ZIMBABWEAN-AMERICAN MICHELLE NETSAI RUNS FOR US JUDGE POST
The Kambuzuma woman on the brink of making history
Zimbabwean-American, Michelle Netsai Butler, is on the ballot to become the next Judge for Justice of the Peace for Denton County Precinct 6 on 3 November 2026.
Michelle was born to Gideon Shambambeva and Victoria Njagu in Harare and raised in Harare’s Kambuzuma Section 6.
She attended Kurai and Darwendale Primary Schools before moving to the United States.
She has now lived in Carrollton for more than 20 years, raising two daughters and volunteering at Hebron High band events and at Hebron Valley Elementary Schools.
She got her marriage license and her first U.S. passport at the same government building where the JP6 court now sits. Before running, she worked organizing campaigns and helped young people run for office across Texas, including campaigns for Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris.
For many in Zimbabwe, the word “judge” sounds like someone appointed by government. But in Texas, judges at this level are chosen by the people. Yes, people vote for them. In this case, only residents living in Precinct 6 in Denton County will cast a vote to decide who becomes their JP. It is a four-year job, and candidates run under political parties, just like for president or council.
So what exactly does a Justice of the Peace do? Think of it as the community court, the first place ordinary people go when life gets complicated. This is the court that handles money disputes, unpaid bills, and evictions. It is also where traffic tickets, minor offenses, and school truancy cases are heard. If a child is missing too much school, or a family cannot pay rent and faces eviction, or someone gets stuck with debt and fines, this is the courtroom they will stand in.
A JP can also handle emergency matters like mental health cases in the middle of the night. You do not even need to be a lawyer to be a JP in Texas. What matters is judgment, fairness, and knowing the community.
That is why Michelle says she is running. Her message is simple: the court should not trap working families. It should give payment plans instead of jail for small fines, it should connect families to help before eviction, and it should ask why a child is missing school instead of just punishing them.
Early voting starts October 19, 2026, and Election Day is November 3, 2026. For Zimbabweans in Denton County Precinct 6, this is a chance to vote for one of our own, and to decide who will sit on the bench making decisions that touch their homes, children, and their neighbors every day.
Michelle has already won the primaries. #history #justice