In 2018, Dallas will elect the most powerful official you may not know.

What
is a
DA?

Here in Dallas County, the district attorney is the most powerful person in the criminal justice system -- and one of the most powerful elected officials in our community. As our community’s top prosecutor, the DA's job is to seek justice in criminal cases, work to prevent crime, and serve as a leader in the diverse communities he or she represents.

The district attorney has a tremendous impact on people’s lives and our community. The DA decides whether someone will be charged with a crime, which crimes to prosecute, and who gets a second chance through diversion or treatment programs. The district attorney can also use their position of power to influence state and local laws.
Elections give us an opportunity to review DA candidates’ policies and positions on the death penalty and mass incarceration, or how they will handle cases of misconduct by police officers or prosecutors. We can ask about their vision for leadership, how they will address racial bias in the criminal justice system, and how they intend to listen to our community’s needs.
We elect the DA and can hold him or her accountable – which means it’s up to us to use our voices and our votes to speak up for a fairer criminal justice system.

Meet the Candidates

These candidates are asking for your vote for Dallas County District Attorney in 2018. We sent each candidate a questionnaire to learn about their stance on our Smart on Justice platform. Click the candidates’ photo below to find out what they said.

Read the Smart Justice Platform

John Creuzot

democrat

Faith Johnson

republican

The Latest

RSVP to the free film screening

"Evidence of Innocence: The Richard Miles Story"

Join the ACLU of Texas and Miles of Freedom in Dallas Wednesday, August 22 for a free screening of "Evidence of Innocence: The Richard Miles Story." The film details the story of Richard Miles' wrongful conviction and his experience with Texas' broken criminal justice system.

Watch on YouTube

Dallas District Attorney for the People Candidate Forum

On Feb. 10, the candidates shared their thoughts about ending mass incarceration, ending cash bail, bringing transparency and accountability to the office, protecting immigrant communities, and more.

Join!

A fairer criminal justice system begins with our votes and our voices. Sign up to receive important updates and get involved in the Campaign for Smart Justice.

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Election Dates

Early Voting

Oct. 22th
Through
Nov. 2nd

General Election

Tuesday,
Nov.
6th

About

The ACLU of Texas advocates for a criminal justice system that fosters public safety by reducing mass incarceration and recidivism. We work to ensure that constitutional rights apply to all, regardless of race, ethnicity or economics. We also challenge broken criminal justice systems, confront illegal police practices, and advocate for drug policy reform.