Ballot Order Announced for November’s Texas Constitutional Amendment Election

Each November, after the Texas Legislature holds their biennial lawmaking session, Texas voters are usually presented a set of constitutional amendments to vote upon.

This November will be no different from those Novembers of odd-years' past. Texas voters in 2021 will decide the fate eight constitutional amendments.

On Thursday, the Texas Secretary of State's office revealed the ballot order. Early voting will start in October, in advance of the November 2 election date.

Texans will have the opportunity to approve the following amendments with a majority vote:

(analysis by Rob Snyder after select amendments written in italics)

Proposition 1 (HJR 143)

"The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women's Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues."

  If approved, this would be similar to the 50/50 raffles already allowed at Texas Rangers and Houston Astros games.

Proposition 2 (HJR 99)

"The constitutional amendment authorizing a county to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted areas in the county."

Proposition 3 (SJR 27)

"The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations."

Proposition 4 (SJR 47)

"The constitutional amendment changing the eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge."

Proposition 5 (HJR 165)

"The constitutional amendment providing additional powers to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct with respect to candidates for judicial office."

Proposition 6 (SJR 19)

"The constitutional amendment establishing a right for residents of certain facilities to designate an essential caregiver for in-person visitation."

  This proposed amendment is in response to family members being prevented from seeing loved ones in nursing homes during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proposition 7 (HJR 125)

"The constitutional amendment to allow the surviving spouse of a person who is disabled to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse's residence homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older at the time of the person's death."

Proposition 8 (SJR 35)

"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty."