Elections

Candidate Information

A candidate for Waco City Council must file for office within the posted filing period. The filing period can be found in the Notice of Deadline to File and the General City Election Packet. In addition, candidates must meet qualifications outlined by the Waco City Charter and the State of Texas Election Code.

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City of Waco Council Member Eligibility

Texas Election Code Sec. 141.001(a) and Waco City Charter

  • Citizen of United States.
  • 21 years of age. (City Charter)
  • A citizen and qualified voter of the State of Texas and the City of Waco for the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the date of election, and, if elected from a District, a resident of the District from which elected for the six (6) months immediately preceding the day of election. (City Charter)
  • Have not been determined by a final judgement of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be (A) totally mentally incapacitated; or (B) partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
  • Have not been finally convicted of a felony from which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities.
  • Candidate must satisfy any other eligibility requirements prescribed by law for this office.
  • Candidate will file application with City Secretary designating office sought and sworn statement by the candidate that they are fully qualified under the Laws of the State of Texas and the provisions of the Charter.

Voter Information

Qualified Voter*

Texas Election Code Sec. 11.001 and 11.002

  • A person meets the age requirement for voting on the day before his 18th birthday [Sec. 1.016]
  • 18 years of age or older on the day of the election.
  • Citizen of the United States.
  • Not disqualified as mentally incompetent.
  • Not disqualified as a convicted felon [Discharge papers issued by pardons & paroles division].
  • Resident of the state on the day of the election.
  • A registered voter on the day of the election.

*Qualified Voter: Registered voter who meets all other requirements for voting. A registration becomes effective on the 30th day after the day the application is submitted to the registrar or on the date the applicant becomes 18 years old, whichever is later. [Sec. 13.143]

Eligibility to Vote

Texas Election Code Sec. 11.001

  • Be a qualified voter as defined above.
  • Be a resident of the territory covered by the election for the office on which the person desires to vote.
  • Satisfy all other requirements for voting prescribed by law for particular election.

Applications to vote by mail

We urge anyone who is 65 years of age or older, or who has a sickness or physical condition that prevents the voter from appearing at a polling place without a likelihood of injuring the voter's health, to vote by mail.

  • People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
  • Other high-risk conditions could include:
  • People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
  • People who have serious heart conditions
  • People who are immunocompromised including cancer treatment
  • People of any age with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] >40) or certain underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as those with diabetes, renal failure, or liver disease might also be at risk