Lankford ineligible for Chandler City Council
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Bobby Lankford, a candidate for both the Chandler City Council and the Brownsboro Independent School District Board of Trustees, has recently found out he can't be elevated to councilmember, even if elected.

It's all part of Texas Election Code 141.033.

"A candidate may not file applications for a place on the ballot for two or more offices that are not permitted by law to be held by the same person and are to be voted on at one or more elections held the same day. 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. This section does not apply to candidacy for the office of president or vice-president of the United States and another office," the code reads.

Scott Haywood, spokesperson for Texas Secretary of State Phil Wilson, said the code was put in place to prevent a candidate running for several offices and either choosing which to take after the elections, or taking whichever office the candidate was elected to.

"Whichever application was filed first is the application that is valid," Haywood said. "Applications after the first are invalid."

Lankford said he was first made aware of the fact he could not hold these two positions after he had filed his application for city council and ordered campaign signs.

"Superintendent Elton Caldwell told me I couldn't be on both positions," Lankford said.

The candidate had ordered signs encouraging citizens to vote for him for both the school board position and the city council position.

Lankford is now ineligible for the council position, but he said had he been given a choice, he would lean toward a Chandler City Council seat.

"The council directly affects more people, I feel," Lankford said.

Lankford said he initially didn't know he was not allowed to run for two offices.

Jim Moffeit, Chandler city administrator, said the deadline for dropping out of the election has passed, so Lankford's name will still be on the ballot.

When asked about what would happen to those who voted for Lankford, Moffeit said, "The vote obviously will be null since the application was not in accordance with election code." Moffeit said there are no plans for a revote.

Since Lankford filed his application for a place on the school Board of Trustees first, that application is valid.