This week, Collin County’s top elected official, County Judge Keith Self, announced he won’t run for re-election or seek any other public office after his current term ends in 2018.

Already two potential candidates to fill Self’s seat have come forward: current Precinct 3 County Commissioner Chris Hill and former McKinney Mayor Pro Tem Ray Ricchi.

Three others have expressed interest in filling the potential Precinct 3 commissioner vacancy left by Hill: Briana Andor, Darrell Hale, and Jim Pikl.

Commissioner Hill hasn’t officially declared his candidacy, but he announced on Facebook May 8 – the same day Self made his future plans public – that he’s “exploring a run for Collin County Judge in 2018.” Hill has served as Collin County’s commissioner for Precinct 3 since 2013. Hill, who has a reputation as a fiscal conservative, was endorsed by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility in both the 2012 and 2016 Republican primaries.

Just days after Self’s and Hill’s announcements, Ricchi declared his candidacy for Collin County Judge in the March 2018 Republican primary. Ricchi served on McKinney’s city council from 2008 until 2015, when he was term-limited out. He also identifies as a conservative Republican and touts his extensive business and community experience.

In the very likely event Hill runs for County Judge, the Precinct 3 commissioner’s seat will be open for his unexpired term, which runs through 2020.

With that political reality in mind, Jim Pikl, who ran for District Court Judge in 2016, announced on Facebook May 8 that “if Chris [Hill] makes the decision to run for judge, I will be seeking the position of Collin County Commissioner for District 3.”

The following day, Briana Andor, a local Doctor of Chiropractic, took to Facebook to announce she’s also “exploring a run for Commissioners Court” if Hill steps down to run for County Judge.

Darrell Hale, a local businessman and West Point graduate, announced at the May 11 Collin County Conservative Republicans meeting he also intends to run for the Precinct 3 commissioner’s seat if Hill vacates it.

All other prospective candidates were also at the CCCR meeting to reiterate their intentions, with Pikl adding that he’d withdraw from the contest if another candidate convinced him that they were better for the job.

The filing period for 2018 primary candidates is Nov. 11 through Dec. 11, 2017. Commissioners for Precincts 2 and 4 are also up for re-election in 2018. Texas Scorecard will provide updates on candidates as they announce and file for office.

Erin Anderson

Erin Anderson is a Senior Journalist for Texas Scorecard, reporting on state and local issues, events, and government actions that impact people in communities throughout Texas and the DFW Metroplex. A native Texan, Erin grew up in the Houston area and now lives in Collin County.

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