2015 Constitutional Amendment Election
November 3, 2015
11 a.m. on November 4
STATEWIDE
Prop 1 (homestead exemption) passes, 86-14
Prop 2 (disabled vets’ spouses) passes, 91-9 — highest approval percentage since at least 1995
Prop 3 (state officers’ residence) passes, 66-34
Prop 4 (sports team raffles) passes, 69-31
Prop 5 (private roads) passes, 83-17
Prop 6 (hunting and fishing) passes, 81-19
Prop 7 (highway funding) passes, 83-17
- More than 1.5 million votes were cast, bringing statewide turnout to 11.3% of registered voters, highest for an odd-year constitutional amendment election since 2005. Harris Co. represented 25% of total statewide votes.
- Interestingly, Travis Co. voters narrowly rejected Prop 3, 52-48.
- The seven propositions were the fewest sent to voters since 1981 for an odd-numbered year.
- Since 1981, voters have approved 88% of the 256 propositions sent to them.
- Since 2001, voters have approved 95%.
HD118 SPECIAL
John Lujan (R) 28, Tomas Uresti (D) 22 headed to runoff over Gabe Farias (D) 19, Michael Holdman (R) 13, Anthony Alcocer (D) 12, Robert Casias (5)
- Overall, Democratic candidates received 53% of the vote. Republicans received 47%. In 2012, the district voted 60% Democratic.
- A total of 7,722 votes were cast, 9% more than were cast in the HD123 special election.
- A Republican makes the runoff for the second time in three recent special elections for Bexar Co. house seats.
HOUSTON
(I indicates incumbent)
MAYOR: Turner 31, King 25 advance to runoff over Garcia 17, Hall 10, Bell 7, Costello 7, others 3
A: Stardig (I) 84, Ayers-Wilson 16
B: Davis (I) 63, White 16, Perkins 13, others 9
C: Cohen (I) 68, Jarvis 22, McDonald 10
D: Boykins (I) unopposed
E: Martin (I) unopposed
F: Le 40, Nguyen (I) 34 advance to runoff over Baker 26
G: Travis wins open seat over Moger, 51-49 (702 votes)
H: Karla Cisneros 35, Jason Cisneroz 23 advance to runoff over Chavez 22, Davila 20
I: Gallegos (I) 57, Garcia 43
J: Laster (I) 44, Bigham 21 advance to runoff over Barrera 21, Le 14 (28-vote margin between Bigham and Barrera)
K: Green (I) unopposed
AL1: Knox 26, Provost 15 advance to runoff over Griffin 13, McCastland 13, Oliver 11, Lewis 10, Pool 9, Partsch-Galvan 4
AL2: Robinson (I) 33, Davis 23 advance to runoff over Dick 19, Burks 14, Rivera 12
AL3: Kubosh (I) 60, Peterson 25, others 14
AL4: Edwards 35, Morales 17 advance to runoff over Robinson 16, Thompson 13, Murphy 9, Blackmon 6, Hansen 3
AL5: Christie (I) 46, Moses 24 advance to runoff over Nassif 19, Batteau 11
CONT: Frazer 31, Brown 25 advance to runoff over Khan 17, Robinson 13, Boney 10, Jefferson 4
HERO fails, 39-61
Expanded term limits passes, 65-35
- A total of 261K votes were cast, highest for a Houston mayoral race since 2003. Turnout was just 27% of registered voters.
- Voting was almost evenly split between early voting (131K) and Election Day (130K). Garcia fared much better on Election Day than in early voting, while Turner and King fared worse:
- Turner received 34.9% of early votes, 27.7% of Election Day votes (-7.2%)
- King received 26.3% of early votes, 24.2% of Election Day votes (-2.1%)
- Garcia received 13.1% of early votes, 21.2% of Election Day votes (+8.1%)
- Hall received 10.5% of early votes, 9.5% of Election Day votes (-1.0%)
- Bell received 6.2% of early votes, 8.7% of Election Day votes (+2.5%)
- HERO fared better on Election Day (41%) than in early voting (37%).
TRAVIS CO.
Courthouse bond fails, 49-51 (1,064 votes)
SCHOOL BONDS
DALLAS ISD bond prevails, 60-40
GEORGETOWN ISD bond prevails, 60-40
NACOGDOCHES ISD bond fails, 46-54
NORTHEAST ISD (Bexar Co.) bond prevails, 66-34
11:05 p.m. on November 3
This is our final update of the night. We’ll check back in sometime tomorrow with final numbers and final runoff participants in Houston.
STATEWIDE
All 7 props pass easily. Turnout a little north of 10.5% with about 8% of precincts left to report. It could surpass 11%.
HD118
100% reporting
Republican Lujan (28%) and Democrat Uresti (22%) in runoff. Farias (19%) finishes 3rd.
Overall, Democrats captured 53% of the vote. Republicans took 47%.
HOUSTON
95% of precincts reporting citywide
MAYOR: Turner 32%, King 25% to runoff. Garcia (17%) in 3rd. Garcia was 7% better on Election Day than in Early Voting but would still have finished in 3rd place if the Early Votes didn’t count.
DIST F: Incumbent Nguyen (34%) in runoff against Le (40%)
DIST H: K. Cisneros (35%) in runoff. J. Cisneroz leads Chavez by 166 votes with 13 boxes out
DIST J: Incumbent Laster (44%) in runoff. Bigham leads Barrera by 40 votes with 2 boxes out
AT LARGE 1: Knox (25%) in runoff against Provost (15%)
AT LARGE 2: Incumbent Robinson (33%) in runoff against Davis (23%)
AT LARGE 4: Edwards (35%) in runoff. Morales leads Robinson by 195 votes.
AT LARGE 5: Incumbent Christie (46%) in runoff against Moses (24%)
TRAVIS CO.
Courthouse bond loses by 1,064 votes out of 73K cast.
DALLAS ISD
Prop 1 passing 60-40
GEORGETOWN ISD
Bond passes 60-40
AMARILLO
Ballpark referendum passes by about 800 votes
10:25 p.m.
TRAVIS CO
Courthouse bond appears headed for defeat. It is down by 1,019 votes with four largely bond-unfriendly boxes left.
DALLAS ISD
Bond comfortably ahead, 60-40
10:15 p.m.
ERRATA
2 clarifications/corrections from last email update:
- 4 Houston council incumbents (Nguyen in F, Laster in J, Robinson in AL2 and Christie in AL5) appear headed to runoffs. I explicitly identified only one of them as an incumbent.
- The Amarillo Globe-News is reporting that the baseball stadium proposal has narrowly passed, not failed as I reported. I may have confused a pair of ballot initiatives there and will look into it.
STATEWIDE
With 85% of precincts reporting, turnout has edged above 10% and will be the highest for a constitutional amendment election since 2005. All Props are passing. Prop 1 is 86-14. Prop 7 is 84-16. Prop 2 is still over 90%.
HD118
Lujan (27%) and Uresti (23%) appear headed to runoff with all but 9 precincts reporting. Farias is 3rd at 20%.
HOUSTON
Garcia has conceded. Turner (32%) and King (26%) headed to runoff.
HERO is losing, 62%-38%.
9:45 p.m.
STATEWIDE
All 7 constitutional amendments are passing comfortably, and Prop 2 remains on pace to top 90% (highest approval since at least 1995)
HD118 (51% reporting)
Lujan (25.4%), Uresti (24.6%), Farias (21.2%). Uresti trails Lujan by 55 votes, leads Farias by 205.
HOUSTON (about 2/3 of precincts reporting citywide)
MAYOR: Turner (32%), King (26%) headed to runoff over Garcia (16%), Hall (10%), Bell (7%), Costello (7%).
A: Stardom 85%
B: Davis 64%
C: Cohen 68%
D: Boykins 100%
E: Martin 100%
F: Le 40%, Nguyen 35% — incumbent in runoff
G: Travis leads 51%-49%
H: K. Cisneros 36% in runoff. J. Cisneroz leads Chavez by 27 votes for 2nd runoff spot
I: Gallegos leads 58%-42%
J: Laster 44% in runoff. Barrera leads Bigham by 33 votes for 2nd runoff spot
K: Green 100%
AL1: Knox 25% in runoff. Provost (15%) has 2,600-vote lead over nearest candidate for 2nd spot
AL2: Robinson 33% in runoff. Davis has 5,700-vote lead over nearest candidate for 2nd spot.
AL3: Kubosh 62%
AL4: Edwards 36% in runoff. Robinson leads Morales by 1,858 votes for 2nd runoff spot
AL5: Christie 47% in runoff, likely against Moses (24%)
CONT: Frazer 32% and Brown 24% in runoff
HERO: 39% for, 61% against
TRAVIS CO
Courthouse bond election has pulled ahead by just over 200 votes. Approx. 75% of ballots are counted.
DISD bond passing comfortably.
AMARILLO bond election appears to have failed by a few dozen votes.
9 p.m.
Not much has changed in the hour as Election Day results begin to trickle in.
All seven Constitutional amendments are passing comfortably. Prop 2 (property tax exemption for disabled vets’ surviving spouses) is over 90% and on pace to be the most-approved amendment since at least 1995.
In Houston, Turner (33%) and King (27%) look poised to make runoff over Garcia (14%) while council incumbents Christie (48%), Nguyen (39%), Laster (46%) and Robinson (33%) appear headed to runoffs. HERO is losing, 62-38, while a term limit proposal is winning, 63-37. Bell (6%) and Costello (7%) have conceded the mayor’s race.
In Bexar Co., Lujan (29%) and Uresti (22%) remain ahead of Farias (19%) in HD118.
8 p.m.
STATEWIDE
Prop 1 (property tax relief) passing 87-13
Prop 2 (disabled vet spouses) passing 92-8
Prop 3 (state official residence) passing 67-33
Prop 4 (sports raffles) passing 69-31
Prop 5 (small county private roads) passing 83-17
Prop 6 (hunting and fishing) passing 81-19
Prop 7 (highway funding) passing 84-16
The seven propositions is the fewest sent to the voters since 1981 for an odd-numbered election year (includes regular session propositions only). Since then, voters have approved 88% of the 249 propositions sent to them. Since 2001, voters have approved 95%.
DALLAS ISD
Prop 1 passing 62-38 in early voting
7:25 p.m.
HEADLINES
Constitutional amendments all passing comfortably. Props 1 and 7 were over 80% in Harris Co.
Lujan leads in HD118 with Uresti slightly ahead of Farias
Turner, King way ahead of field, headed to runoff
HERO trailing badly
HD118
Lujan 29, Uresti 22, Farias 19, Holdman 13, Alcocer 12, Casias 4 (112 votes separate Uresti and Farias)
HOUSTON
Mayor: Turner 35, King 26, Garcia 13, Hall 10, Costello 7, Bell 6
A: Stardig 86, Ayers-Wilson 14
B: Davis 69, White 13, Perkins 11
C: Cohen 66, Jarvis 25
D: Boykins 100
E: Martin 100
F: Nguyen 39, Le 37, Baker 25
G: Travis 51, Moger 49 (328 vote margin)
H: K. Cisneros 34, J. Cisneroz 23, Chavez 23, Davila 20 (38 votes separate Cisneroz from Chavez)
I: Gallegos 59, Garcia 41
J: Laster 46, Barrera 21, Bigham 19, Le 15
K: Green 100
AL1: Knox 27, Provost 16, McCastland 12, Griffin 12, Lewis 12, Oliver 11
AL2: Robinson 32, Davis 24, Dick 20
AL3: Kibosh 64, Peterson 24
AL4: Edwards 37, Robinson 17, Thompson 15, Morales 14
AL5: Christie 49, Moses 22, Nassif 19
CONT: Frazer 34, Brown 23, Robinson 14, Khan 14
HERO: No 63, Yes 37
TRAVIS CO
Courthouse Bond losing 53-47
AMARILLO
MPEV Bond winning Potter Co., 51-49, and Randall Co., 56-44
GEORGETOWN
ISD Bond winning, 60-40
5:30 p.m.
Welcome to another night of live election results and analysis. You are receiving this email because you, or someone who loves you, said you would like several emails tonight discussing election returns. If you do not wish to receive additional emails, please let us know.
Polls close across most of the state in around 90 minutes. Tonight, we’ll be keeping our eyes on:
- State constitutional amendments
- HD118 special election
- Houston mayor and council
- Houston’s HERO ordinance
If there is another local race, bond election or proposition of particular interest to you, please let us know.
We expect to know quite a bit about the state of affairs before 7:30 this evening, which will be when our first update will be sent. We expect less frequent updates than in a primary or even-year general election.
You can also follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/@TXElects) for real-time information.
