Running for County or Precinct Chair in a Party Primary on the SOS website
General Eligibility Requirements for Party Offices Appearing on a Primary Ballot
To be eligible to run as a candidate for or serve as county or precinct chair of a political party, a person must be a qualified voter of the county. A qualified voter is a registered voter of the county. (Sections 11.002, 161.005, Texas Election Code.) The candidate must therefore be a resident of the county to be eligible for county chair or precinct chair. There is no specific period of time that the person must have been a resident of the county to be eligible for the office of precinct chair or county chair. (Section 161.005, Texas Election Code). The candidate must be a registered voter as of the day the application was filed. If a person is appointed as a county or precinct chair, the candidate must be a registered voter as of the date of appointment. (Section 161.005, Texas Election Code). A person’s registration is effective 30 days after the date the application is submitted to the voter registrar.
Additionally, to be eligible to be a candidate for or to serve as an officer of a political party, a person must not be a candidate for nomination or election to, or be the holder of, an elective office of the federal, state, or county government. Therefore, a person cannot run for county or precinct chair if the person currently holds an elected federal, state, or county public office; or if the person is a candidate for such office. (Section 161.005, Texas Election Code).
Residency Requirements for Precinct Chair
In addition to the general eligibility requirements for party office, a person must also reside in the election precinct to be eligible to be a candidate for or to serve as a precinct chair for that precinct. There is no specific period of time that the person must have been a resident of the precinct to be eligible for the office of precinct chair. (Section 171.023, Texas Election Code)