County Judge Declares Precinct 2 Independent Candidate Ineligible

On November 9, 2026, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly filed an Administrative Declaration of Candidate Ineligibility with the Kerr County Clerk concerning Jeremy Ryan Walther, the independent candidate for County Commissioner, Precinct 2, in the November 3 general election.

Judge Kelly found that county public records show Mr. Walther voted in the May 26, 2026 Republican Primary Runoff, in which Rich Paces was the Republican nominee for Precinct 2. Under the Texas Election Code, a person who votes in a party's primary or runoff can't then run as an independent against that party's nominee in the same election.

The Judge explained that he couldn't act on an October 12 request to rule before the election, because Texas law prohibits these declarations within 30 days of election day. The law allows it again after the polls close and before a certificate of election is issued.

The declaration doesn't change the outcome. Commissioner Paces won with 3,391 votes to Mr. Walther's 2,035, a margin of 1,356 votes. The Commissioners Court will formally canvass the results on November 17, 2026, and the meeting record will reflect the declaration.