Brint Ryan FOR Dallas City Council: Now ... is that better?

In Texas, state lawmakers can use campaign funds to pay for jet fuel, housekeepers and trips to resort hotels -- and no one looks up from their cocktails. House and Senate members can buy $100 gift bags for unnamed supporters one month after an uncontested election -- without tweaking any statutes. But if you're running for office and you so much as leave a preposition off your yard sign, it's as if you kicked over a little girl's lemonade stand.

Brint Ryan, who is a candidate for Dallas City Council, screwed up when he released campaign materials that read -- brace yourself -- "Brint Ryan Dallas City Council." Turns out, he's in violation of Texas Election Code 255.006, which says that he needed to put a "for" in between his name and "Dallas City Council" so as not to confuse people into thinking that he is actually on the council. As if, in Dallas, that would be something to hold in high esteem.

But rules are rules, and candidates need to know them. If you're running for office, you can't make it look like you're holding a position you don't have, and the code has rules on what would qualify as misleading a voter. Apparently, the code takes into consideration that many voters have poor eyesight and/or have no idea who the incumbent is in their district:

A person represents that a candidate holds a public office that the candidate does not hold if ... the political advertising or campaign communication states the public office sought but does not include the word "for" in a type size that is at least one-half the type size used for the name of the office to clarify that the candidate does not hold that office.

A question: If, in the interest of penning a unique campaign brochure, one were to write, "John Doe would like to be your council member," would you still be in violation of the election code?

There's a lively debate about Ryan's grave sin at Unfair Park.

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