Run for City Council

Qualifications

  • Be 21 years of age
  • May not have been convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities
  • May not have been determined mentally incompetent by a final judgment of a court
  • Must be a United States citizen
  • Must be a registered voter of the district from which office is sought
  • Be a resident of the City for one year previous to the date of the election and six months within the district sought
  • Must satisfy any other eligibility requirements prescribed by law

Filing Process

The City Charter requires each candidate to be nominated by petition, signed by the number of qualified voters required by state law. State law requires that petitions must contain the greater of 25 or one-half of one percent of the total votes received in the most recent mayoral general election. View important things to know about filing:

  • Signatures must be from qualified voters of the City.
  • Petitions should include the resident's signature, the printed name, residence address, county of registration, date signed, date of birth and/or the voter registration certificate number. 
  • Signatures must be signed in ink.
  • The City Charter (Section 7.03) dictates that voters may only sign a petition for one candidate per position.
  • The position and place number being sought must be indicated on each page of the petition form before requesting signatures. 
  • Petitions and applications for a place on the ballot must be filed with the City Secretary during the filing period for the election. 
  • All petition pages must be turned in together when the application for a place on the ballot is filed. 
  • Petition forms must be notarized if someone circulates the petition on behalf of the candidate. City staff cannot notarize the affidavit. 
  • Note the oath included on the application, which must be sworn before a notary public. City staff cannot notarize the oath.
  • Candidate Packets are generally available in December at the City Secretary's Office.

Campaign Treasurer

Accepting campaign contributions or expenditures before the CTA form has been filed with the City Secretary is prohibited. The Texas Ethics Commission generates the CTA form and instructions. Title 15 of the Texas Election Code pertains to filing requirements for expenditure statements. Read this information carefully. Questions regarding reporting procedures, contributions or expenditures should be directed to the Texas Ethics Commission at 800-325-8506 or 512-463-5800.

Campaign Finance Report

Campaign Finance Report Filing Schedule under a normal election cycle:

  • Due the 30th day before election
  • Due the 8th day before election
  • Runoff Election – due the 8th day before Runoff Election Date
  • Final Report – may be filed at any time after the Election
  • If a final report is not filed, Semi-Annual Reports will be due each year on:
    • January 15
    • July 15

Political Advertising

Campaign signs on public lands are illegal. TxDOT only regulates campaign signs under Chapter 394 of the Texas Transportation Code. Further Political Advertising laws and regulations are on the Texas Ethics Commission website. “Political Advertising” is a specifically defined term. Do not confuse this special term with your own common-sense understanding of advertising.

Guidelines for Political Advertising

To determine if a communication is political advertising, you must look at what it says and where it appears. It is illegal to place any signs on or within the right-of-way, including on trees, telephone poles, traffic signs and other objects. Campaign signs along Texas roads can be placed on private property with the owner's permission.

Before placing a sign inside incorporated city limits, check with the City's Code Enforcement Department for applicable ordinances.