Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley will not seek reelection to a fifth term in the 2022 election.
“After much deliberation with fellow leaders, friends, and, most importantly, my family, I have decided that now is the time to prepare for the next chapter of leadership for Tarrant County,” Whitley said in a statement announcing the decision on Tuesday.
Whitley was first elected county judge in 2006 after serving 10 years as a Tarrant County commissioner. During Whitley’s tenure as county judge, Tarrant County’s population has grown by nearly 62%, adding more than 818,000 residents. During that same time, the county’s tax rate decreased by 11.6%.
Tarrant County is the third largest county in Texas and the county judge is the county’s highest ranking officer, presiding over the county’s governing body, the commissioners court.
“It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve my county and to do so alongside my fellow commissioners,” Whitley said in his statement. “I am proud of all that we have accomplished together to make Tarrant County among the most innovative and collaborative counties in the nation. I raised my family in Tarrant County, I started my business in Tarrant County, and I will continue to serve Tarrant County with all that I have for the remainder of my term and into my next chapter.”
The general election for Tarrant County judge will be held on Nov. 8, 2022, with a primary to be held on March 1, 2022, pending redistricting.