elections

The City Secretary’s Office is responsible for administering and overseeing the City Council election process for the City of Albany. City Council elections are held annually on Uniform Election Day in May, which is the first Saturday of the month.

Under Texas Election Law, the City Secretary’s Office is limited to accepting and filing candidate applications, affidavits, and required statements, as well as recording the official date of filing. The office is not authorized to provide legal advice or guidance regarding campaign finance or other election-related legal matters.

For your convenience, all required election forms and instruction guides are available on this website. Please note that all election records and campaign finance reports are public records and may be reviewed by members of the media and the public, including political opponents.

If you need assistance, please contact or visit City Hall. 

To be eligible to serve on the City Council, a candidate must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a citizen of the United States.
   
• Be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the term to be filled at the election or on the date of appointment, as applicable.
   
• Not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.
   
• Not have been finally convicted of a felony for which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities.
   
• Have resided continuously in the State of Texas for at least 12 months and in the territory from which the office is elected for at least 6 months immediately preceding the filing deadline. Candidates for Mayor must have resided in the city for at least one (1) year.
   
• Be a registered voter in the territory from which the office is elected as of the filing deadline for a place on the ballot.

• First Day to File: January 14, 2026
   
• Last Day to File: February 13, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.

Candidate packets may be obtained from the City Hall at:

City of Albany
425 S 2nd St
Albany, TX 76430

• Place 1 — Currently held by Chris Beard
   
• Place 2 — Currently held by Lester Galbreath
   
• Place 3 — Currently held by Austin Sherwood

Election Day for the 2026 General Election will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Voting location will be held at Albany City Hall, 425 S 2nd St Albany, TX.

Early voting by personal appearance will begin on April 20th, 2026 and end on April 28th, 2026.

8:00am-4:00pm (weekdays) Monday, April 20th- Tuesday, April 28th, 2026.

Applications for ballots by mail must be received no later than the close of business on  April 21st, 2026.