Texans vote on 17 state propositions

DALLAS – Polls close at 7 p.m. on Tuesday for a relatively low-interest election in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with some important statewide ballot issues involving property taxes and bail reform.

While you may have been seeing a lot of campaign ads on TV, those are mostly for the midterm election next year. 

There are some Texas House and Texas Senate races on the ballots, but those are only in a few locations. Residents in cities across the DFW metroplex are also voting on a handful of local leaders and propositions.

Texas Constitutional Amendments Election 2025: Texas propositions on the ballot

Everyone is voting on 17 statewide propositions.

One important amendment deals with bail reform. If passed, it would require judges to automatically deny bond for certain violent crimes.

One of the tax bills essentially assures Texans that they will never have a state income tax.

Several deal with homestead exemptions. There’s an increase in the property tax exemption for school district taxes from $100,000 to $140,000, as well as an increase from $10,000 to $60,000 for people who are disabled or over 65.

Another creates a homestead tax exemption for the surviving spouse of veterans who die from a service-connected illness.

There’s also a proposition about water infrastructure, investing billions of dollars each year to keep parts of the state from running out of water. 

Another proposition would allow Texas to invest in the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund.  

Propositions would also require U.S. citizenship to vote in Texas and add language to the Texas Constitution about parental rights.

Texas Election Day 2025: Bail reform, water infrastructure

What they’re saying:

SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson said the propositions that impact the most Texans are the tax votes.

“One measure would increase the homestead exemption for everyone. And then another measure would create even greater property tax relief for people who are elderly or disabled. So I think those are the two that are going to have the greatest tangible impact potentially on the greatest number of people,” he said.

When it comes to water infrastructure, the League of Women Voters made a rare move by encouraging people to vote yes. That organization traditionally does not endorse a candidate or issue.

Bail reform was a bipartisan push by lawmakers. They will be looking to see if Texas voters agree.

Collin County Long Voting Lines

SKY 4 flew over several locations in Collin County on Tuesday with voters lined up outside.

The county moved to paper ballots for this election, which are counted electronically. And FOX 4 received some emails from viewers who reported issues with the new voting process.

However, the county elections administrator said he was not aware of any problems at polling locations.

A tax proposal for a new emergency services district is also driving turnout in Collin County.

The Source: FOX 4’s Steven Dial gathered details for this story from statewide election ballots and an interview with SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson. Other information comes from latest election results, past news coverage, and the SKY 4 helicopter.

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