Elections and Voter Information

Voter Information

Republican or Democratic Party Nominees

In order to become the Republican or Democratic Party nominee for a particular office, you must file an application for a place on the ballot with the county or state party chair, as appropriate (see chart). Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 172.022. The application must be filed between December 3, 2009 and January 4, 2010. Your application must be accompanied by either a filing fee or a nominating petition signed by a certain number of qualified voters. Certain judicial candidates in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant, and Travis Counties and certain statewide judicial candidates must file additional petitions (see chart). If you receive a majority of the votes cast in the primary election or receive the most votes in a primary runoff election, if applicable, your name will appear on the general election ballot in November.

Republican or Democratic Party Nominee
Public Office Sought in 2010 File App. with Party Chair Filing Fee Nominating Petition in Lieu of Filing Fee
  State County   %Signatures i Maximum Number of Signatures
United States Representative
x g
-
$3,125
2%
500
Governor
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Lieutenant Governor
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Attorney General
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Comptroller of Public Accounts
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Commissioner of General Land Office
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Commissioner of Agriculture
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Railroad Commissioner
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Justice, Supreme Court m
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals m
x
-
$3,750
-
5,000
State Senator
x g
-
$1,250
2%
500
State Representative
x g
-
$750
2%
500
Member, State Board of Education
x g
-
$300
2%
500
Chief Justice and Justice, Court of Appeals h
x g
-
$2,500/$1,875 k
2%
500
District Judge h
x g
-
$2,500/$1,500 l
2%
500
Criminal District Judge h
x g
-
$2,500/$1,500 l
2%
500
Family District Judge h
x g
-
$2,500/$1,500 l
2%
500
Criminal District Attorney
x g
-
$1,250
2%
500
County Judge
-
x
$1,250/$750 j
2%
500
Judge, County Court-at-Law h
-
x
$2,500/$1,500 l
2%
500
Judge, County Criminal Ct. h
-
x
$2,500/$1,500 l
2%
500
Judge, County Probate Ct. h
-
x
$2,500/$1,500 l
2%
500
District Clerk
-
x
$1,250/$750 j
2%
500
District & County Clerk
-
x
$750
2%
500
County Clerk
-
x
$1,250/$750 j
2%
500
County Treasurer
-
x
$1,250/$750 j
2%
500
County Surveyor
-
x
$75
2%
500
County Commissioner
-
x
$1,250/$750 j
2%
500
Justice of the Peace h
-
x
$1,000/$375j
2%
500
Source: Texas Election Code
Section
172.022
172.024
172.025

g. File with county chair, if district is composed of only one county.

h. For candidates running for Courts of Appeals in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 14th Districts and all candidates running for judicial offices, including justices of the peace, in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant Counties, a 250-signature judicial petition is required in addition to the filing fee, or 250 additional signatures must be collected on the petition in lieu of filing fee. Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 172.021(e).

i. Percentage of all votes for all gubernatorial candidates cast in the applicable territory in the 2006 general election. If number is less than 50 (party candidate), a larger percentage may be required. Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 172.025(2)(B). Consult Secretary of State for further information.

j. Pay higher fee if county has at least 200,000 inhabitants according to 2000 Census.

k. Pay higher fee in Courts of Appeals Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 14.

l. Pay higher fee in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant Counties.

m. A candidate for the office of chief justice or justice, supreme court, or presiding judge or judge, court of criminal appeals, who chooses to pay the filing fee must also accompany the application and fee with a petition. The minimum number of signatures that must appear on the petition is 50 from each court of appeals district. Tex. Elec. Code Ann. § 172.021(g).