Texas Governor Candidate Declared Ineligible For Hot Check

HOUSTON, TX — Houston native Demetria Smith expected to make a run at the Texas Governor's mansion this fall. But thanks to a hot check to pay her filing fee for the gubernatorial candidacy, she's now ineligible to even be on the ballot.

The Texas Secretary of State’s office deemed Smith ineligible and her name most likely will not show up on the March primary ballot. She filed to run on Dec. 11, 2017, the final day for any Texas candidates to throw their names in the hats. Instead of filing a petition of 5,000 signatures to avoid the filing fee, Smith wrote a personal check for $3,750 to cover the fee. Though the check was deposited on Dec. 12, it wasn't until Jan. 8 found out the check didn't clear.

"We have no wiggle room but to declare a candidate ineligible," said Glen Maxey, legislative affairs director with the Texas Democrats. He added that this was a "simple statutory requirement."

"There is no cure since the filing fee had to be good on the filing date," Maxey added.

Smith's dismissal from the primary race doesn't mean there's a shortage of candidates vying to knock off Republican incumbent Greg Abbott this fall. Smith still participated in a forum with nine other candidates Monday night in San Angelo.

Although she's made no public comments about the allegations, Smith's website is still active as of Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 10.

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