November 2, 2027 General Election Candidate Information

CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD

The first day to file an application for a place on the ballot is Saturday, July 17, 2027.

The last day to file for a place on the ballot is Monday, August 16, 2027 by 5:00 p.m.

The last day to file a declaration as a write-in candidate is Friday, August 20, 2027, by 5:00 p.m.

Applications for a place on the ballot must be filed in the Mayor’s Office, 901 Bagby, 3rd Floor, Houston, Texas, 77002. Applications may also be submitted via e-mail to Mayor@houstontx.gov. Please note that, for applications submitted via e-mail, the filing fee or petition in lieu of a filing fee must still be filed in person. Please also note that the first day of the filing period is set by state law and does not move; the hours of operation for the Mayor’s Office are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The complete candidate packet will be available on this website and in the Mayor’s Office in summer 2027.

CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Pursuant to Texas Election Code section 141.001 and Article V, section 4 of the City of Houston Charter, to be eligible for public elective office, a candidate for City elective office:

• MUST BE a United States citizen;
• MUST BE 18 years of age or older on or before the first day of the term to be filled at the election;
• MUST NOT have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be 1) totally mentally incapacitated or 2) partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
• MUST NOT have been finally convicted of a felony from which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities;
  • Please note that pursuant to Election Code section 141.031(a-1), a person who has been finally convicted of a felony must include in the application proof that the person is eligible for public office.
  • Release from or successful completion of probation or parole does not alone make a convicted felon eligible for a place on the ballot or able to hold elected office.
• MUST have resided continuously in Texas for 12 months immediately preceding the filing deadline for a candidate’s application for a place on the ballot (or for write-in candidates, the date of the election at which the candidate’s name is written in);
  • For candidates for Mayor, City Controller, or At-Large Council Member, MUST have resided continuously in the City for 12 months immediately preceding election day;
  • For candidates for District Council Member, MUST have resided continuously in the territory encompassed by the City Council District to be served for 12 months immediately preceding election day; and
    • Per Local Government Code Section 43.130, a resident of an area annexed for limited purposes is not eligible to be a candidate for or to be elected to a municipal office.
    • You may check which Council District you reside in at Houston City Council - Who Is My Council Member?
• MUST be registered to vote in the territory from which the office is elected on or before the date of the filing deadline for a candidate’s application for a place on the ballot (or for write-in candidates, the date of the election at which the candidate’s name is written in).

CANDIDATE APPLICATION

Each application or declaration should be checked to ensure that:

• It has been completed in accordance with the instructions and properly notarized; and
• It is accompanied by either:
1. the appropriate filing fee, or
2. the properly completed and acknowledged Petition for a Place on the City General Election Ballot containing the required number of signatures and other information required by the Texas Election Code. The petition must be signed by registered voters residing in the territory from which the office is elected equal in number to the greater of: a) twenty-five, or b) one-half of one percent of the total received in the territory from which the office is elected by all candidates for mayor in the most recent mayoral general election.

Filing Fee: Cash, cashier’s or certified check payable to the City of Houston. No personal checks or money orders accepted. Filing fees are non-refundable. (See City Charter, Art. V, Sec. 6.)

CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Campaign finance reports must be filed electronically, unless the filer is exempt pursuant to section 18-103(c) of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances. The electronic filing system can be found here: http://www.houstontx.gov/campaignfinance/. You can find answers to frequently asked questions regarding campaign finance here: https://www.houstontx.gov/campaignfinance/faq.html.