FILING REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL

Qualifications:

• 21 years of age; 
• Must be a United States citizen; 
• Registered voter of the district from which office is sought; 
• A resident of the City for one (1) year previous to the date of the election; and (6 months) within the District sought. 
• Have not been determined mentally incompetent by a final judgment of a court; 
• Have not been convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities; 
• Must satisfy any other eligibility requirements prescribed by law.

Filing Process: 

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.

• Signatures must be from qualified voters of the City.
• Petitions should include the signature of the resident, 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 
• City Charter dictates (Sec 7.03) voter may only sign a petition for one single candidate per position. 
• 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 at the time the application for place on the ballot is filed. 
• Petition forms must be notarized. In the event that someone circulates the petition on behalf of the candidate. 
• Note the oath included on the application, which must be sworn before a notary public. 
• Candidate Packets are generally available in January at the City Secretary's Office.

Campaign Treasurer: 

• It is prohibited to accept campaign contributions or make any expenditure before CTA form has been filed with the City Secretary.
• 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 1-800-325-8506 or 512-463-5800.

Campaign Finance Report:

•  Campaign Filing Schedule (under normal election cycle)
•  Due 30th day before Election
• Due 8th day before Election
•  Runoff Election - due 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 is illegal. TxDOT only regulates campaign signs under chapter 394 of the Texas Transportation Code.
•  In the law, “political advertising” is a specifically defined term. Do not confuse this special term with your own common-sense understanding of advertising.
•  To figure out if a communication is political advertising, you must look at what it says and where it appears. 
•  TEC has a guide posted on the website.
•  It is illegal to place any signs on or within the right of way. This includes posting signs on trees, telephone poles, traffic signs and other objects on the right of way.
•  Campaign signs along Texas roads can be placed on private property with the owner's permission.
•  Before placing a sign inside of incorporated city limits, check with the city for applicable ordinances. (Code Enforcement)