Important Dates for the Party Conventions, Primary Elections and General Election
Introductory Note Concerning Conventions of Parties Holding Primary ElectionsPrecinct Conventions
Time and Place: Precinct conventions may be held at a time and place determined by rules adopted by the state executive committee of a political party. If precinct conventions are held on the general primary election day, the hour for convening may not be earlier than 7:00 p.m. or later than 9:00 p.m., but a convention may not convene until the last voter has voted at the precinct polling place. If precinct conventions are held on a day other than the general primary election day, the county executive committee must set the hour for convening or a time frame in which the convention must convene. Texas Election Code (TEC) §§ 174.021 & 174.022.
Notice Required: The county chair must post notice of the date, hour, and place for convening the precinct convention, on the county or the state party’s Internet website or another Internet location easily found through a search engine. If the county party does not maintain an Internet website, the chair shall post notice on the county commissioners court bulletin board. Notice must remain posted continuously for the 10 days leading up to the date of the convention. Because convention times are not yet determined, this calendar does not show any deadlines for posting such notices. Not later than the 10th day before the date of the precinct conventions, the county chair must deliver to the county election officer, written notice either on paper or in electronic form, of the date, hour, and place for convening each precinct convention. TEC § 174.023(a), (b).
County and Senatorial Conventions
Time and Place: The state executive committee, by rule, must specify the date and the county for the senatorial conventions. The political party may, by rule, allow a county to hold the precinct conventions before the county convention on the same day and at the same place. TEC §§ 172.021 & 174.063(a).
Notice Required: Notice of the hour and date for convening the county convention must be posted electronically on the county or the state party’s Internet website or on the bulletin board used for posting notice of meetings of the commissioners court. Notice must remain posted continuously for the 10 days leading up to the date of convention. Because convention times are not yet determined, this calendar does not show any deadlines for posting such notices. Not later than the 10th day before the date of the county and the senatorial convention, the county chair must deliver, to the county election officer, written notice either on paper or in electronic form, of the date, hour, and place for convening county and senatorial convention. TEC §174.064(a), (b).
State Conventions
The biennial state convention must be convened on a date selected by the state executive committee. The state convention date is no longer limited to June or July. The state executive committee must set the date of the state convention not later than the date the state chair delivers to the county chairs, the certification of candidate names for the primary election ballot. See entry at December 16, 2019. Accordingly, this calendar does not show any deadline or period for holding the state convention. Notice of the date, hour, and place for convening the state convention must be posted by the state chair on the party’s Internet website, before the date of the party’s precinct conventions. TEC §§ 174.092 & 174.093.
September 2019
10th
First day the county chairs may accept applications for a place on the ballot, for the office of precinct chair. TEC § 172.023(b).
November 2019
9th
First day the Republican or Democratic Party candidate may file an application for a place on the primary ballot. TEC § 172.023(b).
First day the county chairs may accept applications for a place on the primary ballot for the office of county chair. TEC §§ 172.023(b).
First day independent candidates may file a declaration of intent to run. TEC §§ 142.002(b), 172.023.
30th
If there is a vacancy for an unexpired term in a state or county office after the 10th day before the candidacy filing deadline, but on or before the 5th day before the deadline (on or after November 30 and on or before December 4), an application for the unexpired term is subject to an extended filing deadline. See entry at December 16, 2019. TEC § 202.004(a), (c).
December 2019
4th
Last day a vacancy for an unexpired term may occur, for that seat to appear on the primary ballot. TEC § 202.004(a).
8th
Deadline for the county chair (or the secretary of the county executive committee) to post, on the political party's Internet website or where a candidate files their application, a notice containing the addresses at which the county chair and the secretary will be accepting applications on the last day for filing an application. TEC § 172.022(b).
9th
Last day Democratic or Republican Party candidates may file an application for a place on the primary ballot (6 p.m.). TEC § 172.023(a).
NOTE: This is also for applications for an unexpired term in a state or county office that occurred on or before the 10th day before the date of the filing deadline. TEC § 202.004(b). See entry at December 16, 2019 for Extended Deadlines.
Last day the county chairs may accept applications for the office of county or precinct chair (6 p.m.). TEC § 172.023(a).
Last day independent candidates may file a declaration of intent to run (6 p.m.). TEC § 142.002, 172.023(a).
Last day minor party candidates may file applications and submit filing fee or petition in lieu of filing fee to applicable filing authority in order to be nominated by convention (6 p.m.). TEC § 181.033(a). A political party, by rule, may extend the filing deadline for applications for nomination for an office for which a candidate withdraws, dies, or is declared ineligible. TEC Code Ann. § 181.033(b).
10th
If a candidate withdraws, dies, or is declared ineligible by this date, the candidate’s name is omitted from the primary ballot. TEC § 172.057(a) & 172.058(a).
16th
Deadline for the state or county chair, as applicable, to receive applications for an unexpired term in a state or county office that occurs after the 10th day (November 30, 2019) before the filing deadline, but on or before the 5th day (December 4, 2019) before the filing deadline (6 p.m.). TEC § 202.004(a), (c). (This deadline is extended to Monday, December 16, 2019 by TEC § 1.006 due to the 5th day after the date of the regular filing deadline for the general primary election falling on Saturday, December 14.)
Extended Deadline (6 p.m.) for the state or county chair to receive a new application for an office for which the applicant:
- dies on or after the fifth day before the filing deadline (December 4, 2019) and on or before the first day after the filing deadline (December 10, 2019);
- holds the office for which the application was made, and withdraws or is declared ineligible on the filing deadline (December 9, 2019) or on the first day after the filing deadline (December 10, 2019); or
- withdraws or is declared ineligible on the filing deadline (December 9, 2019) or on the first day after the filing deadline (December 10, 2019), and at the time of the withdrawal or declaration of ineligibility no other candidate has made an application that complies with the applicable requirements. TEC § 172.054(b).
(This deadline is extended to Monday, December 16, 2019 by TEC § 1.006 due to the 5th day after the date of the regular filing deadline for the general primary election falling on Saturday, December 14.) NOTE: An application filed by mail with the state chair under this Extended Deadline provision is not timely, if received later than 5:00 p.m. on the Extended Deadline.
Last day candidates may file a declaration of write-in candidacy for county or precinct chair if write-ins are authorized by the county executive committee (6 p.m.). TEC § 171.0231(d). (This deadline is extended to Monday, December 16, 2019 by TEC § 1.006 due to the 5th day after the date of the regular filing deadline for the general primary election falling on Saturday, December 14.)
17th
Deadline for the state chair to certify to the Secretary of State (SOS), the name of each candidate who files an application for a place on the primary ballot that complies with TEC Section 172.021(b) on or before December 9, 2019. TEC § 172.028(a).
18th
Date SOS anticipates posting the certified list, provided by state chairs, of candidates who filed on or before December 11, 2019, on their public website. TEC § 172.028(a).
Deadline for the state chair to notify the county chair of each county in which the candidate will appear on the ballot that the certified list has been posted by SOS. TEC § 172.028(b). See entry at December 19, 2019 for supplemental notification of certification of candidates who filed with the state chair on or before the Extended Deadline of December 16, 2019.
Deadline for the state executive committee to set the date, hour, and place for convening the state convention. TEC § 174.092 & 174.093.
NOTE: TEC Section 174.092(b) provides that the state executive committee must set the date, hour, and place for convening the state convention not later than the date the state chair delivers to the county chairs the certification of names to be placed on the general primary ballot. However, the state chair no longer certifies names of the district and statewide candidates for the primary ballot to county chairs. Instead, state chair certifies candidate names to Secretary of State and Secretary of State posts candidate names on his website. TEC Section 172.028(b) provides that state chair must notify county chair itate chair to certify to SOS the list of n each county not later than the 9th day after the regular filing deadline that certification has been posted by Secretary of State. Accordingly, the calendar continues to show the 9th day after the regular filing deadline as the deadline for state executive committee to set the date, hour, and place for convening the state convention.
Deadline for the chair to post notice on the commissioners court bulletin board 24 before the date, hour, and place of the ballot drawing if the drawing is conducted on December 19, 2019. If the party has a website, they must post notice on the party’s website. All candidates who provide an email address on their filing form must be notified electronically of TEC § 172.082(e).
19th
Deadline for the county chair or county chair’s designee to conduct the drawing for the order of candidates on the ballot at the county seat (unless committee provides by resolution that county executive committee is to conduct drawing). TEC § 172.082(c).
Recommended deadline for the state chair to certify to SOS the list of candidates who filed an application that complies with Section 172.021(b) of the TEC after December 9, 2019 and on or before December 16, 2019. TEC § 172.028(a), 172.029.
NOTE: The purpose of this recommendation is to ensure that candidates whose applications are filed in accordance with the Extended Deadlines under TEC Section 202.004(a) and TEC Section 172.054(b) are added to the list of certified candidates previously submitted by the state chair to the SOS. See entries at December 10, 2019 and December 27, 2019.
27th
Date by which Secretary of State anticipates posting on Secretary of State’s Internet website, that is viewable by the public, additions to the certified list of candidates provided by state chair that are the result of the additional candidates who filed on or before December 16, 2019 in accordance with the Extended Deadlines. TEC §§ 172.028(a), 172.029.
Recommended date for state chair to notify county chair in each county in which the candidate’s name is to appear on the ballot that certification of additional candidates who filed by the Extended Deadline on or before December 16, 2019 has been posted by Secretary of State. TEC §§ 172.028(b), 172.056, See entries at December 16, 2019 and December 19, 2019.
30th
Recommended deadline for the county chair and the state chair to electronically submit certain candidate information (including information on candidates for county and precinct chair) to the county election officer, the state chair, and the SOS. TEC § 172.029(c).
Recommended date for the county chair to submit the ballot format to the primary committee for its approval, and for the county chair to order ballots. TEC §§ 86.004(b), 172.083.
January 2020
1st
First day for voters to submit an application for a ballot by mail for March 3 primary election, or for both the March 3 primary election and July 14 runoff primary election. Texas Election Code (TEC) §§ 84.001(e), 84.007.
2nd
Last day for a party with state organization, which intends to make nominations by conventionail or federal postcard applications (“FPCA”). TEC § 181.0041.
18th
Deadline for the early voting clerk to mail ballots for the primary election to those overseas voters, from whom the clerk has already received applications for ballots by mail or federal postcard applications (“FPCA”). TEC § 86.004(b).
February 2020
3rd
Last day citizens may register to vote in March 3 primary election. TEC § 13.143(a). (This deadline is extended by TEC § 13.143(e) from the 30th day before election day, which falls on Sunday, February 2)
18th
First day of early voting by personal appearance for March 3 primary election. TEC § 85.001(a), (c). (This date is extended to Tuesday, February 18, 2020 by TEC § 1.006 because the 17th day before election day is Saturday February 15, 2020 and Monday, February 17, 2020 is President’s Day)
21st
Last day for early voting clerk to receive application for ballot by mail for March 3 primary election. TEC § 84.007(c).
Last day for early voting clerk to receive an FPCA for March 3 primary election. TEC section 101.052(g), 114.004(c).
Note: BOTH FPCAs and ABBMs must be received by the 11th day before election day.
28th
Last day of early voting by personal appearance for March 3 primary election. TEC § 85.001(a).
March 2020
3rd
Primary election day. TEC § 41.007(a).
4th
First day independent candidates for offices not involved in runoff primary election may collect signatures for petitions in connection with applications. TEC § 142.009.
9th
Last day to post notice of county executive committee's meeting to canvass returns of primary election because canvass must take place on March 12, 2020. Notice must be posted at least 72 hours before scheduled time of meeting. TEC § 172.116; Texas Government Code §§ 551.002, 551.041 & 551.043.
10th
Precinct conventions held to elect delegates to county or district conventions of minor parties. TEC §§ 181.061(c), 182.005.
12th
Local canvass of the primary election by county chair and at least one member of the county executive committee, selected by the county executive committee, must be conducted on this date. TEC § 172.116(b).
Last day to post notice of state executive committee’s meeting to canvass returns of primary election because state canvass must take place on March 15, 2020. Notice must be posted at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting. TEC § 172.120; Texas Government Code §§ 551.002, 551.041 & 551.043.
14th
County convention for minor parties that are nominating candidates for single-county district, county, or precinct offices. TEC § 181.061(c), 182.005.
15th
Deadline for state executive committee to conduct state canvass for all races with potential runoffs (races with three or more candidates). See entry under March 25, 2020. State chair must certify these candidates for statewide and district offices for placement on runoff primary election ballot to county chair as soon as practicable after canvass is completed. TEC §§ 172.120(b)(1) & 172.121.
18th
Last day runoff primary candidates may withdraw from ballot (5 p.m.), if the state canvass was held on March 15, 2020. TEC § 172.059
19th
Recommended deadline if state canvass is held on March 15, 2020 for state chair to certify candidates for statewide and district offices for placement on runoff primary ballot. TEC § 172.121.
21st
District convention for minor parties nominating candidates for multi-county district offices. TEC § 181.061(b).
25th
Deadline for state executive committee to conduct state canvass for races with no potential runoff. TEC § 172.120(b)(2). See entry under March 15, 2020.
April 2020
1st
Deadline for county chair to post on the secretary of state’s website the names of the persons elected as county and precinct chairs for the county. TEC § 172.118.
May 2020
26th
Last day party chairs of new political parties may submit petitions and precinct convention lists to Secretary of State and to the appropriate county clerk (or other county election official) for to secure placement of candidates on the November general election ballot. TEC §§ 181.005(a), 181.006(b)(3), 181.061(c), 182.003 & 182.004. (This deadline is extended by TEC § 1.006 because the 75th day after the precinct conventions falls on Sunday, May 24 and because Monday, May 25 is Memorial Day.)
30th
Deadline for the early voting clerk to mail ballots for the runoff primary election to those overseas voters, from whom the clerk has already received applications for ballots by mail or federal postcard applications (“FPCA”). TEC § 86.004(b).
June 2020
15th
Last day to register to vote in July 14 runoff primary election. TEC § 13.143(a). (This deadline is extended by TEC § 13.143(e) from the 30th day before election day, which falls on Sunday, April 26.)
29th
First day of early voting by personal appearance for July 14 runoff primary election. TEC § 85.001(a)
July 2020
2nd
Last day for early voting clerk to receive application for ballot by mail for July 14th runoff primary election. TEC § 84.007(c).
Last day for early voting clerk to receive an FPCA for July 14 runoff primary election. TEC §§ 101.052(g), 114.004(c).
10th
Last day of early voting by personal appearance for July 14 runoff primary election. TEC § 85.001(a).
14th
Runoff primary election day. TEC § 41.007(b).
15th
First day independent candidates for offices involved in runoff primary election may collect signatures for applications. TEC § 142.009.
18th
First day candidates may file declaration of write-in candidacy for November 3 general election. TEC § 146.025.
20th
Last day to post notice of meeting to canvass returns of runoff primary election because canvass must take place on July 23, 2020. Notice must be posted at least 72 hours before scheduled time of meeting. TEC § 172.116; Texas Government Code §§ 551.002, 551.041 & 551.043.
23rd
Local canvass of the runoff primary election by county chair and at least one member of the county executive committee, selected by the county executive committee, must be conducted on this date. TEC § 172.116(b)
24th
Deadline for county clerk to submit canvassed returns for statewide and district offices to secretary of state. TEC § 67.007(d).
29th
Last day to post notice of state executive committee’s meeting to canvass returns of runoff primary election if state canvass takes place on August 1, 2020. Notice must be posted at least 72 hours before the scheduled time of the meeting. TEC § 172.120; Texas Government Code §§ 551.002, 551.041 & 551.043.
August 2020
1st
Deadline for state executive committee to conduct state canvass. TEC § 172.120(b-1).
3rd
LNew party officers take office. TEC § 171.022(c).
13th
Last day independent candidates may file applications and petitions (5 p.m.). TEC § 142.006.
21st
Last day candidates may withdraw from or be declared ineligible for general election. TEC §§ 145.032, 145.035.
October 2020
5th
Last day citizens may register to vote in November 3 general election. TEC § 13.143(a). (This deadline is extended by TEC § 13.143(e) from the 30th day before election day, which falls on Sunday, October 4, to the next business day.)
19th
First day of early voting by personal appearance for November 3 general election. TEC § 85.001(a).
23rd
Last day for early voting clerk to receive application for ballot by mail for November 3 general election. TEC § 84.007(c)
Last day for early voting clerk to receive FPCA for November 3 general election. TEC §§ 101.052(g), 114.004(c)
30th
Last day of early voting by personal appearance for November 3 general election. TEC § 85.001(a).
November 2020
3rd
General election day. TEC § 41.002.
