March 1st primary election will occur on schedule, candidate filing window opens Sunday

posted on 11.09.2015

The 2016 Texas political season officially gets underway this coming weekend when the political candidate filing window opens on Sunday, Nov. 15. 

Thankfully, there’s some welcome news from a San Antonio federal court to preface the filing window.

A three-judge panel ruled Friday that Texas House and congressional district maps will stay the same for the 2016 election.  The move brings certainty to broadcasters, candidates and the voting public because it means Texas’ March 1 primary election will take place as scheduled.

The court rejected a motion to temporarily block a set of Congressional and Texas House redistricting maps passed by the Legislature in 2013 from being used next year.

While the map litigation remains undecided, the panel said the current maps will be used at least on an interim basis and that it would not adjust the maps prior to March.

The decision prevents a repeat of the 2012 election when the primary was delayed to the end of May.   That caused problems not only for political candidates but also for broadcasters.  

Stations had hoped to see a good deal of national political advertising in the first quarter of 2012 when the question of which presidential nominee Republicans would ultimately choose was still being decided.   By the time the primary election finally took place in Texas in 2012, Mitt Romney was already the Republican Party’s choice.

Thankfully, a similar delay will not happen next year.

The development comes just in time for the official opening of the 2016 political season on Sunday, Nov. 15.   That’s when the 30-day candidate filing window opens in Texas.  Individuals will have until Dec. 14 to file the necessary paperwork to secure a place on the ballot, thereby becoming a “legally qualified candidate” in the FCC’s eyes.

That’s a significant distinction as most of the FCC’s political broadcasting rules only apply to legally qualified candidates, their actions and the actions of their campaign offices.   

Learn about this FCC rule and the other major components of the political broadcasting rules by registering TAB’s Political Broadcasting webinar on Dec. 17, 1-3 CST.

TAB has arranged for Bobby Baker of the Federal Communications Commission and David Oxenford of TAB Associate member law firm Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, to provide an informative end of year review of the FCC’s complex political broadcast regulations.

It’s just in time for the beginning of the 2016 political season and exactly one month before the March 1 primary window opens on Jan. 16, 2016.

There is no registration fee for TAB member station staff, but station employees need to register individually in advance to be assured a spot for the online presentation.   

The presentation will be live, with an email available for questions.

Log-on instructions will be emailed to registrants prior to the webinar date.

Topics to be covered include lowest unit rate, third party issue advertising, reasonable access and equal opportunities, sponsorship identification and public file requirements.

The webcast will be archived online and accessible to registered participants for six months.

Questions?  Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.

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