Precinct Chair Application
As Precinct Chair…
Your #1 goal is to maximize the Republican vote in your precinct. You do this by identifying, registering, informing, and turning out voters.
You are a member of the County Executive Committee. The County Executive Committee is made up of the County Chair and all the Precinct Chairs in the county. As the representative of your precinct, you should make every effort to attend each meeting. Your presence counts towards a quorum enabling official business to be conducted.
You have responsibilities in your local elections. In addition to maximizing the Republican vote, ways to be involved include serving as election judge or clerk in the primary and/or general election, or campaigning for candidates in the primary and/or general election.
What You Need to Know Before You Apply for Precinct Chair
Most frequent questions and answers
Precinct Chairs can be the most influential leaders in their communities. They are the basic
building blocks of any successful political party. Organizing and campaigning are primary
responsibilities of a precinct chair. Build a team to win! You and your volunteers will talk to voters in your area by knocking on doors, telephoning, hosting events, and other ways to get to know your voting neighbors. Precinct chairs are essential for building the Republican Party. Besides organizing and campaigning, Republican Precinct Chairs also represent their home precincts on the Republican Party of Brazos County Executive Committee.
Texas law gives precinct chairs limited official powers, primarily the ability in certain
circumstances to fill Party nominations for office that become vacant between primary and
general elections (such as the event of death). Otherwise, a Precinct Chair is the primary political
representative of the Republican Party in that precinct.
Qualifications are set by the Texas Election Code. To be a precinct chair, a person must be a voter residing in that precinct and vote in the Republican Primary or sign an oath of affiliation with the Republican Party. A Precinct Chair cannot be a candidate for, or holder of, elected office of the federal, state, or county government.
- be a qualified voter in that county (Sec. 005)
- be a resident of the precinct (Sec. 023)
- not be a county, state, or federal public officeholder or candidate for such office (same), and
- in a general election year, be affiliated with the Republican Party through voting in the Republican primary election or runoff or by oath of affiliation (Sec. 162.001 – 012)
(Sec.171.022)
Elected to a Two-Year Term
Candidates for Precinct Chair run for office in the primary election each even-numbered year. A one-page notarized application must be submitted to the County Chairman within the filing period, usually September through December. Individuals may also run as write-in candidates (Sec.171.0231). If only one candidate’s name is to be placed on the ballot, there will be no election and that person will be elected to office (Sec. 171.0221). If there is more than one candidate, the winner is determined by majority vote of those voting in the Republican primary election.
Appointed to Fill a Vacancy
Any eligible person may be appointed to fill a Precinct Chairman vacancy at any time. Appointment is by majority vote of the County Executive Committee present at a properly called meeting with a quorum, unless otherwise stipulated by the Election Code (171.024-5).
A Precinct Chair should work with Republicans in the precinct, promote Republican candidates and events, and maximize the precinct’s vote for Republican candidates.
Besides being a member of the Republican Party of Brazos County Executive Committee, the Precinct Chair is the main contact for the Republican Party in his/her neighborhood. This includes recruiting volunteers, organizing block walks (door to door) to canvass and distribute campaign materials, phone banking, phoning from home, and encouraging neighbors to vote.
A precinct chair is expected to serve as an election judge, or to recruit someone who can serve. The precinct chair also convenes the Republican precinct convention after the Primary Election.
Precinct Chairs are political positions. They are volunteer positions, which are not paid.
A precinct that has no Chair is considered vacant. Between Primary elections, a qualified person may apply on the Republican Party of Brazos County’s website online application form, found below, to fill the vacancy. The Republican Party of Brazos County Executive Committee’s Vacancy Committee will review the application, usually interview the applicant, and make a recommendation. If approved by a majority of the Executive Committee with a quorum present, the applicant will be the new Precinct Chair for the remainder of the term.
Brazos GOP gives each Precinct Chair access to our database of Republicans and other voters in their precinct and full access to add information about voters. Brazos GOP also makes available programs and applications for organizing, communicating, and phone banking, from an office or from the comfort of your home, as well as for door-to-door campaigning. The County Party also assists Precinct Chairs in planning and organizing events.
The Republican Party of Brazos County will contact you regarding the status of your application.
To find your VUID and Precinct information visit My Voter Portal.