Mike Collier, Texas’s two-time Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, filed a federal lawsuit in Austin this month to overturn the state’s ballot access rules for independent candidates. The suit argues the signature requirement is not just difficult but constitutionally indefensible.
“No state in the nation requires independent candidates for statewide office to gather more signatures in less time than Texas, and no other state is even close.”
From the federal complaint filed in Austin, June 2026
Texas Ballot Access Rules No Other State Matches
Under Texas law, an independent statewide candidate must collect signatures equal to 1% of the total vote for governor in the preceding election. For the 2026 ballot, that threshold is more than 81,000 signatures, gathered within a strict window. Anyone who voted in either party’s primary is ineligible to sign, which disqualifies a substantial portion of the most politically active Texas voters before collection begins.
By contrast, Texas parties that received at least 20% of the gubernatorial vote nominate candidates through publicly funded primary elections. Independent candidates get no equivalent support and face the signature wall instead.
Collier is joined by a cross-partisan group of co-plaintiffs: former U.S. Rep. And Dallas Mayor Steve Bartlett, former Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley, former state Sen. Kel Seliger, and Sarah Stogner, a West Texas district attorney. The group spans Republican and Democratic backgrounds, which is part of the lawsuit’s argument that the rules harm voters across the political spectrum.
Why Collier Filed and What Happens Next
Collier, an accountant and auditor, lost to incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in both 2018 and 2022. He announced in November 2025 that he would run again as an independent.
“Both parties are moving to the extremes, leaving those of us in the center without a voice.”
Mike Collier, former Texas lieutenant governor nominee, speaking to the Texas Tribune, June 2026
If the court does not lower the threshold, Collier must collect more than 81,000 valid signatures to appear on the November 2026 ballot. His opponents will include Patrick, the long-serving incumbent, and Austin state Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who won the Democratic primary runoff in late May 2026.
The lawsuit asks a federal court to find the current requirement unconstitutionally burdensome. Courts have struck down similar barriers in other states when signature thresholds effectively locked out non-major-party candidates, but Texas has not yet faced a ruling on this specific combination of volume, timeline, and primary-voter exclusion.
What You Can Do Now
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Track the federal docket by searching for “Collier” as a party name at pacer.gov. The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. Court orders lowering the signature bar would be time-sensitive, so watching filings matters.
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Call your Texas state legislators at (512) 463-4630 (the Texas Capitol switchboard) and ask them to support a bill reducing the independent candidate signature threshold. The next Texas legislative session opens in January 2027, which is the earliest statutory fix could happen.
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Contact the Texas Secretary of State’s office at (512) 463-5650. The Secretary of State administers petition requirements and certifies ballot access. Ask what the office is doing to review whether its current signature rules comply with federal constitutional standards.
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If you are a registered Texas voter who did not vote in either 2026 primary, you are eligible to sign Collier’s petition. Check current petition status and collection windows at collierfortexas.com to find out when and where to sign.
Sources
Texas Tribune: Mike Collier Sues Over Texas’ Onerous Rules for Independent Candidates Ballotpedia: Ballot Access Requirements for Candidates in Texas Brennan Center for Justice: Ballot Access and Independent Candidates Overview Texas Secretary of State: Independent and Third-Party Candidate Filing Requirements