tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post9099181300231852837..comments2024-03-22T16:02:08.213-05:00Comments on The Wheel: The Race So FarMark Stegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02376182294736839659noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-3786028319554723582013-02-20T11:12:58.782-06:002013-02-20T11:12:58.782-06:00Thanks, Mark, for the start-up of Richardson Idol,...Thanks, Mark, for the start-up of Richardson Idol, <i>Part Deux</i>.<br /><br />Just a note on something that the public will see and perhaps wonder about. <br /><br />You have correctly described the situation of Kendal Hartley moving over from Place 5 to run for Place 4, Laura Gibbs Maczka moving over Place 4 to run for Place 7 (Mayor), and Amir Omar "moving" over from Place 7 (Councilmember) to run for Place 7 (Mayor).<br /><br />Your readers should note that the Texas Ethics Commission states:<br />"A candidate may not represent that he or she holds an office that he or she does not hold at the<br />time of the representation. <b>If you are not the incumbent in the office you are seeking, you<br />must make it clear that you are seeking election rather than reelection by using the word<br />“for” to clarify that you don’t hold that office.</b>[emphasis theirs]" see <a href="http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/guides/G11polad.pdf" rel="nofollow">Political Advertising at the TEC</a>.<br /><br />So, clearly, neither Mr. Hartley nor Ms. Maczka can run for "re-election". They can obviously explain their experience in their literature, but they just can't say "Re-elect XXX for Council", because they're not running for the same office.<br /><br />Mr. Omar's situation is a bit fuzzier. He IS running for the same place (Place 7), but you could convincingly argue that it's NOT the same office (Councilmember versus Mayor). I would expect that Mr. Omar - as his signs around town already suggest - will also forego the use of the word "re-elect"...<br /><br />And if this is all the confusion that we have in this campaign season, I'll be happy!<br /><br />Billmccalpinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02768191960822864278noreply@blogger.com