How To Run For Public Office in Texas
THE WORKING-CLASS CANDIDATE RUNBOOK

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. Dual-Office & Write-In Candidate RestrictionsUnder Texas Election Code § 141.033, you cannot file for more than one office voted on at the same election date. If you did not enter a party primary, you can file as a declared write-in candidate. Warning: Under Texas "Sore Loser" law, if you lose in a party primary, you are strictly disqualified from running as an independent or write-in candidate in the subsequent general election.
• 3. 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. If expenditures or contributions remain under $5,000, review minimal activity exemption declarations (Form 99 Misc).
• 4. Obtain Federal EIN & Dedicated Bank DepositoryApply for an IRS EIN under Form SS-4 for your specific political committee. Open dedicated campaign bank accounts — never commingle funds. Maintain strict isolation between municipal (Katy Mayor) and statewide (Governor) ledgers.

Real-World Lesson from 2024 TX-22 Independent Run: Getting on the ballot as an independent or working-class candidate requires mastering signature deadlines, circulator affidavits, and petition challenges.

• 1. Mark the 108-Day Candidate Filing CalendarFiling for Texas Governor opens 108 days prior to the party filing deadline (approx. November 9, 2025). Major party candidates can pay filing fees ($375 to $5,000 depending on seat) or file Petitions in Lieu of Fees. Independents qualify solely via petition.
• 2. The Candidate Access Initiative: Ending the "Pay-to-Play" LoopholeMonetary filing fees act as a wealth "cover charge" that protects rich incumbents. The Navarro platform advocates abolishing financial filing fees in favor of mandatory 100% petition qualification ("sweat equity") so teachers, nurses, and engineers can compete on equal footing.
• 3. 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 another party's primary, expect a 25–35% challenge rate. If you need 500 signatures, gather 750+.
• 4. Circulator Compliance & Notarized AffidavitsEach petition circulator must personally witness every signature. Prepare pre-formatted circulator affidavits and notarize them immediately upon page completion. Verify signatures daily against the county voter roll.

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. Assemble the Official VDR Field KitNever walk a precinct without your complete statutory registration toolkit:

  • Certificate of Appointment: Proof of active county VDR deputization.
  • TVDR Registration Guide: Official Texas SOS procedures and qualifications.
  • Voter Registration Applications: Official state bilingual pads.
  • Statutory Receipt Books: Must issue a signed receipt immediately upon taking an application (TEC § 13.040).
  • Blue or Black Pens: Only permitted ink colors under state guidelines.
  • Section 3 Guidance: Know how to register unhoused / homeless citizens using a physical street intersection description as legal residence.
• 3. Map High-Turnout Precincts & Export Walk-SheetsAnalyze past primary and general election voter turnout. Target precincts with high working-class concentration for door-to-door engagement using official voter rolls and precinct walk sheets.
• 4. Order Campaign Lawn Signs with Statutory DisclaimersTexas law requires political advertising disclosure statements. For grassroots self-funded campaigns without PACs or consultants: "Political advertising created by Jose Navarro Balbuena. Remove Money From Politics & Political Consultants that inflate the cost of Working Americans running for Public Office." Ensure all lawn signs, palm cards, and push cards include this exact statement.

  Download Official Yard Sign (PDF)

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.