To file your application to become a precinct chair for the 2026-2028 term, please follow the instructions on this page.
To apply to serve as a precinct chair for the remainder of the 2024-2026 term, please indicate your desire to do so via email at pcfiling@travisdems.org .
Open Filing for the 2026-2028 Precinct Chair Term
Precinct chairs are party officials, elected for a term of 2 years, beginning in June of each even-numbered year.
To file your application to become a precinct chair for the 2026-28 term, submit a completed and notarized application to Travis County Democratic Party during the Open Filing Period from September 9th, 2025 to 6 PM CST on December 8th, 2025. See below for instructions on submitting your application, including some frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page.
Filing Period: September 9th, 2025 through December 8th, 2025 at 6 PM CST
You may submit a completed application to TCDP via mail, email, or in person. Please note that this form has changed for the current open filing period and we can only accept these new forms—look for “08/2025” in the upper lefthand corner of the application to make sure you’re using the right form.
BY MAIL:
Mail completed and notarized applications to:
Travis County Democratic Party
P.O. Box 684263
Austin, TX 78768-4263
BY EMAIL:
Email your completed and notarized application to pcfiling@travisdems.org. Please note that you do NOT have to submit a hard copy of your application after submitting a completed and notarized digital copy.
IN PERSON:
See below for hours when TCDP staff will be available at our office at 1311 E. 6th St., Austin, TX 78702, to receive applications from precinct chair candidates. We may be available at other times as well, but the times below are guaranteed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Which precinct am I in?
Click here to view our current Precinct Look-Up here. To find your precinct, enter your address in the search bar. You can also find your precinct on your Voter Registration Card.
However, the Secretary of State recommends that precinct chair candidates apply for their to-be-determined precincts based on the redistricted Congressional maps that take effect on December 6th. The County draws the new precinct boundaries in accordance with the Congressional map. They aim to make only necessary alterations to precincts to abide by the law. Please review the Overlay Plan per the Secretary of State [here] and do your best to apply for the best precinct.
If you submit an application, TCDP will have your contact information to notify you of upcoming changes. If you would like to be a precinct chair candidate and anything changes, TCDP assures you that you will have the opportunity if you remain interested and eligible. For more information or guidance, call the office at 512-477-7500.
What are the eligibility requirements to be a precinct chair?
To be eligible to be a precinct chair, you must:
Live in the precinct you wish to represent, and
Be registered to vote, with an active voter registration, in this precinct at the time of submitting your application to us.
There are no requirements for how long you must have lived in and be registered to vote in your precinct, only that you live in and are registered to vote in your precinct when you submit your application to us.
I just re-registered to vote at my new address. Can I apply to be a precinct chair in my new precinct?
Yes—if your voter registration is active, which happens 30 days after you submit your voter registration application to the County’s Tax-Assessor/Collector Office. We can’t accept your application if you submit it to us before your voter registration is active.
What if I’m already a precinct chair? Do I still have to file?
Yes, if you are a current precinct chair, your term ends in June 2026. You must file during the open filing period to serve the full term for 2026-2028.
Which application form do I fill out?
Click here to download the application: Application for Precinct Chair (English & Spanish). Please note that this form has changed as of September, 2025, and we can only accept these new forms—look for “08/2025” in the upper lefthand corner of the application to make sure you’re using the right form.
What parts of the application do I have to fill out?
Any field that does NOT include the word “optional” on the application form is required. Not filling out all the required fields means your application is incomplete and we would have to reject it.
As with all notarized forms, you have to sign the form in the presence of a notary, and you can’t erase, change, or add anything to the form after it’s been notarized. Feel free to contact us to ask any questions about the application: (512) 477-7500, info@travisdems.org.
Can you notarize my application?
Currently, no. However, we are working to establish a one stop shop so stay tuned for that.
I can’t make it to your office during any of the times shown on the calendar above. Can I still submit an application in person?
Yes! The times listed above are the times when someone is scheduled to be in our office so we can receive applications, but we may be able to receive them at other times during the open filing period (9/12/23 to 12/11/23 at 6 PM) as long as we are at our office. Please get in touch with us to find out if we’ll be available to receive your application outside of the times above.
You can also email or mail us your application (see the top of this page for more information).
What are the reasons that a precinct chair application might be rejected?
We must reject precinct chair applications for the full 2026-2028 term if:
The application is incomplete or not notarized when we receive it;
If the person applying is not eligible because they are not registered to vote in their precinct, or do not live in the precinct they’re applying to represent at the time of submitting their application to us;
If we receive them outside of the open filing period (9/9/25 to 12/8/25 at 6 PM); and/or
The applicant submitted the wrong form (check for the 09/2025 date in the top lefthand corner of the form!).
These reasons are dictated by Texas Election Code with guidance from the Texas Secretary of State, and we are obligated to abide by these laws.
I’m moving into a new precinct after December 8, 2025. Can I submit an application for the new precinct?
No. To be eligible to be a precinct chair for the upcoming term, you must live in and be registered to vote in the precinct you list on your application. Furthermore, you must intend to live at the Precinct on your application for the duration of the upcoming term to remain consistently eligible. If a Precinct Chair moves out of their designated precinct during their tenure, that deems them ineligible to hold that position.
Can I send you my application during the filing period, but have it notarized after the deadline?
Unfortunately, no. All applications have to be completed and notarized in order to be reviewed, and we must receive all applications during the Open Filing Period (September 9th, 2025, to 6 PM CST on December 8th, 2025). If your application is not complete, not notarized, or we receive it outside the open filing period, we must reject it.
What happens after I submit the application?
Upon receiving every Precinct Chair application, TCDP will review it to ensure that the form is complete, notarized, and that you are eligible to be a precinct chair in the precinct you wish to represent. TCDP staff can answer questions about the process and are able to receive applications in person during the hours above for your convenience. You can also reach us at info@travisdems.org or (512) 477-7500.
What happens if more than one person applies to be a precinct chair in the same precinct?
If the seat is contested (meaning that more than one person has applied for the same precinct) then all qualified applicants’ names will appear on the March 3rd, 2026, Democratic Primary ballot in their precinct. Voters in that precinct will elect their precinct chair by majority. If no candidate receives a majority, a run-off election will be held.
If only one person has applied in a precinct by the end of the open filing period, then that person will assume the office of precinct chair in June 2026, without appearing on the ballot.
How will I know if other people have applied in my precinct, or if I’m the only one?
Feel free to ask TCDP staff if there have been any other applicants for that precinct, and we’ll respond as best we can. After the open filing period is over, we will reach out to everyone who submitted an application for a precinct where more than one person has applied.
Who can I contact if I have questions?
You can reach out to TCDP staff at pcfiling@travidems.org or (512) 477-7500 with any questions you may have.