Editor: Shannon Cottongame
November 10, 2021
With redistricting complete at the state level, party primary elections are on track to be held Tuesday, March 1, and the filing period for Republican and Democratic candidates will open this Saturday.
Alternative election and filing dates were a possibility if the Texas Legislature did not finish the new maps in a timely manner, but lawmakers passed new districts for the U.S. House of Representatives, Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives and State Board of Education last month. Governor Greg Abbott signed off on the maps Monday, October 25.
The 2022 election cycle will now proceed according to the standard timetable, with the candidate filing period opening Saturday, November 13, and continuing through Monday, December 13.
If any primary runoffs are needed following the March 1 election, they will be held May 24.
A number of offices will be on next year’s ballots, including U.S. representatives, state senators and representatives, governor and lieutenant governor and other statewide offices.
Locally, the offices of county judge, county court-at-law judge, district clerk, county clerk, county treasurer, county surveyor, county commissioners of precincts 2 and 4, and all justices of the peace will be on the ballot.
In order to become the Republican or Democratic party nominee for a particular office, candidates must file an application for a place on the ballot with the county or state party chair, as appropriate.
The application for a place on the primary ballot must be accompanied by either a filing fee or a petition in lieu of filing fee signed by a certain number of qualified voters.
Those seeking office at the county level in Hill County will file with Republican Party Chair Will Orr or Democratic Party Chair Thom Hanson.
Orr can be reached at William.orr.90@gmail.com or 817-917-8395. Hanson can be reached at thanson@hillcountydemocrats.com or 254-479-8369.
In Bosque County, points of contact are Republican Party Chair Janet Jackson, who can be reached at 254-709-1187 or BosqueGOPHQ@gmail.com, and Democratic Party Chair Marylynda Burke at 254-675-3366 or mlb627jb@gmail.com.
Candidates may have their name placed on the general election ballot as an independent candidate if they are not affiliated with a political party.
To file as an independent candidate, candidates must follow a two-part process.
This includes filing a declaration of intent to run as an independent candidate between November 13 and December 13 with the county judge, for county or precinct offices, or the Secretary of State, for district and state offices. A candidate application and a supporting nomination petition must then be filed by June 23, 2022, with the county judge or Secretary of State.
After the primary elections and a runoff if necessary, an independent candidate must collect signatures from registered voters who support their candidacy and have not participated in a primary or runoff of a party that has nominated a candidate for the office.
A complete candidate filing guide, including filing fees, candidate qualifications and additional information, is available on the Texas Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.texas.gov.
The Lakelander 