Secretary of State Rolando Pablos drew the ballot positions for the seven proposed constitutional amendments on the November 2017 general election ballot:
- Prop 1 is HJR 21, regarding property tax exemptions for property donated to partially disabled veterans and their spouses
- Prop 2 is SJR 60, amending home equity lending provisions
- Prop 3 is SJR 34, limiting the service of certain appointed officeholders after their terms have expired
- Prop 4 is SJR 6, regarding notifying the state of a constitutional challenge of a state law
- Prop 5 is HJR 100, regarding professional sports team foundation raffles
- Prop 6 is SJR 1, regarding property tax exemptions for homesteads of the surviving spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty; and
- Prop 7 is HJR 37, granting authority for credit unions and other financial institutions to offer prize drawings.
Since 1979, 256 proposed constitutional amendments have been sent to the voters in odd-numbered general election years. Voters have approved 88% of them by majority vote.
The seven proposals tie the lowest number submitted to the voters since 1979, when just three were on the ballot. The graphic and figures cited do not include constitutional amendments submitted to the voters in even-year general elections and special elections.
Since 2001, turnout for the constitutional amendment elections has averaged just south of 10% of registered voters. In 2015, 11% of registered voters participated, a quarter of which resided in Harris Co. Because of changes to the city of Houston’s term limits ordinance approved by voters in 2015, there will be no mayoral election this year, which will likely dampen turnout in the state’s largest county.
©2017 Texas Election Source LLC
