2026 Election Candidate Questionnaire
Nine questions for every candidate running in the May 2026 city council elections. Here's the questionnaire, the format, and how to participate.
Table of Contents
Here are the questions.
If you are running for city council in May 2026, these nine questions are for you. Every candidate in every city I cover will receive the same questionnaire. The questions are designed to give voters real answers about who you are, what you know, and how you plan to lead.
The Format
This is not a live forum. You are not being put on the spot.
I am publishing these questions now so every candidate has time to prepare thoughtful, substantive answers. Take as long as you need. When you are ready, contact me to schedule a recorded video interview at a public location.
Here is how it works:
- Read the questions below. Prepare your answers on your own time.
- Keep your answers private. Do not share them publicly before recording.
- When you are ready, reach out to me to confirm. I will coordinate a date and location.
- We meet at a predetermined public location and record your responses on camera. No edits. No cuts. Raw and unfiltered.
- Your recording will be held privately until every candidate in your city has had the opportunity to record.
- Once all recordings are in, I will publish one video per city with every candidate's responses, ordered by ballot drawing position.
No candidate sees another candidate's answers before recording. No candidate's video goes public before everyone has had their turn. The process is the same for everyone.
If for any reason you prefer not to do a video interview, I will accept written responses instead. I do strongly encourage video. Voters deserve to hear directly from the people asking for their vote, and your willingness to sit down on camera says something on its own.
The Questions
General Leadership and Vision
1. I'm new to the community and I don't know anything about you. What do you tell me?
2. What inspired you to run for office?
3. What do you feel is the most important issue facing your city today, and how do you plan to address it?
Community Engagement
4. How do you feel about the way city leadership currently communicates with the community? Are you satisfied with the level of public communication? Yes or no, and explain why.
5. Some cities in Texas have social media policies that restrict councilmembers from commenting publicly about city business. There is a valid concern about accidentally creating a walking quorum, but other Texas cities navigate this appropriately and allow councilmembers to make factual public statements without blanket restrictions. What are your thoughts? Should elected officials be able to communicate openly with residents on social media?
6. How do you plan to make sure taxpayers feel heard and included in city government beyond the election cycle?
City Operations and Finances
7. Every city has infrastructure needs and financial pressures. How familiar are you with your city's current budget, and what is your plan for keeping the city financially healthy while addressing the projects and maintenance that residents are counting on?
8. Many cities in Texas have Economic Development Corporations funded by sales tax revenue. These organizations often accumulate significant cash reserves and property assets while the city's general fund runs tight. What are your thoughts on how your city's EDC should be operating, and what role should the council play in making sure those tax dollars are working for the community?
Final Thoughts
9. You're at a meeting on the dais during councilmember comments. The meeting was productive, but some members of the audience are upset with how you voted on certain issues. What do you say to bring the room together?
How to Reach Me
If you are a candidate and you are ready to schedule your interview, or if you have questions about the process, contact me directly. My information is at the bottom of every page on this site.
I will be reaching out to candidates individually as well. But don't wait for me. If you're ready, say so.
For the Voters
Pay attention to who participates and who doesn't. Pay attention to who answers with specifics and who answers with generalities. These nine questions are not trick questions. They are the baseline of what any voter should expect a candidate to be able to answer before asking for your vote.
The videos will be published before the May election. Watch them. Compare the answers. Make an informed decision at the ballot box.
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