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Candidate runs on both tickets; Does that make him ineligible for general election?

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BELL COUNTY, Texas — Elections are Tuesday, and for the District 10 State Board of Education, there’s one candidate running on both republican and democratic tickets.

We talked to him and his opponents and the secretary of state to find out if this is legal.

On the republican ticket for state school board district 10 which includes Bell and Williamson counties you’ll see candidates Tom Maynard, Mary Bone and DC Caldwell.

On the democratic ticket you’ll also see DC Caldwell up against Raquel Saenz Ortiz.

“Would I rather spend time bickering or 90 percent of the time focused on what we have in common," Caldwell said.

Election officials say it is legal, but his republican opponent incumbent Tom Maynard doesn’t like it.

“You have someone who is not a serious candidate engaged in a political stunt which could cause a runoff and make us expel money needlessly," Maynard said.

The other candidate on the democrat ticket Raquel Saenz Ortiz understands why he’s doing it but doesn’t agree.

“There are specific values, and it makes it hard to determine what are your values if you are on both tickets," Ortiz said.

The Secretary of State says DC Caldwell will be ineligible to run for the general election since he’s on both tickets, but Caldwell thinks he can get away with it. 

“There’ve been candidates who appealed and kept on ballot and those that were disqualified," Caldwell said.

Caldwell wouldn’t say whether he plans to appeal if he wins on either ticket.

Tuesday is election day so don’t forget to vote if you haven’t already.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.