On Tuesday, Texans across the state voted on several constitutional amendments, plus local measures and, in some cases, representatives.
Renée Cross is senior director of the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston. She says 9 out of 10 constitutional amendments passed, including one that will make it harder for the state to enact a personal income tax.
Here’s a snapshot of some of Tuesday’s results:
Proposition 1
Result: Failed
Voters rejected Prop 1, which would have allowed municipal judges to hold more than one paid position at the same time.
Why it matters:
“I would guess that people just didn’t quite understand the nuances of this because we already have, in the [Texas] Constitution, exemptions for allowing people to hold more than one public office at the same time,” Cross says. “This proposition would have just added municipal judges to it.”
Proposition 4
Result: Passed
Voters approved Prop 4, which will make it harder for the Texas Legislature to enact a personal income tax in the future.
Why it matters:
Prop 4 amends the state Constitution to prevent the enactment of a state income tax, but it’s not a ban.
“It just makes it harder,” Cross says. “Previously, we had to have a simple majority in both the House and the Senate before it went to the voters, and now we have to have a two-thirds support from both the House and the Senate and a majority of the voters.”
Houston Mayoral Race
Result: Runoff Ahead
A runoff will take place on Dec. 14 between incumbent Mayor Sylvester Turner and Tony Buzbee. Turner won 46% of the vote; Buzbee won more than 28%.
Why it matters:
“[Buzbee] is a new-time candidate – a very, very successful trial lawyer. He put in $10 million of his own money,” Cross says. “Turner has, effectively linked Buzbee, in my opinion, to President Trump. President Trump is not popular among city of Houston voters.”
Texas House District 28
Result: Runoff Ahead
A runoff will take place between Democrat Eliz Markowitz and Republican Gary Gates.
Why it matters:
Markowitz, a Democrat, won a larger percent of the vote in a historically Republican district. Results were also slow to arrive because of new voting machines and procedures.
Written by Caroline Covington.
