Chris Daniel wants his old job back. The Republican nominee for Harris County district clerk served two terms in the office from 2011 to 2019 and said the position demands someone who has already done the work.
"This is not a stepping-stone office. It is an operations job, and I have already done it," Daniel said in a candidate questionnaire.
He faces Democrat Darrell Jordan in the Nov. 3 general election.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Harris County district clerk
- Election: Nov. 3, 2026, general election
- Residence: Humble area of Harris County
- Education: Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, University of Texas at Austin (2005); law degree, South Texas College of Law Houston (2010)
- Current work: Attorney and owner of The Chris Daniel Firm PLLC, focusing on personal injury, wills, probate and business consulting. Also serves as of counsel to Triton Consulting Group, advising municipal utility district boards on contracts and compliance.
- Family: Married with two children
Experience and public service
Daniel served as Harris County district clerk from 2011 to 2019. He said he led about 500 employees supporting 59 district courts and 15 county criminal courts during that time.
He said the office moved toward paperless systems for courts and jury operations and launched a U.S. passport applications office. Staff managed court registries and trained the legal community on new filing tools, he said.
Earlier in his career, Daniel worked as a patent law clerk and as an engineering expert, including at The Matthews Law Firm, according to BallotReady. He also held engineering positions at National Oilwell Varco and Grant Prideco.
He also served as an elected member of the board of trustees for the Lone Star College System. He has served as president of Helping a Hero and as an advisory board member for the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts.
According to Ballotpedia, Daniel lost his 2018 reelection bid to Democrat Marilyn Burgess and lost to her again in 2022. He also ran unsuccessfully for Harris County tax assessor-collector in 2020.
On the issues
Court operations and technology: Daniel said he pioneered mandatory e-filing and transitioned more than 90 courts to paperless operations during his previous tenure. He told the Houston Chronicle he plans to expand e-filing and improve processes for warrants, subpoenas, record retrieval, case intake and jury services to reduce delays and address backlogs.
Transparency and public access: Daniel told the Houston Chronicle he has a four-step plan to improve access to court records: streamline the online portal's user interface and registration process, expand free digital access, add servers to improve system performance and restore priority access for reporters.
Staffing: Daniel said he would petition Harris County Commissioners Court for higher pay for clerks to address staffing shortages and operational inefficiencies.
Public access: Daniel said he would put kiosks and plain-language tools in front of people who cannot hire a lawyer. He said he plans to measure turnaround times and publish performance data.
Asked for the best advice he has received, Daniel said: "Do the unglamorous work well, because that is the work people actually feel. In the clerk's office that means a file that gets accepted the first time, a juror who can find the building and get paid without a scavenger hunt, and a record that is there when a family needs it."
