Candidate FAQ

GPTX needs candidates & campaigns to build party networks & public awareness. Becoming a candidate is more complicated than simply signing up to run, however. Applications for the 2026 general election will be accepted during the state-specified filing period, no sooner than November, and will need to be accompanied by filing fees or petitions in lieu thereof. Local elections during odd-numbered years will happen on the schedules set by local election officials, so please verify details for any office you wish to seek.

Candidate Checklist

1. File campaign treasurer appointment with Texas Ethics Commission, county election official, or Federal Elections Commission, as applicable.
2. File candidate application with party chair at [email protected] during the state-specified filing period, ending the second Monday in December.
3. Submit filing fee or petition and copy of application to Texas Secretary of State ([email protected]), or applicable election official, during the state-specified filing period ending December 8.
4. Submit campaign contact & profile information to [email protected].

How do I run for President as a Green?

The link above will take you to information provided by Green Party of the United States. Presidential candidates must meet a complex set of requirements for filing in each state, including Texas, and the national party is the best starting reference for all of those requirements.

Why should I run as a Green candidate?

Greens believe the duopoly parties will never support our mission to put people, peace, and planet over profit. Though countless astro-turf organizations spring up to offer change, only the Greens have committed clearly in their platform to the people’s issues and to maintaining a ballot line for their advocacy. If you are committed to maintaining this independent voice, and are prepared to demand that this point of view have a place on the ballot, you may be a good Green candidate! Greens have already been elected to local offices in Texas, and in recent campaign cycles it has not been unusual for local Green candidates to achieve double digit results. The tide is turning & your campaign can help lead the struggle by articulating Green issues beyond the primary and through to the general election, or even better, by winning & serving!

I am interested in running as a Green candidate. What should I do?

Consider what office you might want to run for, its qualifications, potential opponents, and other pertinent details. Review the party platform so that you are aware of any areas of disagreement. Once you have filed with the appropriate election authority, please submit candidate profile information, including picture & responses to the following survey questions to [email protected].

Green Screen Survey Questions:

1. What office are you planning to run for?
2. Of the Green Party's ten key values, what three do you feel are most important and what relevance do they offer to Texas voters?
3. Do you disagree with anything in the GPTX platform? If so, please explain why you disagree.
4. What is your experience with the consensus decision-making process?
5. Do you believe Greens have relevance in the USA? Please list why you believe/don't believe a third party possesses relevance in the US electoral system.
6. Please list mailing addresses, phone numbers and other relevant contact information for your candidacy.
7. Are you active with your county Green Party? Please list why if you are not. If you are active, please list your primary activities with your county party.
8. In your race, please list the top five talking points that you would cover in a debate with your opponents. With each talking point, please show how the Green Party's ten key values or platform would provide a solution.
9. List your constituency's characteristics and three ways you will reach out to them.
10. List your opponents, their strengths and weaknesses and what is needed to win against them.
11. List the name of your treasurer and any other campaign workers you plan to have working with you.
12. How do you plan to raise money for your campaign? How much money do you plan to fundraise? Please include a copy of your prospective budget(s).
13. Please provide a profile with background information that is not addressed by the above questions. Feel free to list alma mater, employment, family, hobbies, etc.

A member of our state executive committee will contact you to further facilitate the candidate recruitment & screening process. GPTX has qualified for ballot access through 2034, so now is a perfect time to help the party grow by representing as a candidate. 

What do I need to do to become a candidate?

Depending upon the office you wish to seek, you will need to file a candidate application for federal or state office with the appropriate election authority between November - December 8th. County and local elections may operate on different schedules, so please check all details with your local election authority.

Candidate campaigns will also be required either to (a) pay a filing fee to the state of Texas (cash, check, or money order ONLY) or (b) submit petition signatures in lieu of the fee, with amounts and details to be specified by the Texas Secretary of State's office. The amount of the filing fee or signatures on a petition for candidacy varies according to the office sought. For example:

• Statewide offices for 2026 require $3750 or 5,000 signatures of registered Texas voters who have not signed another party’s petition.
• State legislative positions require $750 - $1250 or 500 signatures of registered Texas voters who have not signed another party’s petition and are registered within the district.

Signatures must come from registered Texas voters in order to be considered valid. See Section 172.022 of the Texas Election Code for more detailed information.

In addition to filing your candidate application, you will need to appoint a campaign treasurer with the Texas Ethics Commission or your local election authority in order to begin to operate your campaign. Federal candidates are subject to Federal Elections Commission reporting requirements.

As a candidate, what will I need to do?

Beyond your initial campaign treasurer appointment, application, & filing fee or petition, you will need to provide campaign basics such as contact information, website & social media, and basic responsiveness to press and scheduling inquiries. A campaign manager is recommended to help you operate your campaign. If a local Green chapter does not exist in your area, we will need you to help establish a group.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: You must submit accurate financial reporting statements to your county election official or the Secretary of State's office, depending on the position sought, by the deadlines specified. This is true even if you raise or spend no money for your campaign. You and your treasurer are solely responsible for your campaign & all regulatory reporting requirements—and by responsible we mean liable for very harsh fines (thousands of dollars) for missing those deadlines.

As a candidate, what will I need not to do?

Per the State Election Code, you must not vote in any other party's primary election or participate in any other party's nominating conventions as a delegate.

Per the Green Party's rules and expectations, you must not misrepresent or act against the values and policy positions of the Party.

What support can I expect from the party?

GPTX will offer campaign guidance materials from GPUS, assistance with refining messaging, and connection with other party members & resources. Beyond this, GPTX can not promise concrete support. Support drawn from the party will largely be based on the strength of the party in your area, so as candidates the hope is that you will take a leading role in calling Greens in your area together & strengthening the party organization. In fact, without a minimal local presence to operate nominating conventions, candidates can not be nominated to the ballot! We need you, to help us, help you!

Will my name appear on the primary election ballot?

No. In Texas, Greens are a convention nominating party & do not appear on the primary election ballot. Nominating conventions take place in March, after the major parties have their primary elections.

In order to participate in the Green Party nominating conventions, whether as a delegate or a candidate, you must bring your voter registration card to prove that you have not voted in another party's primary, as indicated by the lack of a party stamp.

What does the convention nominating process entail?

The convention nominating process is stipulated in Texas Election Code & GPTX by-laws, but in general terms, Green voters are given an opportunity to approve a slate of candidates on the precinct convention date in March 2026. Delegates are elected to subsequent county, district, and state conventions, ultimately resulting in the nomination of our GPTX slate of candidates. 

Will my name appear on the general election ballot?

Yes, if the party nominates you at the appropriate convention.

What is the role of the Campaign Manager?

• Help organize the campaign
• Help schedule speaking engagements & voter outreach
• Coordinate volunteers (*opportunity for party building)
• Respond to inquiries
• Help with messaging & strategy

What are some basic campaign activities?

• Seek out Forums & other public speaking opportunities
• Approach community organizations to request endorsements
• Coordinate volunteers & party for voter outreach (block walking, phone banking, literature distribution, event tabling & voter registration*)
• Deliver Green Party message & vision to public

How should candidates interface with and build the Green Party in Texas?

• Cooperate to email contacts from GPTX database in their district
• Literature (party brochure & 10kv cards to start)
• Develop short issues speech
• Web/social media presence
• Awareness of Texas Ethics Commission or other regulatory reporting requirements

What GPTX cannot offer

• Any guaranteed financial support
• Any guaranteed volunteer support

GPTX does not have a local presence in many areas, and so candidates & campaigns must be prepared to become the foundation that local parties form around. Additional training is available for party volunteers on specifics of interfacing with GPTX’s Nationbuilder & other systems.

Disclaimer: Compiled information is drawn from the Texas Secretary of State and Texas Ethics Commission websites as well as state electoral code and is subject to individual verification and/or subsequent correction. No warranty is expressed or implied nor legal advice given. All responsibility related to candidacies will reside with individual candidates and their designated treasurers under the relevant legal jurisdictions.