Kris Cox Advances to Denton District 1 Runoff
Cox won the District 1 spot by a single vote over Michael Herron after a tie that was settled by the city secretary.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Elections
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Kris Cox advanced to the Denton City Council District 1 runoff after beating Michael Herron by one vote in unofficial results. Cox and Herron had tied at 1,548 votes each on election night before the city's update.
Why it matters
The runoff will determine who fills an unexpired District 1 council term ending in May, after neither Cox nor Herron reached the more-than-50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. The one-vote margin in a single district underscores how close local races can be.
Unofficial results show Cox ahead by one vote, 1,551 to 1,550, with Busby at 42.76% on November 3, well short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. The source does not state whether the results have been certified or whether a recount is planned.
The players
Kris Cox
Kris Cox is a Denton City Council candidate who advanced to the District 1 runoff after the tie-breaking process.
Sunny Busby
Sunny Busby is a Denton City Council candidate who received 42.76% of the vote on November 3 and will face Cox in the runoff.
Michael Herron
Michael Herron is a Denton City Council candidate who finished one vote behind Cox and was eliminated from the runoff.
The details
Cox and Herron were tied at 1,548 votes each on November 3, and the City Charter requires tied candidates to cast lots to decide who advances. The city secretary notified Herron on Tuesday evening that Cox would move on to the runoff against Sunny Busby.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Election day, when Cox and Herron tied at 1,548 votes each.
November 10, 2026: The city provided an update showing no change in the tie.
November 11, 2026: Cox was confirmed as advancing to the runoff by one vote.
November 30, 2026: Early voting for the runoff begins.
December 12, 2026: The District 1 runoff between Cox and Busby takes place.
Political Context
The result turns on a Denton City Charter rule that requires tied candidates to cast lots rather than hold a new vote. Because the margin was a single vote, that procedural provision, not voter preference alone, determined which candidate advances.
Denton voters in District 1 will choose between Cox and Busby on December 12, and early voting runs from November 30 through December 8. The winner will fill an unexpired council term that ends in May.
The takeaway
A single vote decided who advances in this race, a reminder that local elections can turn on very small margins and that participation in runoffs matters.
What happens next
Early voting for the District 1 runoff between Kris Cox and Sunny Busby begins November 30 and runs through December 8, with the runoff on December 12.
Further reading
For more on how local races are decided, explore Denton Elections coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KERA.
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