On Saturday morning, Democratic and Republican candidates for public office can begin filing for the March primaries in preparation for next year’s November election.
In total, 41 offices are up for election — one federal, 17 statewide and 23 in Jefferson County. However, not all of these races will appear on any one ballot.
“The two major parties that have a candidate or more than one candidate will put them on the ballot, and then whoever prevails in the primary will move on to the general election,” said Jefferson County Clerk Theresa Goodness. “The minor parties — you know, Green Party, Libertarian Party — they field candidates that they nominate by convention instead of by primary, and those may go on the ballot in November. There’s also the ability for someone to run as an Independent.”
Independent candidates running for a county- or precinct-level office must file an intention to run with the county judge’s office and pay a filing fee. For those entering the primaries by two of the major parties, the process is slightly different but fairly straightforward.
“They don't file those applications with the county clerk's office, they file their application for a place on the primary ballot with the party chair,” Goodness said. “They pay their filing fee to the party chair.”
For more information, interested candidates should visit the Secretary of State’s website and hover over the Elections tab. Then click on Candidate Information.
Offices up for election include:
FEDERAL:
1. United State Representative District 14
STATE:
1. Governor
2. Lieutenant Governor
3. Attorney General
4. Comptroller of Public Accounts
5. Commissioner of the General Land Office
6. Commissioner of Agriculture
7. Railroad Commissioner
8. Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3
9. Justice, Supreme Court, Place 5
10. Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9
11. Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2
12. Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5
13. Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6
14. Member, State Board of Education, District 7
15. State Representative, District 21
16. State Representative, District 22
17. Justice, 9th Court of Appeals District, Place 2
Jefferson County:
1. District Judge, 58th Judicial District
2. District Judge, 172nd Judicial District
3. District Judge, 252nd Judicial District
4. District Judge, 279th Judicial District
5. District Judge, 317th Judicial District
6. Criminal District Judge
7. Criminal District Attorney
8. County Judge
9. Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 1
10. Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 2
11. Judge, County Court-at-Law No. 3
12. District Clerk
13. County Clerk
14. County Treasurer
15. County Commissioner, Precinct No. 2
16. County Commissioner, Precinct No. 4
17. Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1, Pl. 2
18. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2
19. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4
20. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 6
21. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 7
22. Justice of the Peace, Precinct 8
23. Constable Precinct 8, Unexpired Term
“Candidate information has everything they need to know about what documents are required by the state election code to provide to the party chairperson of the party they want to file with and the filing fees,” Jefferson County Republican Party chair Judy Nichols said. “Then they contact that party.”
Applications can be downloaded and printed from the Secretary of State’s website. Both major parties also have a website that lists further information on how to file specifically with them.
The filing period lasts through December 13.
“Filing closes for all candidates of all parties December 13 at 6pm — hard stop,” Nichols said. “If you walk in the door at 6:01, your filing has to be rejected by law.”
Joseph Trahan, Jefferson County Democratic Party chair could not be reached for comment.
Primaries will occur on May 1, and any primary runoffs will take place on May 24, according to an advisory from the Secretary of State.
rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com
twitter.com/ontheREKord