They All Passed

Once I voted, I decided to give myself a break from the news and come back after the votes for the amendments were tallied to see how things went.

In my opinion, pretty badly.

With 99.15% of the precincts reporting, here are the results:

Prop 1: 81.46% yes...18.54% no
Prop 2: 62.40% yes...37.60% no
Prop 3: 52.90% yes...47.10% no
Prop 4: 56.39% yes...43.61% no
Prop 5: 62.33% yes...37.67% no
Prop 6: 70.91% yes...29.09% no
Prop 7: 74.60% yes...25.40% no
Prop 8: 56.35% yes...43.65% no
Prop 9: 50.37% yes...49.63% no
Prop 10: 91.63% yes...8.37% no

...seeing a pattern here?...

Prop 11: 62.40% yes...37.60% no
Prop 12: 50.95% yes...49.05% no
Prop 13: 80.98% yes...19.02% no
Prop 14: 61.03% yes...38.97% no
Prop 15: 71.55% yes...28.45% no
Prop 16: 65.40% yes...34.60% no
Prop 17: 77.69% yes...22.31% no
Prop 18: 53.12% yes...46.88% no
Prop 19: 58.74% yes...41.26% no
Prop 20: 56.83% yes...43.17% no
Prop 21: 52.36% yes...47.64% no
Prop 22: 78.45% yes...21.55% no

Every single proposition passed. From the Austin-American Statesman:

The election drew more voters than anticipated with a 12 percent turnout statewide. Early predictions by state officials Friday were closer to 9 percent.

From the Secretary of State's results page, it looks like a broadly even turnout of just under 15%.

In Travis County, some results were different. Prop 3 got crushed, 37.81% against and 62.18% for. Prop 5 was barely beaten, 49.70% against and 50.29% for. Prop 8 was rejected, 41.92% against and 58.07% for. Prop 9 was rejected, 48.65% against and 51.34% for. Prop 12 was greatly rejected at 38.05% against and 61.94% for. Prop 18 was rejected, 40.52% against and 59.47% for. And Prop 20 was rejected, 43.01% against and 56.98% for.

The tax code has gotten more complicated with additional exemptions and more biased towards religion, the elderly, the disabled, and travel trailer owners. Municiple utility districts get more power and taxing authority. Unopposed candidates for electoral office now get to skip the election and go straight to their new jobs; additionally, those elected officials who are called up for military duty can appoint a successor to take their place until they return and those temporary officials would not be subject to an election until the term runs out. Used fire department equipment (which individual political districts pay for) can now be donated without compensation elsewhere. The Texas Department of Transportation now has the power to borrow money or issue notes from any source to finance it's operations. Government pensions get additional protection and shielding. Lower taxes on fire fighting services (as previously embodied in Rural Fire Prevention Districts) can now be raised higher (to be rolled into newly created Emergency Services Districts). We'll be dumping more money in the form of bonds into subsidies and payoffs to persuade the US military to close fewer bases in Texas. And we'll now be paying two salaries to public school, college, and university faculty members who serve on the governing boards of water districts: one salary for their educational job, and one for the water district job.

The last consitutional amendment vote was the same in that all the propositions passed.

Posted by Drizzten at September 14, 2003 03:13 PM