How To Run For Public Office in Texas

Before accepting a single dollar or spending personal funds on public campaign activity, Texas law requires strict statutory compliance.

• 1. Verify Statutory Qualifications for the OfficeVerify minimum age, Texas residency length, district voter registration, and absence of disqualifying felony convictions (Texas Election Code Title 9).
• 2. File Appointment of Campaign Treasurer (Form CTA)For Statewide or Legislative office: file with the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC). For Katy Mayor: file Form CTA directly with the Katy City Secretary.
• 3. Obtain Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)Apply for an IRS EIN under Form SS-4 for your specific political committee (e.g. "Committee to Elect Jose Navarro Balbuena").
• 4. Open a Dedicated Campaign Depository Bank AccountNever commingle personal and campaign money. If running for multiple offices across cycles (e.g. Katy Mayor vs Governor), open strictly separate accounts!

Real-World Lesson from 2024 TX-22 Independent Run: Getting on the ballot as an independent or working-class candidate requires understanding the signature challenge threshold.

• 1. Determine Ballot Access Method: Filing Fee vs. PetitionMajor party primary candidates can pay the statutory filing fee or submit a Petition in Lieu of Filing Fee. Independents must qualify exclusively by voter petition.
• 2. Apply the "1.5x Safety Multiplier" to Your Signature GoalNever collect just the statutory minimum. Between signature challenges, unregistered signers, and voters who voted in a party primary, expect a 25-35% discard rate. If you need 500 signatures, collect 750+.
• 3. Circulator Compliance & Notarized AffidavitsEach petition circulator must personally witness every signature. Prepare pre-formatted circulator affidavits and notarize them immediately upon page completion.
• 4. Verify Signatures Daily Against the County Voter RollCross-reference voter names and addresses against the Secretary of State or county voter roll daily to catch invalid petitions early.

Fiduciary compliance protects your candidacy from fines and political hit pieces.

• 1. Mark Your TEC Semi-Annual & Pre-Election Filing DeadlinesTexas law mandates January 15 and July 15 semi-annual reports (Form C/OH), plus 30-day and 8-day pre-election reports. Late filings carry mandatory daily fines.
• 2. Record Mandatory Donor Metadata (Employer & Occupation)For contributions exceeding statutory thresholds, Texas law requires capturing full legal name, physical address, employer, and job title.
• 3. Maintain Strict Account Firewalls (Municipal vs. Statewide)Never mix municipal campaign funds (Katy Mayor) with state campaign accounts (Governor). Maintain separate ledgers and distinct bank accounts.

Voter contact at the doors is the single highest-yield activity for working-class candidates.

• 1. Become Certified as a Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR)Get deputized by your county elections administrator (Harris, Fort Bend, Waller). This empowers you to legally register voters on the spot while canvassing!
• 2. Map Your High-Turnout & High-Opportunity PrecinctsAnalyze past primary and general election voter turnout. Target precincts with high working-class concentration for door-to-door engagement.
• 3. Generate Standard Walk-Sheets & Phone-Banking ListsUse our campaign intake export or voter lists to generate printed walk-sheets with clear checkboxes (Called, Canvassed, Yard Sign, Supporter).
• 4. Order Campaign Signs with Statutory DisclaimersTexas law requires: "POLITICAL ADVERTISING PAID FOR BY [CAMPAIGN NAME]". Ensure all lawn signs, palm cards, and push cards include this exact disclaimer.

Modern campaigns win by eliminating web vulnerabilities and broadcasting across all channels automatically.

• 1. Deploy Hardened Static HTML (Abandon Vulnerable WordPress)Prevent website defacement, bot spam, and SQL injections by hosting pure static HTML with strict security headers and WP bot null-routes.
• 2. Connect Automated Social Syndication via Pabbly ConnectWrite campaign dispatches on your website first (POSSE), then automatically multi-post to X, Facebook, Bluesky, and LinkedIn using Pabbly webhooks.
• 3. Set Up Multi-Stream OBS Broadcasts (YouTube, Twitch, FB, Bluesky)Broadcast live town halls directly to your voters with an adaptive live stream player on your website that collapses gracefully when offline.