City candidate ineligibility clarified

Contrary to a news story on the election in the Sunday, March 14 edition of the Kingsville Record and Bishop News, Ruben G. Soliz could not run for both the Kingsville City Commission and as a trustee of the Kingsville Independent School District at the same time because of the state election code, City Attorney Courtney Alvarez said.

Kingsville City Secretary Edna Lopez said Soliz was sent a letter explaining why he was in eligible to seek a seat on the Kingsville City Commission.

“I never told the reporter that the city charter prevented him from running for the city commission,” Lopez said.

The state law cited is Section 141.033 of the Texas Election Code as follows:

FILING APPLICATIONS FOR MORE THAN ONE OFFICE PROHIBITED.

(a) A candidate may not file applications for a place on the ballot for two or more offices that:

(1) are not permitted by law to be held by the same person; and

(2) are to be voted on at one or more elections held on the same day.

(b) If a person files more than one application for a place on a ballot in violation of this section, each application filed subsequent to the first one filed is invalid.

(c) This section does not apply to candidacy for the office of president or vicepresident of the United States and another office.

Alvarez noted that Soliz filed for a place on the Kingsville school board trustee election first.