# 2010 Texas gubernatorial election

Elections in Texas :
General elections
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1848
1852
1856
1860
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate
1846
1847
1851
1853
1857
1859
1859 sp
1870
1871
1875
1876
1881
1882
1887
1888
1892 sp
1893
1894
1899
1901
1905
1907
1911
1913
1913 sp
1916
1918
1922
1924
1928
1930
1934
1936
1940
1941 sp
1942
1946
1948
1952
1954
1957 sp
1958
1960
1961 sp
1964
1966
1970
1972
1976
1978
1982
1984
1988
1990
1993 sp
1994
1996
2000
2002
2006
2008
2012
2014
2018
2020
2024
2026
U.S. House of Representatives
1846
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1866
1869
1870
1871
1872
1874
1876
1878
1879
6th sp
1880
1882
1884
1886
1887
2nd sp
1888
1890
1892
9th sp
1894
1896
11th sp
1898
1900
1901
6th sp
1902
4th sp
1903
8th sp
1904
1905
8th sp
1906
1908
1910
1912
1913
10th sp
1914
1916
1918
1919
12th sp
1920
1922
13th sp
1924
1926
1928
1930
17th sp
1931
14th sp
1932
1933
7th sp
8th sp
15th sp
1934
1936
1937
10th sp
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
6th sp
1947
9th sp
16th sp
1948
15th sp
1950
18th sp
1951
13th sp
1952
7th sp
1954
1956
1958
1960
1961
20th sp
1962
4th sp
13th sp
1963
10th sp
1964
1966
8th sp
1968
3rd sp
1970
1972
1974
1976
1st sp
22nd sp
1978
1980
1982
1983
6th sp
1984
1985
1st sp
1986
1988
1989
12th sp
18th sp
1990
1991
3rd sp
1992
1994
1996
1997
28th sp
1998
2000
2002
2003
19th sp
2004
2006
22nd
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
27th sp
2020
2021
6th sp
2022
34th sp
2024
18th sp :
State government
Gubernatorial elections
1845
1847
1849
1851
1853
1855
1857
1859
1861
1863
1866
1866
1869
1873
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Attorney General elections
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Comptroller elections
2010
2014
2018
2022
Senate elections
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Constitutional amendments
1972
2005
2007
2021
2023 :
Austin
Mayoral elections
2003
2006
2009
2012
2014
2018
2022
2024
Austin municipal elections
2022
2024 :
Corpus Christi
Mayoral elections
2012
2014
2016
2017 sp
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Dallas–Fort Worth
Arlington mayoral elections
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
Dallas mayoral elections
1856
1857
1875
1904
1925
1961
1963
1965
1995
1999
2002 sp
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
Dallas municipal elections
2015
2019
2021
Fort Worth mayoral elections
2003
2007
2009
2011
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
Denton mayoral elections
2020
2022
Plano municipal elections
2017
2019
2021 :
El Paso
Mayoral elections
2001
2003
2005
2009
2013
2017
2020
2024
Municipal elections
2017
2020
2024 :
Houston
Mayoral elections
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2019
2023
Municipal elections
2005
2007
2009 :
Laredo
Mayoral elections
2018
2022 :
Lubbock
Mayoral elections
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
San Antonio
Mayoral elections
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025 :
Government :
vte :
The 2010 Texas gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the governor of Texas. Incumbent Republican governor Rick Perry ran successfully for election to a third consecutive term. He won the Republican primary against U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and political newcomer, Debra Medina. The former mayor of Houston, Bill White, won the Democratic nomination. Kathie Glass, a lawyer from Houston and previous candidate for Texas Attorney General, won the Libertarian nomination. Deb Shafto was the nominee of the Texas Green Party. Andy Barron, an orthodontist from Lubbock, was a declared write-in candidate.
Exit polls showed Perry winning Whites (71% to 29%), while White performed well among African Americans (88% to 12%) and Latinos (61% to 38%). Perry's fourth inauguration for a third full four-year term began on January 18, 2011, on the State Capitol South Grounds. As of 2023, this is the last time Foard, Falls, Trinity, Reeves, La Salle and Kleberg counties voted for the Democratic candidate for governor.

## Republican primary
### Candidates

* Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. senator
* Debra Medina, political activist
* Rick Perry, incumbent governor

### Endorsements

Statewide officials
* Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi
* Bill Clements, former governor of Texas (1979–1983, 1987–1991)
* Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate
Local officials
* Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City (1994–2001)
Individuals
* David Barton, businessman and former Texas GOP Vice Chairman
* Bill Bennett, former United States Secretary of Education
* Brent Bozell, activist and businessman
* James Dobson, author and evangelist
* Tom Hicks, businessman
* Art Laffer, economic advisor
* Grover Norquist, activist
* Tom Pauken, former chair of the Republican Party of Texas
* Tony Perkins, PAC executive
* T. Boone Pickens, businessman
* Michael Reagan, radio commentator
* Phyllis Schafly, activist and attorney
Organizations
* Citizens Against Government Waste PAC
* NRA Political Victory Fund
* Texas Alliance for Life
* Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association PAC
Individuals
* Larry Kilgore, former gubernatorial candidate and advocate for Texas secession
* Alex Jones, radio host and conspiracy theorist
Organizations
* Republican Liberty Caucus
Executive officials
* James Baker, former US Secretary of State
* George H. W. Bush, former president of the United States
* Dick Cheney, former vice president of the United States
* Margaret Spellings, former United States Secretary of Education
Federal officials
* Dick Armey, former U.S. Congressman and House Majority Leader from Texas's 26th congressional district
* John Carter, U.S. Congressman from Texas's 31st congressional district
* John Culberson, U.S. Congressman from Texas's 7th congressional district
* Phil Gramm, former U.S. senator from Texas
* Kay Granger, U.S. representative from Texas's 12th congressional district
* Randy Neugebauer, U.S. Congressman from Texas's 19th congressional district
* Ted Poe, U.S. representative from Texas's 2nd congressional district
Individuals
* Barbara Bush, former first lady of the United States
* John L. Nau, former chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
* Nolan Ryan, former Texas Rangers Pitcher
* Roger Staubach, businessman, former US Navy officer and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Newspapers and publications
* Amarillo Globe News
* Austin American-Statesman
* Beaumont Enterprise
* Corpus Christi Caller-Times
* The Daily Texan
* Dallas Morning News
* The Eagle
* The El Paso Times
* Fort Worth Star-Telegram
* Houston Chronicle
* Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
* Marshall News Messenger
* San Antonio Express-News
* Wichita Falls Times Record News

### Polling

Note: polls used different sample sizes and citizen groups. A candidate must have a majority of the vote (>50%) to avoid a runoff with their second place opponent.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Rick Perry | Kay Bailey Hutchison | Debra Medina | Other | Unde- cided |
| Rasmussen Reports | February 23, 2010 | 48% | 27% | 16% | — | 9% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | February 19–21, 2010 | 40% | 31% | 20% | — | 9% |
| Research 2000 (report) | February 8–10, 2010 | 42% | 30% | 17% | — | 11% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | February 4–7, 2010 | 39% | 28% | 24% | — | 10% |
| University of Texas (report) | February 1–7, 2010 | 45% | 21% | 19% | — | 16% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | February 1, 2010 | 44% | 29% | 16% | — | 11% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | January 17, 2010 | 43% | 33% | 12% | — | 11% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | November 13, 2009 | 46% | 35% | 4% | — | 14% |
| University of Texas (report) | November 3, 2009 | 42% | 30% | 7% | 4% | 18% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | September 16, 2009 | 38% | 40% | 3% | — | 19% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | July 15, 2009 | 46% | 36% | — | 5% | 14% |
| Texas Politics (report) | June 11–22, 2009 | 38% | 27% | — | 8% | 26% |
| Texas Politics (report) | June 11–22, 2009 | 38% | 26% | — | 9% | 27% |
| Texas Lyceum (report) | June 5–12, 2009 | 33% | 21% | — | 1% | 41% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | May 7, 2009 | 42% | 38% | — | 7% | 13% |
| Texas Politics (report) | February 24 – March 6, 2009 | 29% | 37% | — | 10% | 24% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | February 18–20, 2009 | 31% | 56% | — | — | — |
| Texas Lyceum (report) | June 12–20, 2008 | 22% | 35% | — | — | — |

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rick Perry (incumbent) | 758,222 | 51.1 |
| | Republican | Kay Bailey Hutchison | 450,196 | 30.3 |
| | Republican | Debra Medina | 275,693 | 18.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,484,111 | 100 |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Alma Ludivina Aguado, physician
* Felix Alvarado, educator and U.S. Air Force veteran
* Bill Dear, private investigator
* Clement E. Glenn, associate professor of education at Prairie View A&M University
* Star Locke, homebuilder
* Farouk Shami, businessman
* Bill White, former mayor of Houston

#### Withdrew

* Tom Schieffer, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan & U.S. Ambassador to Australia

### Endorsements

Executive officials
* Bill Clinton, former president of the United States
* Henry Cisneros, former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
* Tom Schieffer, former US ambassador to Japan and Australia
Federal officials
* Rubén Hinojosa, U.S. representative from Texas's 15th congressional district
* Lloyd Doggett, US Congressman from Texas's 25th congressional district
Statewide officials
* Mark White, former governor of Texas
* Pete Laney, former speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
State officials
* Alma Allen, state representative- Houston
* Carol Alvarado, state representatives- Houston
* Rafael Anchia, state representative- Dallas
* Joe Bernal, former state senator
* Valinda Bolton, state representative
* Barbara Mallory Caraway, state representative- Dallas
* Joaquin Castro, state representative- San Antonio
* Norma Chavez, state representative- El Paso
* Ellen Cohen, state representative- Houston
* Garnet Coleman, state representative- Houston
* John Cook, El Paso Mayor
* Jim Dunnam, state representative- Waco
* Veronica Escobar, El Paso County Commissioner
* Jessica Farrar, state representative- Houston
* David Farabee, state representative- Wichita Falls
* Joe Farias, state representative- San Antonio
* Pete Gallego, state representative- Presidio
* Helen Giddings, state representative- DeSoto
* Ana Hernandez, state representative- Houston
* Abel Herrero, state representative- Robstown
* Juan Hinojosa, state senator- Corpus Christi
* Scott Hochberg, state representative- Houston
* Donna Howard, state representative- Austin
* Eddie Lucio, state representative- Brownsville
* Diana Maldonado, state representative- Austin
* Marisa Marquez, state representative- El Paso
* Ruth Jones McClendon, state representative- San Antonio
* Jose Menendez, state representative- San Antonio
* Joe Moody, state representative- El Paso
* Paul Moreno, former state representative
* Elliott Naishtat, state representative- Austin
* Rick Noriega, United States Senate election in Texas, 2008 Democratic candidate and former state representative
* Rene Oliveira, state representative- Brownsville
* Paula Pierson, state representative- Arlington
* Chente Quintanilla, state representative- El Paso
* Richard Raymond, state representative- Laredo
* Eddie Rodriguez, state representative- Austin
* Patrick Rose, state representative- San Marcos
* Eliot Shapleigh, state senator- El Paso
* Mark Strama, state representative- Austin
* Chris Thibaut, state representative- Houston
* Sylvester Turner, state representative- Houston
* Chris Turner, state representative- Burleson
* Carlos Uresti, state senator- Monahans
* Leticia Van de Putte, state senator- San Antonio
* Marc Veasey, state representative- Fort Worth
* Mike Villarreal, state representative- San Antonio
* Hubert Vo, state representative- Houston
* Armando Walle, state representative- Houston
* Kirk Watson, state senator- Austin
Local officials
* Annise Parker, mayor of Houston, Texas
* Julian Castro, mayor of San Antonio, Texas
* Lee Leffingwell, mayor of Austin, Texas
* Phil Hardberger, former mayor of San Antonio, Texas
* Nelson Wolff, former mayor of San Antonio, Texas
Newspapers and publications
* Austin-American Statesman
* Houston Chronicle

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Felix Alvarado | Alma Aguado | Kinky Friedman* | Tom Schieffer* | Bill White | Farouk Shami | Unde- cided |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | February 19–21, 2010 | 5% | 3% | — | — | 59% | 12% | 18% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | February 4–7, 2010 | 5% | 2% | — | — | 49% | 19% | 24% |
| University of Texas (report) | October 20–27, 2009 | 2% | — | 19% | 10% | — | — | 55% |
| University of Texas (report) | June 11–22, 2009 | — | — | 12% | 2% | — | — | 62% |
| Texas Lyceum (report) | June 5–12, 2007 | — | — | 10% | 6% | — | — | 73% |
| Wilson Research (report) | September 21, 2007 | — | — | 9% | — | 12% | — | 30% |
* Dropped out prior to the primary.

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bill White | 516,621 | 76.0 |
| | Democratic | Farouk Shami | 87,268 | 12.8 |
| | Democratic | Felix Alvarado | 33,708 | 5.0 |
| | Democratic | Alma Aguado | 19,556 | 2.9 |
| | Democratic | Clement E. Glenn | 9,852 | 1.4 |
| | Democratic | Bill Dear | 6,574 | 1.0 |
| | Democratic | Star Locke | 6,298 | 0.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 679,877 | 100 |

## General election
### Candidates

* Rick Perry (R), incumbent governor
* Bill White (D), former Houston mayor
* Kathie Glass (L), attorney
* Deb Shafto (G), educator
* Andy Barron (write-in), orthodontist

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| Cook Political Report | Tossup | October 14, 2010 |
| Rothenberg | Lean R | October 28, 2010 |
| RealClearPolitics | Lean R | November 1, 2010 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely R | October 28, 2010 |
| CQ Politics | Lean R | October 28, 2010 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Rick Perry (R) | Kathie Glass (L) | Bill White (D) | Other | Unde- cided |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | October 26–28, 2010 | 568 | ± 4.1% | 53% | — | 44% | — | 3% |
| Lighthouse Opinion and Polling Research (report) | October 15–17, 2010 | 1200 | ± 2.9% | 48% | 3% | 37% | 1% | 11% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | September 2–6, 2010 | 538 | ± 4.2% | 48% | — | 42% | — | 10% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | August 22, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 49% | — | 41% | 3% | 7% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | July 13, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 50% | — | 41% | 2% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | June 19–21, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 43% | — | 43% | — | 14% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | June 16, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 48% | — | 40% | 5% | 8% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | May 13, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 51% | — | 38% | 4% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | April 14, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 48% | — | 44% | 2% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | March 3, 2010 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 49% | — | 43% | 3% | 6% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | February 22, 2010 | 1,200 | ± 3.0% | 47% | — | 41% | 5% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling (report) | February 4–7, 2010 | 1,200 | ± 2.8% | 48% | — | 42% | — | 10% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | February 1, 2010 | 1,000 | ± 3.0% | 48% | — | 39% | 5% | 8% |
| Rasmussen Reports (report) | January 17, 2010 | 1,000 | ± 3.0% | 50% | — | 40% | 4% | 6% |

### Results

2010 Texas gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Rick Perry (incumbent) | 2,737,481 | 54.97 | +15.95 |
| | Democratic | Bill White | 2,106,395 | 42.30 | +12.52 |
| | Libertarian | Kathie Glass | 109,211 | 2.19 | +1.58 |
| | Green | Deb Shafto | 19,516 | 0.39 | +0.39 |
| | Independent | Andy Barron (write-in) | 7,267 | 0.15 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 631,086 | 12.67 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,979,870 | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Bee (Largest city: Beeville)
* Fisher (Largest city: Rotan)
* Haskell (Largest city: Haskell)
* Marion (Largest city: Jefferson)
* Morris (Largest city: Daingerfield)
* Newton (Largest city: Newton)
* Calhoun (Largest city: Port Lavaca)
* Bastrop (Largest city: Elgin)
* Stonewall (Largest city: Aspermont)
* Swisher (Largest city: Tulia)
* Crosby (Largest city: Crosbyton)
* Red River (Largest city: Clarksville)
* Jefferson (largest city: Beaumont)

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Bexar (Largest city: San Antonio)
* Culberson (largest municipality: Van Horn)
* Harris (largest municipality: Houston)
* Kleberg (largest municipality: Kingsville)

#### Counties that flipped from Independent to Democratic

* Falls (Largest city: Marlin)

#### Counties that flipped from Independent to Republican

* Nolan (Largest city: Sweetwater)
* Coke (Largest city: Robert Lee)
* Goliad (Largest city: Goliad)
* Wilson (Largest city: Floresville)
* Wharton (Largest city: El Campo)

## Election rules

Texas does not have term limits for its governors; thus, gubernatorial incumbents have been free to run as often as they want if they are eligible for the office. The Republicans and Democrats chose their gubernatorial nominees based on the results of primary votes held on March 2, 2010 (the first Tuesday in March.) Both parties' candidates received at least 20 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the 2006 election; thus, they must nominate their candidates via primary election. Any third party that obtains ballot access must nominate its candidates via a statewide convention, which by law must be held on June 12, 2010 (the second Saturday in June.) The Libertarian Party obtained ballot access automatically due to its 2008 showing, in which one of its nominees attracted over one million votes.
In the primary election, the party's winning candidate must garner a majority (over 50%) of votes cast; otherwise, the top two candidates face each other in a runoff election. However, in the general election, the winning candidate needs only a plurality of votes to be elected governor (as was the case with the 2006 election and the 1990 election, in which Libertarian Jeff Daiell attracted over 129,000 votes). Independent and write-in candidates may seek ballot access; however, the criteria for such access are quite strict (see "Ballot Access" below). Nevertheless, in the 2006 election, two independent candidates, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the Republican State Comptroller, and Kinky Friedman, a popular Texas country musician, obtained enough signatures to qualify. The Libertarian nominee, James Werner, was on the ballot automatically because of that party's Texas showing in the 2004 general election.

### Political party candidates

Any political party whose candidate for governor, during the 2006 election, garnered at least 20 percent of the total votes cast, must nominate all its candidates for all offices sought via primary election. In the 2006 election, both the Democratic candidate (Chris Bell) and the Republican candidate (Rick Perry) received this many votes; thus, both parties must hold primary elections using the two-round system. The primary elections must be held on the first Tuesday in March, and a candidate must receive a majority of votes cast in the primary election; otherwise, a runoff election between the top two finishers must be held on the second Tuesday in April.
A political party whose candidate for governor, during the 2006 election, received at least two percent but less than 20 percent of the total votes cast, may nominate its candidates for all offices sought via either a primary election (using the two-round system) or a state convention. If the party chooses to conduct a primary election, it must notify the Texas Secretary of State at least one year prior to the general election date and must nominate all its candidates via primary election. No third-party candidate met this requirement in 2006; the last to do so was the Libertarian Party in 1990 (when nominee Jeff Daiell polled over 3.3% of the vote).
All other political parties must nominate their candidates via state convention, which by law must be held on the second Saturday in June. In order to qualify for ballot access at the general election, the party must either:
* have had at least one candidate, in the previous statewide election, garner at least five percent of the total votes cast for that office (only the Libertarian Party met this requirement), or
* within 75 days after conducting its precinct conventions, submit lists of said conventions, whose total participant count equals at least one percent of the total votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election.
* If the political party cannot meet the precinct convention count requirement, it may file a supplemental petition, the number of signatures on which, when added to the count from the precinct convention lists, totals the required one percent, but must do so within the 75-day period above. Any person signing a supplemental petition must not have voted in any party's primary election or runoff election, or participated in any other third-party's convention.

### Independent candidates

Should an independent gubernatorial candidate seek ballot access in the state of Texas, the candidate must meet the following requirements:
* The candidate must obtain signatures from registered voters, in an amount equalling at least one percent of the total votes cast in the prior gubernatorial election, the same as for third-party access.
* The signatures must come from registered voters who did not vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries or in any runoff elections for governor.
* The signatures must come from registered voters who have not signed a petition for any other independent candidate. If a supporter signed more than one petition, only the first signature counts.
* The signatures cannot be obtained until after the primary election (if either political party primary requires a runoff election, the signatures cannot be obtained until after such runoff election) and the petition must be filed no later than 5:00 pm (Austin time, the filing must be with the Texas Secretary of State) on the 30th day after the scheduled runoff primary election day (even if none is held).

### Write-in candidates

In the event a candidate does not qualify for independent status, the person may still run as a write-in candidate. The candidate must either:
* pay a $3,750 filing fee, or
* submit 5,000 qualified signatures. However, the petition must be filed by 5:00 pm of the 70th day before general election day, and cannot be filed earlier than 30 days before this deadline.