In re Stalder

Relator Barbara J. Stalder has filed a petition for writ of mandamus, asking that we order the chair of the Harris County Democratic Party to place her on the 2018 Democratic Party primary ballot for the office of judge of the 280th Judicial District Court.1 Despite the fact that Stalder's application included enough signatures to qualify as a petition in lieu of the filing fee under Chapter 172 of the Election Code, this dispute requires us to decide whether she is ineligible to seek that office because her check to pay the filing fee was returned for insufficient funds.

We conclude that the…