Qualifications for Office
Public Office Sought in 2018 |
U.S. Citizen | Texas Resident |
District Resident |
Registered to Vote in Area Elected From | Age | Practicing Lawyer or Judge |
Sourced | Term of Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States Senator |
9 yrs
|
Yesa
|
-
|
not req'd |
30
|
- |
I § 3
|
6 yrs.
|
United States Representative |
7 yrs.
|
Yesa
|
not req'd |
not req'd
|
25
|
- |
I § 2
|
2 yrs.
|
Governor |
Yes
|
5 yrs.b
|
-
|
not req’d |
30g
|
- |
IV § 4
|
4 yrs.
|
Lieutenant Governor |
Yes
|
5 yrs.b
|
-
|
not req’d |
30g
|
- |
IV § 16
|
4 yrs.
|
Attorney General |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
-
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
not req'd |
IV § 22
|
4 yrs.
|
Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
-
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
-
|
IV § 23
|
4 yrs.
|
Commissioner of General Land Office |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
-
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
-
|
IV § 23
|
4 yrs.
|
Commissioner of Agriculture |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
-
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
-
|
IV § 23
|
4 yrs.
|
Railroad Commissioner |
Yes
|
Yesc
|
-
|
Yesc
|
25g
|
-
|
§ 81.01003, |
6 yrs.
|
Justice of the Supreme Court |
Yes
|
Yesa
|
-
|
Yesc
|
35b
|
10 yrs.b
|
V § 2
|
6 yrs.
|
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals |
Yes
|
Yesa
|
-
|
Yesc
|
35b
|
10 yrs.b
|
V § 4
|
6 yrs.
|
State Senator |
Yes
|
5 yrs.b
|
12 mo.b
|
not req’d h
|
26b
|
-
|
III § 6
|
4 yrs.
|
State Representative |
Yes
|
2 yrs.b
|
12 mo.b
|
not req’d h
|
21b
|
-
|
III § 7
|
2 yrs.
|
Member, State Board of Education |
Yes
|
12 mo.
|
12 mo.b
|
Yesc
|
26b
|
- |
§ 7.103, |
4 yrs.
|
Chief Justice & Justice, Court of Appeals |
Yes
|
Yesa
|
Yesc
|
Yesc
|
35b
|
10 yrs.b |
V § 6
|
6 yrs.
|
District Judge |
Yes
|
2 yrs.b
|
2 yrs.b
|
Yesc
|
25g
|
4 yrs.b |
V § 7, |
4 yrs.
|
Criminal District Judge |
Yes
|
2 yrs.b
|
2 yrs.b
|
Yesc
|
25g
|
4 yrs.b |
V § 7,
§ 24.001 |
4 yrs.
|
Family District Judge |
Yes
|
2 yrs.b
|
2 yrs.b
|
Yesc
|
25g
|
4 yrs.b |
V § 7,
§ 24.001 |
4 yrs.
|
District Attorney |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
Yes |
V § 30, |
4 yrs.
|
Criminal District Attorney |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
Yes |
V § 30, |
4 yrs.
|
County Judge |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
not req'd |
V § 15
|
4 yrs.
|
Judge, County Court-at-Law |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yesc
|
V § 30, |
4 yrs.
|
|||
Judge, County Criminal Ct. |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yesc
|
V § 30,
|
4 yrs.
|
|||
Judge, County Probate Ct. |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yesc
|
V § 30, |
4 yrs.
|
|||
District Clerk |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
- |
V § 9
|
4 yrs.
|
District & County Clerk |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
- |
V § 20
|
4 yrs.
|
County Clerk |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
V § 20
|
4 yrs.
|
|
County Treasurer |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
XVI § 44
|
4 yrs.
|
|
County Surveyor |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
XVI § 44
|
4 yrs.
|
|
County Commissioner |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
V § 18
|
4 yrs.
|
|
Justice of the Peace |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
V § 18
|
4 yrs.
|
|
Constablef |
Yes
|
12 mo.c
|
6 mo.c
|
Yesc
|
18g
|
V § 18 |
4 yrs.
|
- No duration specified.
- Before date of general election.
- As of December 11, 2017, if candidate for Democratic or Republican Party Nomination. As of the date of nomination, if other party nominee for statewide, multi-county district, single-county district, county or precinct office. As of June 21, 2018, if independent candidate. As of November 6, 2018, if declared write-in candidate.
- Citations refer to article and section number of the U.S. Const. for U.S. Senator and U.S. Rep.; section number of the Tex. Educ. Code for Member, State Board of Education; section number of the Tex. Nat. Res. Code for Railroad Commission; section number of the Tex. Gov’t Code for district judge, district attorney and statutory county court; section number for Texas Loc. Gov’t Code for constable; and article and section number of the Tex. Const. for all others. Also see § 141.001 of the Tex. Elec. Code.
- Statutory qualifications may vary; contact your local party chair or the Secretary of State.
- Additional qualifications for constable: must be either (1) eligible to be licensed under sections 1701.309, 1701.312, and 1701.502 of the Texas Occupations Code AND (a) has at least an associate’s degree, (b) is a special investigator under Article 2.122(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, or (c) is an honorably retired peace officer or honorably retired federal criminal investigator who holds a certificate of proficiency issued under Section 1701.357, Texas Occupations Code OR (2) an active or inactive licensed peace officer under Chapter 1701 of the Texas Occupations Code.
- On first day of term to be filled at election. Note: A candidate might need to be age 18 at an earlier date than the first day of the term to be filled at election if the candidate is required to be a registered voter. See offices requiring voter registration.
- The offices of state senator and state representative must be qualified voters as defined by Tex. Const. Art. VI, Sec. 2. This definition provides that an individual must be eligible to register to vote but need not actually be a registered voter.
Special Note 1:Please be advised that due to the removal of the staggering schedule from Article XVI, Section 65 of the Texas Constitution, there are various local offices which may have been created by your county commissioners court or the Texas Legislature but are not listed in this guide. For further information on filing for county offices not listed, please contact the county clerk’s/elections administrator’s office or the office of the Secretary of State.
Special Note 2: Please be advised that executive and judicial officers elected in a statewide election, state appellate and district judges, members of the State Board of Education, and district or criminal district attorneys (among others) are subject to the provisions of Chapter 572 of the Texas Government Code Ann., which relates to personal financial disclosure, standards of conduct, and conflicts of interest issues. For further information on the applicability and requirements of Chapter 572, candidates should contact the Texas Ethics Commission.
