Election Day in Texas: Here are the 10 propositions on the ballot
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. Polls will be open to voters from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Ten major state propositions are on the ballot. Here is a breakdown of each of them, including ballot language and what they mean.
Proposition 1
Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment permitting a person to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time.”
Texas Proposition 1 allows someone to hold more than one office as a municipal judge at the same time -- elected or appointed. For example, someone could be a municipal for both Town A and Town B at the same time. Currently, the Texas State constitution only allows appointed officials to do this, not elected officials.
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Proposition 2
Ballot Language: “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.”
Texas Proposition 2 would allow the Texas Water Development Board to issue up to $200 million in bonds to help provide water and sewage for economically distressed areas in the state without requiring a vote.
Proposition 3
Ballot Language: “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.”
Texas Proposition 3 would authorize temporary property tax exemption for declared disaster areas by the governor. If the proposition passes, there would be an accompanying bill that would lay out all of the rules for the exemption.
Proposition 4 Ballot Language: “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.”
Texas Proposition 4 would place a ban on the state from levying an income tax on individuals. Instead of a simple majority vote of more than 50% in Congress, it would require a constitutional amendment to allow a state income tax.
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Proposition 5
Ballot Language: “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.”
Texas Proposition 5 would dedicate all of the tax revenue from the sales tax on sporting goods only to parks, wildlife, and historical agencies. Currently, the legislature can allocate the money wherever and however they deem fit.
Proposition 6
Ballot Language: “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.”
Texas Proposition 6 would allow for the Texas legislature to increase bonds allocated to the state's Cancer Prevention and Research Institute from $3 billion to $6 billion.
Proposition 7
Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund.”
Texas Proposition 7 would increase the money allocated to the state school fund from $300 million a year to $600 million year.
Proposition 8
Ballot Language: “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.”
Texas Proposition 8 would create a flood infrastructure fund, which would provide financing for flood drainage, mitigation, and control projects. If passed, an accompanying bill would govern the rules for how the fund would be allocated.
Proposition 9
Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation precious metal held in a precious metal depository located in this state.”
Texas Proposition 9 would allow precious metals that are held in depositories to be exempt from property taxation. If passed, an accompanying bill would further define the metals.
Proposition 10
Ballot Language: “The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.”
Texas Proposition 10 would allow retired law enforcement and service animals - like K9s - to be transferred to their handlers or someone else in the animal's best interest without a fee. Currently, animals are considered property so they can be auctioned, donated, or destroyed.
To see a sample of the full ballot, click here.
For more information on polling locations and sample ballots, go to https://www.harrisvotes.com/.