(a) To be eligible to be a candidate for, or elected or appointed to, a public elective office in this state, a person must:

(1) be a United States citizen;

(2) be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, as applicable;

(3) have not been determined mentally incompetent by a final judgment of a court;

(4) have not been finally convicted of a felony from which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities;

(5) have resided continuously in the state for 12 months and in the territory from which the office is elected for six months immediately preceding the following date:

A candidate's application for a place on the ballot that is required by this code must:

(1) be in writing;

(2) be signed and sworn to by the candidate and indicate the date that the candidate swears to the application;

(3) be timely filed with the appropriate authority; and

(4) include:

(A) the candidate's name;

(B) the candidate's occupation;

(C) the office sought, including any place number or other distinguishing number;

(D) an indication of whether the office sought is to be filled for a full or unexpired term if the office sought and another office to be voted on have the same title but do not have place numbers or other distinguishing numbers;

(E) a statement that the candidate is a United States citizen;

(F) a statement that the candidate has not been determined mentally incompetent by a final judgment of a court;

(G) a statement that the candidate has not been finally convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities;

(H) the candidate's date of birth;

(I) the candidate's residence address or, if the residence has no address, the address at which the candidate receives mail and a concise description of the location of the candidate's residence;

(J) the candidate's length of continuous residence in the state and in the territory from which the office sought is elected as of the date the candidate swears to the application;

(K) the statement: "I, __________, of __________ County, Texas, being a candidate for the office of __________, swear that I will support and defend the constitution and laws of the United States and of the State of Texas"; and

(L) a statement that the candidate is aware of the nepotism law, Chapter 573, Government Code.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986.

Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 427, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107, § 3A.03, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, § 5.95(26), eff. Sept. 1, 1995.