Nov. 2 is Election Day: Here’s everything you need to know

Statewide, Texans will vote on eight constitutional amendments, and locally, Houston area residents will have district- and county-specific ballot options. There are also a number of school board elections that will greatly impact our children’s futures.

Here is a breakdown of what’s on the ballot:

State of Texas Proposition 1 – Raffles – This amendment would add professional rodeo charitable foundations that are sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to the list of similar foundations for other professional sports associations that are authorized to hold raffles. These raffles may be held at rodeos in the state of Texas.

State of Texas Proposition 2 – County Government / Bond Issues – The Texas Constitution allows the legislature to authorize cities to issue bonds or notes to finance development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in “unproductive, underdeveloped or blighted areas”. Proposition 2 would amend the Texas Constitution to add counties to the political entities that can issue bonds or notes for that purpose, and to pledge increases in property tax revenues to repay the bonds or notes.

State of Texas Proposition 3 – Religion Services – This proposed amendment is a reaction to restrictions put in place by the governor and some local governments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions required religious services to be held remotely or limited the number of people who could attend in person.

State of Texas Proposition 4 – State Judiciary / Judges – Changes the eligibility requirements for the following judicial offices: 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.

State of Texas Proposition 5 – State Judiciary – Authorizes the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct to accept and investigate complaints and reports against candidates running for state judicial office.

State of Texas Proposition 6 – Health care and Constitutional Rights / Caregiver visits – During the COVID-19 pandemic, family and other caregivers were restricted from access to nursing homes and other group facilities. Th is proposed constitutional amendment would allow a resident to name a person to be their essential caregiver, and visits from their essential caregiver would become a resident’s constitutional right. Th e Legislature may provide guidelines for caregiver visitation policies and procedures.

State of Texas Proposition 7 – Property Tax Exemption – This proposition would update the Constitution to allow surviving spouses of disabled persons a limit on school district property taxes. Currently, this limitation is provided to homeowners over 65 years old and to disabled persons. To be eligible for this limit, the spouse must be at least 55 years old when the disabled person died and still live in the home. In 2019, the Tax Code was updated to allow this tax limitation for surviving spouses of disabled persons, but the Legislature failed to authorize a proposed constitutional amendment. Some counties followed the Tax Code and some did not. For those that did not, eligible surviving spouses may be due a refund.

State of Texas Proposition 8 – Taxes and Veterans – Amends the Texas Constitution to allow the legislature to apply a homestead tax exemption for surviving spouses of members of the military to those fatally injured in the line of duty

OTHER KEY RACES:

City of Baytown Mayor

Brandon Capetillo

David “Isick” Isaac

John Bryant

City of Missouri City Councilmember District A

Reginald Pearson

Bruce Zaborowski

Monica Riley

City of Missouri City Councilmember District B

Jeffrey L. Boney

Everett Land