Tag: texas
-
Texas becomes ninth state to resign from ERIC
On July 20, Texas became the eighth state to resign from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) in 2023, and the ninth state overall. ERIC is a multi-state voter list maintenance organization, initially established in 2012 by a group of chief election officials from seven states. By 2022, 33 states were participating members in ERIC.…
-
Recall election roundup: Texas
Ballotpedia tracked one new recall effort against local officials in Texas from July 10-16, bringing the yearly statewide total to five efforts against 10 officials. The most recent effort is: Jose Segarra and Ramon Alvarez recall, Killeen, Texas (2023): City Councilmen Ramon Alvarez and Jose Segarra. A recall petition against Alvarez and Segarra was filed in…
-
Texas voters will decide on a second homestead tax exemption increase in two years in November
On July 13, the Texas State Legislature finalized a constitutional amendment and adopted implementing legislation designed to lower property taxes before adjourning its second special legislative session of the year. The amendment, which voters will decide on in Nov., would: increase the homestead tax exemption from $40,000 to $100,000; authorize the state legislature to limit…
-
Election legislation roundup: Texas State Senate
As of July 9, Ballotpedia has tracked 115 election-related bills in the Texas State Senate since the beginning of the year. Of the 115, Ballotpedia tracked one from July 3-9. A bipartisan group of legislators sponsored the bill. The bill is: TX SJR35: Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United…
-
Election legislation roundup: Texas House of Representatives
As of July 9, Ballotpedia has tracked 189 election-related bills in the Texas House of Representatives since the beginning of the year. Of the 189, Ballotpedia tracked two from July 3-9. Democrats sponsored one, while Republicans sponsored the other. The two bills are: TX HB33: Relating to electronic voter registration, Rep. John Bucy (D). As introduced,…
-
Texas school board races still more competitive during odd-year elections but percentage of incumbents who lost re-election may buck trend
While California enrolls the largest population of public school students in the country, Texas has the most school districts and elected board members. There are 1,022 school districts in the Lone Star State and 6,994 elected board members. This year, Ballotpedia will cover elections for 172 Texas school board seats. One-hundred and fifty of those…
-
Abbott signs bills altering election administration in Harris County
On June 20, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed two bills affecting the administration and oversight of elections in Texas’ largest county, Harris County. SB1750 would transfer all powers and duties of a county elections administrator to the county tax assessor-collector and county clerk in counties with a population of more than 3.5 million. Harris…
-
Election legislation roundup: Texas State Legislature
As of June 18, members of the Texas State Legislature, which includes the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas State Senate, have passed 34 bills related to election administration since the beginning of the year. Of those 34 bills, legislators passed zero during the week of June 12-18. Of the 34 bills passed this…
-
Texas enacts legislative district boundaries identical to its previous boundaries
Texas enacted legislative district boundaries in June 2023 for use until the 2030 census due to legal concerns that the state’s 2021 districts could not be permanent since they were adopted in a special legislative session. The Texas Constitution requires that redistricting take place during a regular legislative session. The districts the state adopted this…
-
Texas school board races still more competitive during odd-year elections but % of incumbents who lost re-election may buck trend
Texas school board elections tend to see more candidates file per seat in odd-numbered years than in even-numbered years. Between 2018 and 2023, odd-numbered election years have averaged 2.08 candidates per seat, while even-numbered election years have averaged 1.78 candidates per seat. The highest average number of candidates per seat in Texas school board elections…