2019 Election Results
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
TEXAS – Voters went to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5 to express their preference on 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Of the 10 ballot propositions, nine passed while only one failed.
According to the Texas Tribune, “Turnout is — and has always been — historically low in elections that take place during odd-numbered years. Only 12% of registered voters actually cast ballots — a higher percentage from the 2017 election, but still overwhelmingly low overall.”
There are 15,962,988 registered voters in the state of Texas, with 28,065 voters in Anderson County and 13,065 registered voters in Houston County. Approximately 18% of registered voters in Anderson County cast their ballots in the 2019 election while Houston County had a voter turnout of roughly 19%.
The results of the election are listed below with the state total listed first followed by a breakdown of how Houston and Anderson County voters cast their ballots.
The only proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution which failed was Proposition One which stated “The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.”
Statewide results showed 681,139 (34.56%) votes in favor of the proposition and 1,289,626 (65.44%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 1,394 (27.51%) people voted in favor of Proposition One while 3,674 (72.49%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 836 (33.31%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition One while 1,674 (66.69%) voted against the measure.
The other nine proposed constitutional amendments all passed.
Proposition Two – “The constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of additional general obligation bonds by the Texas Water Development Board in an amount not to exceed $200 million to provide financial assistance for the development of certain projects in economically distressed areas.
Statewide results showed 1,285,397 (65.62%) votes in favor of the proposition and 673,306 (34.38%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 2,751 (55.16%) people voted in favor of Proposition Two, while 2,236 (44.84) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 1,494 (60.27%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Two, while 985 (39.73%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Three – “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of certain property damaged by a disaster.”
Statewide results showed 1,667,110 (85.09%) votes in favor of the proposition and 292,031 (14.91%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 4,218 (84.39%) people voted in favor of Proposition Three, while 780 (15.61) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 2,105 (84.54%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Three, while 385 (15.46%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Four – “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.”
Statewide results showed 1,467,994 (74.41%) votes in favor of the proposition and 504,848 (25.59%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 4,319 (84.94%) people voted in favor of Proposition Four, while 766 (15.06%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 2,116 (84.1%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Four while 400 (15.9%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Five – “The constitutional amendment dedicating the revenue received from the existing state sales and use taxes that are imposed on sporting goods to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission to protect Texas’ natural areas, water quality, and history by acquiring, managing, and improving state and local parks and historic sites while not increasing the rate of the state sales and use taxes.”
Statewide results showed 1,732,331 (88%) votes in favor of the proposition and 236,251 (12%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 4,441 (88.13%) people voted in favor of Proposition Five, while 598 (11.87%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 2,180 (86.41%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Five, while 343 (13.59%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Six – “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase by $3 billion the maximum bond amount authorized for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.”
Statewide results showed 1,250,089 (64%) votes in favor of the proposition and 703,157 (36%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 2,943 (59.08%) people voted in favor of Proposition Six, while 2,038 (40.92%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 1,579 (64.48%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Six, while 870 (35.52%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Seven – “The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.”
Statewide results showed 1,449,333 (74.12%) votes in favor of the proposition and 506,142 (25.88%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 3,468 (69.67%) people voted in favor of Proposition Seven, while 1,510 (30.33%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 1,816 (74.12%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Seven, while 634 (25.88%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Eight – “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the flood infrastructure fund to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects.”
Statewide results showed 1,527,394 (77.83%) votes in favor of the proposition and 435,184 (22.17%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 3,447 (69.08%) people voted in favor of Proposition Eight, while 1,543 (30.92%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 1,787 (73.12%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Eight, while 657 (26.88%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Nine – “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.”
Statewide results showed 977,272 (51.6%) votes in favor of the proposition and 916,513 (48.4%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 2,799 (57.03%) people voted in favor of Proposition Nine, while 2,109 (42.97%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 1,340 (56.35%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Nine, while 1,038 (43.65%) voted against the measure.
Proposition Ten – “The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.”
Statewide results showed 1,845,766 (93.75%) votes in favor of the proposition and 123,032 (6.25%) votes against the proposition.
In Anderson County, 4,738 (93.8%) people voted in favor of Proposition Ten, while 313 (6.2%) voted against the measure.
In Houston County, 2,312 (92.81%) voters cast their ballots in favor of Proposition Ten, while 179 (7.19%) voted against the measure.
All election results were provided by the Texas Secretary of State’s website and are unofficial until canvassed.
In addition to the constitutional amendments election – and as previously reported in the Nov. 7 edition of The Messenger – both the Lovelady and Westwood Independent School Districts placed bond initiatives on the ballot.
The Lovelady ISD ballot measure gave voters the opportunity to vote for or against “The issuance of $7,500,000 of bonds by the Lovelady Independent School District for the construction, acquisition, renovation and equipment of school buildings in the district and the levying of the tax for payment thereof.”
The measure passed by a margin of 434 votes in favor of and 346 votes against.
The Westwood ISD ballot measure gave voters the opportunity to vote for or against “The issuance of $40,000,000 of bonds by the Westwood Independent School District for school facilities and the levying of a tax in payment thereof.”
The measure failed by a margin of 774 votes in favor of and 877 votes against.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].