(a) A person who is a candidate in an election for a contested public or party office is ineligible to serve, in an election to be held on the same day as that election, as an election judge or clerk in any precinct in which the office sought is to be voted on.
(b) This section does not apply to:
(1) a county clerk; or
(2) a precinct chair declared elected under Section 171.0221.
(c) In this section, "candidate" means a person who has taken affirmative action, as described by the law regulating political funds and campaigns, for the purpose of gaining nomination or election.