Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert Named Texas Elected Official of the Year

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Cites Fight Against Voter Suppression, ICE Detention Center as Factors

FORT WORTH, TX, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert Jr. will receive the Texas Democratic Party’s “Elected Official of the Year” award today at the Johnson-Jordan Dinner in Fort Worth. Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will deliver the keynote address.

The award recognizes his efforts to protect voting rights, challenge a planned federal immigration detention facility, and deliver public investments in Bexar County.

“Commissioner Tommy Calvert has earned this recognition through years of turning public service into tangible results for the people of Bexar County,” said Kendall Scudder, Chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. "From championing affordable housing and expanding economic opportunity to supporting workforce development, strengthening communities and standing up for voting rights, Commissioner Calvert has consistently fought to make sure every person has a fair opportunity to succeed and have their voice heard. He understands that elected office is not about titles, it is about delivering for your community, protecting people’s rights and creating opportunity. That record of service, leadership and commitment to the people he represents is exactly why Tommy Calvert deserves to be recognized as the 2026 Elected Official of the Year.”

“I am deeply honored. Throughout my life, I have been the underdog, and that is why I always fight for the underdog,” said Commissioner Calvert. “The last four years for me have been like the last couple of years for the American people—we’ve had great forces working against us. This award shows that God will make your enemies your stepping stone and what others meant for harm, God will use for good. I am proud to have helped let my light shine to keep our freedom and democracy alive in Texas.”

Defending Voting Rights and Challenging Detention

After Bexar County switched to the state’s TEAM voter registration software, more than 70,000 applications were left waiting to be processed. Officials reported missing streets, incomplete voter names and delayed registration cards. Calvert pushed for roughly $450,000 to clear the backlog and pressed for a switch to a private-sector system called VR Systems. He also brought together roughly 100 civil rights organizations to train election monitors.

Calvert secured Commissioners Court approval of a resolution opposing a planned ICE detention facility in Precinct 4 and supporting exploration of legal challenges. He also secured passage of Resolution No. 7 at the Democratic National Committee’s April meeting in New Orleans opposing the facility and continues seeking legal representation.

Human Rights and a Decade of Results

Calvert’s human rights work began before he entered public office. At 21, he became the youngest director of a major international human rights organization, and his work helped free more than 6,000 people held in slavery in Sudan. LA Weekly called him “San Antonio’s wunderkind.” Born at the corner of Freedom Bridge and Martin Luther King Boulevard, he has continued that focus on freedom through his public service in Bexar County.

Now the Dean of Commissioners Court, Calvert’s record includes nine medical facilities delivered in Precinct 4 over ten years. Two new University Health hospitals, each a $450 million investment and both proposed by Calvert, are scheduled to open in 2027.

His accomplishments also include saving Randolph Air Force Base from closure, voting for 16 county tax cuts, and funding 319 new sheriff’s deputies. He created the County’s first solar lighting and tree planting programs, invested in drainage projects that saved lives, and collected 800 donated laptops for Precinct 4 residents.

Calvert also opened a $14 million urban farm that has provided more than 40,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need.

“We have built clinics and hospitals so that people can get care no matter who Republicans kick off the insurance rolls,” Calvert said. “And we are just getting started.”

Lisa Jackson
Office of Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert
+1 210-335-2614
email us here

Commissioner Tommy Calvert Named 2026 Texas Elected Official of the Year