What are the requirements for special elections?
In Texas, special elections are held to fill various offices when the sitting official has either resigned, been removed from office, or died. Depending on the office, special elections may be held at the county, state, or federal level. To hold a special election, the authority to do so must be granted either by the state or U.S. Constitution, by the Texas Legislature, by a local government code, or by an executive order of the governor. Once the authority for an election has been granted, the county election official must issue a Proclamation of Election along with the date and duration of the election. This proclamation must contain the names of the candidates, the office they are running for, and the date of the election. In addition, for certain offices, the Proclamation of Election must also contain the qualifications for the office as listed in the state or federal constitution. After a special election is ordered, the election must be conducted in the same manner as a general election. This includes giving voters in the area ample time to register and cast their ballots, posting election notices, and determining the canvassing board for each election. At the end of the election, the election results must be canvassed and certified, and the candidate with the most votes is declared the winner. Then, the governor will issue a Certificate of Election to the winner.
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