Constitutional Amendments Election Results

Low Voter Turnout Seen Across the State and Locally

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

EAST TEXAS – Voters in Texas went to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 2 to cast their ballots in the statewide Constitutional Amendments election.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, the total voter turnout in Houston County was less than 10 percent (1,313) of the 13,223 registered voters in the county. All eight amendments passed at both the local and state levels.

The amendments to the Texas Constitution along with vote totals and percentages are listed below:

Proposition One (HJR 143) – The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 305; Total Votes 1,101 or 84.5%

Against  : Early Votes 58; Total Votes 202 or 15.5%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 1,242,625 or 83.82%

Against: Total Votes 239,783 or 16.18%

Proposition Two (HJR 99) – The constitutional amendment authorizing a county to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted areas in the county.

Houston County Results:

For: Early Votes 249; Total Votes 744 or 57.36%

Against: Early Votes 111; Total Votes 553 or 42.64%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 931,453 or 63.09%

Against: Total Votes 544,834 or 36.91%

Proposition Three (SJR 27) – The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 280; Total Votes 1,057 or 81%

Against  : Early Votes 87; Total Votes 248 or 19%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 925,447 or 62.42%

Against: Total Votes 557,093 or 37.58%

Proposition Four (SJR 47) – The constitutional amendment changing the eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 250; Total Votes 886 or 68.63%

Against  : Early Votes 111; Total Votes 405 or 31.37%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 845,030 or 58.78%

Against: Total Votes 592,585 or 41.22%

Proposition Five (HJR 165) – The constitutional amendment providing additional powers to the state commission on judicial conduct with respect to candidates for judicial office.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 261; Total Votes 883 or 68.56%

Against  : Early Votes 96; Total Votes 405 or 31.44%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 852,336 or 59.23%

Against: Total Votes 586,686 or 40.77%

Proposition Six (SJR 19) – The constitutional amendment establishing a right for residents of certain facilities to designate an essential caregiver for in-person visitation.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 321; Total Votes 1,174 or 90.03%

Against  : Early Votes 44; Total Votes 130 or 9.97%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 1,293,922 or 87.87%

Against: Total Votes 178,665 or 12.13%

Proposition Seven (HJR 125) – The constitutional amendment to allow the surviving spouse of a person who is disabled to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse’s residence homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older at the time of the person’s death.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 330; Total Votes 1,172 or 89.81%

Against  : Early Votes 36; Total Votes 133 or 10.19%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 1,285,384 or 87.12%

Against: Total Votes 190,109 or 12.88%

Proposition Eight (SJR 35) – The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.

Houston County Results: 

For: Early Votes 328; Total Votes 1,178 or 90.48%

Against  : Early Votes 37; Total Votes 124 or 9.52%

State Results:

For: Total Votes 1,291,920 or 87.76%

Against: Total Votes 180,179 or 12.24%

According to information provided by the Texas Tribune, “Turnout this year was lower than the last constitutional amendment election in 2019, with only about 9% of registered Texas voters casting a ballot.”

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].