Wanted: Fighting Democrats!

Will YOU Answer the Call?

Run for Office Today!

Are you interested in making real change in your community? The best way to do that is to run for office!

We have several offices up for election, from the local all the way up to the national level.

Me? Where would I even begin?

The first step is understanding what you’re getting into. Running for office should not be undertaken without careful consideration and planning. This course is a good resource to help you make that decision. We recommend it to anyone considering running:

https://traindemocrats.org/course-details/93/so-you-think-you-want-to-run

What qualifications do I need?

Qualifications vary depending on the office. Below is a breakdown of every position:

https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/2024/qualifications2024.shtml

Which offices are up for election?

Numerous offices are up for election in 2026.

National/Federal

  • U.S. Senate

  • Texas Congressional District 17

Statewide

  • Governor

  • Lieutenant Governor

  • Attorney General

  • Comptroller of Public Accounts

  • Commissioner of General Land Office

  • Commissioner of Agriculture

  • Railroad Commissioner

  • State Board of Education District 14

  • Texas Supreme Court, Chief Justice

  • Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 2

  • Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 7

  • Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 8

  • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3

  • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4

  • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9

  • Texas 15th Court of Criminal Appeals, Justice, Place 1

  • Texas 15th Court of Criminal Appeals, Justice, Place 2

  • Texas 15th Court of Criminal Appeals, Justice, Place 3

Statehouse

  • State Senate District 22

  • State House District 56

  • State House District 12

I’m in, what now?

County

  • District Judge, 54th District Court

  • District Judge, 74th District Court

  • District Judge, 170th District Court

  • Criminal District Attorney

  • County Judge

  • County Court at Law, No.1

  • County Court at Law, No. 2

  • District Clerk

  • County Clerk

  • County Treasurer

  • County Commissioner, Precinct 2

  • County Commissioner, Precinct 4

  • Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 1

  • Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2

  • Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2

  • Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3

  • Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4

  • Justice of the Pease, Precinct 5

  • Constable, Precinct 1

  • Constable, Precinct 2

  • Constable, Precinct 3

  • Constable, Precinct 4

  • Constable, Precinct 5

Thank you for your interest in running for office. The next steps are to fill out the Candidate Interest Survey linked below and review campaign finance information.

Campaign Finance

  • Before accepting contributions or making expenditures, you should file a campaign treasurer. By statute, after you raise or spend $500, you must have a campaign treasurer on file. You can do this at any time. You should contact the Texas Ethics Commission for any rules and laws regarding donations, expenditures, reporting, and other items.

—Some FAQs About Campaign Finance—

When can I file my campaign treasurer?

Anytime! And this should be the first thing you do if you plan on running for office.

-If you're running at the County Level (Justice of the Peace, District and County Clerk, County Court at Law, County Judge, Commissioners), in that case, you will file your campaign treasurer report with the Denton County Elections Department.

-If you're running for a State level office (State District Judge, State Representative, State Senator), you will file with the Texas Ethics Commission.

-For federal candidates, you will need to contact the Federal Election Commission.

Can I be my own Treasurer?

Yes

Do I have to open a new bank account?

Yes! By statute, you must keep any political money separate from your personal or business bank accounts. Because of this, you will have to create an EIN number with the IRS to open an account.

Are there campaign contribution limits?

There are no campaign contribution limits except for federal and judicial candidates (for which you should contact the Texas Ethics Commission or the Federal Election Commission).

Also, you cannot accept any corporate donations (PC and LLCs are fine as long as they are not an IRS-recognized corporation)

What form do I use to file my treasurer's report?

Click this link from the Texas Ethics Commission for all the forms.