The deadline to file for a place on the ballot was Aug. 22, but per state law, prospective candidates had an additional five days following that deadline to file as a write-in candidate.
In the election for Pflugerville City Council Place 1, Weiss was the only candidate to file for a place on the ballot. However, Nicole Kosich also filed as a write-in candidate. Should Kosich defeat Weiss, her term will not differ from that of a non-write-in candidate, according to the Texas Election Code.
Write-in votes in local elections only count for candidates who specifically file as a write-in candidate, meaning Kosich is the only candidate for whom a write-in vote will be valid.
Pflugerville City Council members serve three-year terms and are limited to three consecutive terms in office. Mayor Victor Gonzales’ term is also set to expire this November, but he was the only candidate to file for the mayoral election, so the race is uncontested. The seats that are up for re-election during the November 2023 election include Place 2 Council Member Ceasar Ruiz, Place 4 Council Member Rudy Metayer and Place 6 Council Member David Rogers.
Weiss was originally elected to Pflugerville City Council in November 2016 and was re-elected in 2019. He previously served on the Pflugerville Community Development Corp. board.
Kosich is a continuing education provider and massage instructor, according to her application for candidacy.
How write-in candidacy works
The procedure for write-in candidates in municipal elections in Texas has several guidelines, according to the Texas Election Code:
- In an election for city officers, a write-in vote will only be counted if the name written-in appears on the list of write-in candidates.
- A candidate must declare write-in candidacy with a given election authority, such as the city of Pflugerville.
- A write-in candidate must file to run no later than the fifth day after the deadline to file for regular candidacy.
- A voter opting for the write-in candidate must write the name on the ballot for the vote to count.
