How to Become a Nominee of New Party or Party Without Ballot Access in 2026
If you are a member of a new party or if your party’s candidates for statewide office in the last general election received less than five percent of the vote, your party must qualify for ballot access. [Secs. 181.0041, 181.005] Your party must register (PDF) with the Secretary of State’s office by January 2, 2026, and needs the support of 81,030 qualified voters. [Secs. 181.005,181.006]
If you hope to become the nominee of a new party for a particular office, you must file an application for nomination (PDF) with the county or state party chair, as appropriate (see chart). The application must be filed no later than 6:00 p.m. on December 8, 2025. [Sec. 181.033] The application for nomination must be accompanied by either a filing fee or a petition in lieu of filing fee (PDF), delivered to the Secretary of State (for a statewide or district office) or to the county judge (for a county or precinct office), in order for the applicant to qualify for nomination. The amount of the filing fee or the number of signatures required for the petition in lieu of a filing fee is the same amount that is required for a candidate seeking nomination by primary election under Sections 172.024 and 172.025. (Note: There are no extra requirements for judicial applicants.)
If you receive a majority of the votes cast at the county, district, or state convention, as appropriate, and you submitted your filing fee or petition in lieu of filing fee to county judge or Secretary of State, whichever is applicable, your name will appear on the general election ballot in November 2026 if your party has obtained ballot access.
Judicial Candidates
- Candidates for certain judicial offices must provide additional information with their judicial application for nomination by convention (PDF). [Sec. 141.0311] See Running for a Judicial Office in 2026 for more information.
For more information on obtaining ballot access, please see our guide on establishing a political party in Texas.
| Public Office Sought in 2026 |
File Application with Party Chair | Additional Information Required | File with County Judge or SOS (filing fee OR nominating petition) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | County | Filing fee | % Signatures a | Number of Signatures b | ||
United States Senator |
x |
- |
- |
$5,000 |
- |
5000 |
United States Representative |
x |
- |
- |
$3,125 |
2% |
500 |
Governor |
x |
- |
- |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Lieutenant Governor |
x |
- |
- |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Attorney General |
x |
- |
- |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Comptroller of Public Accounts |
x |
- |
- |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Commissioner of |
x |
- |
- |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Railroad Commissioner |
x |
- |
- |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Justice, Supreme Court |
x |
- |
x |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Judge, |
x |
- |
x |
$3,750 |
- |
5000 |
Chief Justice and Justice, 15th Court of Appeals |
x |
- |
x |
$2,500c |
2% |
500 |
State Senator |
x |
- |
- |
$1,250 |
2% |
500 |
State Representative |
x |
- |
- |
$750 |
2% |
500 |
Member, |
x |
- |
- |
$300 |
2% |
500 |
Chief Justice and Justice, Court of Appeals |
x |
- |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
District Judge |
x |
- |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
Criminal District Judge |
x |
- |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
Family District Judge |
x |
- |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
District Attorney |
x |
- |
- |
$1,250 |
2% |
500 |
Criminal District Attorney |
x |
- |
- |
$1,250 |
2% |
500 |
County Judge |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
Judge, |
- |
x |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
Judge, |
- |
x |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
Judge, |
- |
x |
x |
$2,500 / |
2% |
500 |
County Attorney |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
District Clerk |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
County Clerk |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
District/County Clerk |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
Tax-Assessor-Collector |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
County Treasurer |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
County Surveyor |
- |
x |
- |
$75 |
2% |
500 |
County Commissioner |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
Sheriff |
- |
x |
- |
$1,250 / |
2% |
500 |
Constable |
- |
x |
- |
$1,000 / |
2% |
500 |
Justice of the Peace |
- |
x |
- |
$1,000 / |
2% |
500 |
Source: |
181.032; 182.0041 |
141.0311 |
172.024 |
172.025 |
||
- Percentage of all votes for all gubernatorial candidates cast in the applicable territory in the 2022 general election. If number is less than 50, the required number of signatures is the lesser of (1) 50 or (2) 20% of all votes for all gubernatorial candidates cast in the applicable territory in the 2022 general election.
- The minimum number of signatures that must appear on a candidate’s petition for statewide office is 5000. The minimum number of signatures that must appear on a candidate’s petition for district, county or precinct office is the lesser of (1) 500 or (2) 2% of the total vote received in the district, county or precinct, as applicable, by all gubernatorial candidates in the 2022 general election. [Sec. 172.025]
- Pay higher fee in Courts of Appeals Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, and 15. [Sec. 172.024(7), (8)]
- Pay higher fee in Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Tarrant Counties. [Sec. 172.024(10), (12)]
- Pay higher fee if county has at least 200,000 inhabitants according to 2020 Census.
- Pay higher fee if county attorney performs the duties of a district attorney. [Sec. 172.024(13)]
