Royal Masset & Associates

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All the Forms and Rules you will ever need

Before you can say in public that "I am a candidate", you must file a Designation of Campaign Treasurer (judicial candidates use this form!) with the Texas Ethics Commission, or, if running for a county office, with the County Clerk/Elections Administrator. Willful failure to do this is a criminal offense. (Federal candidates follow different FEC rules.)

While considering whether to run you should consult with your Republican County Chairman and any other local Republican Officeholders. Don't surprise your local Republican leaders. Read the Republican Party of Texas Platform.

You may file to run as a candidate in the Republican Party of Texas Primary no earlier than December 3, 1999 and no later than 6:00 p.m. on January 2, 2006. If the office you seek is voted on in more than one county you file with State Chairman Tina Benkiser at 211 East 7th Street, Suite 620, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 477-9821. If the office you seek is voted on in only one county you file with your Republican County Chairman. Your application must be received before the filing deadline. Postmarks don't count.

You file by submitting an application to run for office and a filing fee, the amount of which is listed on page 3 of the application. If you would like to avoid a filing fee you can file a nomination petition in lieu of a filing fee. See my report on Filing by a Nomination Petition. Make sure you follow the rules for the Required Number of valid signatures. Certain judicial candidates in Bexar, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant counties must pay a filing fee and collect 250 signatures on a petition.

Before you file for an office make sure you meet the qualifications for each office. Have you been a resident of your district long enough? Are there special age or professional requirements? What are the offices up for election in 2006?

Make sure you study a Calendar of Important Dates in the 2006 election cycle. Make sure you timely file your Campaign Contribution and Expenditure (C & E) Reports. (Judicial candidates use these C & E Reports.) Here are the deadlines for filing your Campaign C & E Reports. Here are instructions for Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Reports. (Here are the same instructions for judicial candidates.)

If you filed your Designation of Campaign Treasurer form during 2005, your first report will be due, postmarks are acceptable, by January 15, 2006. If you are a judicial candidate you must read Campaign Finance Guide for Judicial Candidates which tells about special reporting requirements to keep judges ethical. Candidates for a single county district judge file their designation of treasurer with the Ethics Commission and C & E reports with both the Ethics Commission and County Clerk/Administrator.

You can direct specific questions about being a candidate or running a primary to RPT's Political Director Chad Wilbanks and Organization Director Darryl Pool. You should attend an RPT Campaign School. Fill out an Application for RPT Campaign School to be held in Austin on January 29 and 30.

Here are the Statutes for Campaign Contributions and Expenditure Reports. Read the instuctions above before you look at these statutes. Make sure you have the proper Pd.Pol.Ad. disclaimer on all your literature. Any signs must follow the TDOT rules governing political signs. Consult the city attorneys in your district for any local sign ordinances that may affect you.

Your best source for the law is Texas Election Code (Chapter 254 relates to the Ethics commission and all campaign reporting requirements). If you have an unusual situation, such as being a current elected official, and you need to understand if you fall under the resign to run rule, the Texas Constitution and Attorney General Opinions will be of value. It is worth your time to explore web sites for The Secretary of State Elections Division, the Texas Ethics Commission and the Republican Party of Texas.

A considerable amount of time and anxiety will be saved by hiring a knowledgeable consultant who will can anticipate your paperwork and set up easy to follow campaign procedures so that everything will be done efficiently. Only experienced people know what land mines to look for when they review your filings.