaux's campaign website said he had nearly 24 years as an attorney, with more than 15 years in probate litigation.

A little history

Simoneaux has served as presiding judge of Probate Court No. 1 since 2019, according to his campaign website. Wright previously held the same seat. In his candidate questionnaire, Wright said he was elected judge of Harris County Probate Court No. 1 in 2010 and 2014, serving eight years.

What's next

The results remain unofficial until the Harris County Commissioners Court completes the local canvass. Under state law, the canvass must occur no earlier than Nov. 6 and no later than Nov. 17, according to an advisory from the Texas Secretary of State. The totals are not yet certified, and this article does not declare a winner.

Election results: Harris County Probate Court-at-Law Judge - Court 1 (Texas General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: Harris County Clerk Elections Department. Results current as of Nov. 4, 2026, 8:39 a.m. CST. Reporting: 1,224 of 1,224. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.