Texas voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 2 ahead of a special statewide election. Voters won’t vote on candidates, but on whether to change the state’s constitution in eight constitutional amendments.
Early voting will be held from Oct. 18 to Oct. 29 for all registered voters. Voting times and locations can be found HERE.
*The following is not Timber Creek Talon’s opinion or endorsement but a voter education source.
Proposition 1
“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.”
Proposition 1 would allow charitable raffles at rodeo events. Unauthorized raffles can be considered illegal gambling under Texas law.
“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.”
Proposition 2
“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.”
This amendment would authorize counties to issue bonds or notes to raise funds for transportation infrastructure in underdeveloped areas.
Proposition 3
“The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations.”
If approved, Proposition 3 would ban the state from prohibiting or limiting religious services, including those in churches and other places of worship.
Proposition 4
“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.”
Proposition 4, would revise certain judicial officers’ eligibility requirements.
Proposition 5
“The constitutional amendment providing additional powers to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct with respect to candidates for judicial office.”
Proposition 5 would allow them to have a state commission on judicial oversight of candidates running for judicial seats by accepting complaints or reports, conducting investigations, and reprimanding them.
Proposition 6
“The constitutional amendment establishing a right for residents of certain facilities to designate an essential caregiver for in-person visitation.”
Proposition 6 would allow certain nursing home and assisted living center residents to choose one person to serve as their caregiver and receive in-person visitation privileges.
Proposition 7
“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.”
Proposition 7 allows a surviving spouse to continue to receive a limitation on school district property taxes if the disabled deceased spouse was 55 years old or older when they died.
Proposition 8
“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.”
Proposition 8 would expand eligibility for residential homestead tax exemptions to include spouses of military members killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.
For more information regarding the amendments CLICK HERE.