(The Center Square) – Texas voters on Tuesday passed all 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot by wide margins and voted in two special elections. Both special elections head to runoff elections because no one received 50% of the vote.
In Houston, 16 candidates were on the ballot for an open congressional seat, CD 18. The Democratic seat was left open after Sylvester Turner died last year.
Seven Democrats, five Republicans, three Independents and one member of the Green Party ran. Voter turnout was low. Only 76,084 voted in the race on Tuesday, according to the unofficial results.
Two Democrats received the most votes: Amanda Edwards, a former Houston City Council member and attorney, received 25.55% of the vote (19,440 votes); Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee received 28.89% of the vote (21,979 votes). They head to a runoff.
Three candidates also ran for a seat left open in the Texas Senate, SD 9, left vacant by former state Sen. Kelly Hancock, who was appointed as acting comptroller. Democrat Taylor Rehmet received the most votes, 47%, Republican Leigh Wambsganss received 36%, according to the unofficial results with 118,809 voting in this race.
Rehmet, a U.S. Air Force veteran, and president of a local machinists and aerospace union, has built a coalition of support from Republicans, independents and Democrats. Wambsganss, who previously ran Patriot Mobile Action, was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare and others.
Voters passed all 17 propositions on the ballot to amend the state constitution.
Ten that restrict taxation all passed.
Proposition 2, which passed with 65% of the vote, prohibits the state legislature from ever imposing a capital gains tax.
Proposition 5, which passed by nearly 64%, prohibits animal feed from being subject to property tax.
Proposition 6, which passed by 54.8%, prohibits the legislature from ever imposing an occupation tax on certain entities or imposing a securities transaction tax.
Proposition 7, which passed by 86%, provides a homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that was service connected.
Proposition 8, which passed by 72%, bans the legislature from levying a death tax on a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession or gift.
Proposition 9, which passed by 65%, increases the exemption on taxes small businesses are required to pay on inventory every year.
Proposition 10, which passed by nearly 90%, provides a temporary property tax exemption for homestead properties completely destroyed by a fire.
Proposition 11, which passed by nearly 78%, makes permanent a $60,000 homestead exemption for the elderly and disabled from school district property taxes.
Proposition 13, which passed with 73% support, makes permanent a homestead exemption for homeowners of $140,000 and requires the state to make up the difference of any funding deficit the district may incur as a result of the exemption increase.
Proposition 17, which passed by nearly 80%, permanently exempts property taxes on private properties where border security infrastructure was installed along the Texas-Mexico border.
Voters also passed constitutional amendments to permanently increase spending.
Proposition 1, which passed by 69%, creates a permanent technical institution infrastructure fund to support Texas State Technical College System programs.
Proposition 4, which passed by 70%, requires the legislature to dedicate up to $1 billion of taxpayer money for a Texas Water Fund every fiscal year.
Proposition 14, which passed by nearly 69%, requires taxpayers to fund grants for dementia research, including an initial $3 billion allocated on Jan. 1, 2026, followed by $300 million every subsequent fiscal year with no end date.
Voters also passed constitutional amendments to improve public safety.
Proposition 3, which passed by 61%, authorizes magistrates to deny bail to individuals accused of committing a range of felony offenses, including sex crimes, violent crimes and human trafficking.
Proposition 12, which passed by nearly 62%, requires the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.
Voters also passed a controversial constitutional amendment related to parental rights, Proposition 15, by nearly 70%.
They also passed Proposition 16 by nearly 72%, which clarifies that voters must be United States citizens, which is already federal law.
Gov. Greg Abbott lauded all constitutional amendments passing.
“This legislative session, we delivered the conservative victories Texans demanded,” Gov. Abbott said. “And this November, Texans showed up to enshrine them in the Texas Constitution. Texas families will now see safer streets, higher homestead exemptions, stronger parental rights, secure elections, a ban on job-killing investment taxes, and a historic investment in our water supply. Because of hardworking Texans, our great state will remain a model of freedom, prosperity, and strength that leads the nation for generations to come.”
