FRANKLIN — Robertson County voters will have a write-in option in the 2026 county judge’s race, with Christopher Wayne Burleson running against incumbent County Judge Joe David Scarpinato. Burleson is seeking the office as a declared write-in candidate, meaning his name will not appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Supporters must enter his name in the designated space for that race. Scarpinato maintains his office at the Robertson County Courthouse in Franklin. Texas requires declared write-in candidates to complete specific filing requirements before votes cast for them may be counted. The filing period for the 2026 general election opened July 18 and closed at 5 p.m. Aug. 17. Candidates had to submit a Declaration of Write-in Candidacy to the appropriate filing authority, accompanied by either a filing fee or a petition with qualified voter signatures. Candidates seeking county offices filed their declarations with the county judge. Filing fees and petition requirements varied according to the office sought. Candidates for certain judicial positions were also required to provide additional information with their declarations. Texas law prevents a person who ran for an office in a primary election from qualifying as a write-in candidate for the same office in the succeeding general election. A state law that took effect Sept. 1, 2025, established another restriction. Under Senate Bill 901, a person who filed an application with more than one political party through a primary or convention cannot qualify for the succeeding general election as an independent or write-in candidate. The deadline for a declared write-in candidate to withdraw from the general election was Aug. 24. Withdrawal required a notarized certificate or letter submitted to the authority that received the original declaration. Additional voting information is available through the Robertson County Elections Department or the Texas secretary of state.