On November 5, 2025, Texas voters made headlines by approving every single one of the 17 constitutional amendments on their ballot, a sweeping endorsement of measures that spanned law and order, tax reform, education, and infrastructure. This decisive outcome not only highlighted a strong turnout—nearly 3 million Texans, or about 16% of registered voters, cast ballots, potentially setting a new record for off-year participation as noted by the San Antonio Express-News—but also underscored the state’s current political climate, where Republican priorities found broad support even as other states moved in very different directions.
While national attention was fixed on high-profile races and ballot questions in places like New York, Virginia, and California, Texas voters quietly but resoundingly passed measures that codified parental rights, reinforced voting requirements, and enacted significant tax reforms. According to The Texas Tribune, the state’s 17 ballot propositions were approved by wide margins, with some, such as the ban on capital gains taxes and the creation of dedicated college funds, drawing more than two-thirds of the vote.
Among the most closely watched measures were Proposition 15, which affirmed that parents are the primary decision-makers for their children, and Proposition 16, which codified the requirement that only U.S. citizens can vote in state elections. Proposition 15 passed with 69.87% of the vote, while Proposition 16 passed with an even more commanding 71.95%. As NBC News reported, supporters of the parental rights amendment argued that, while such rights are already protected by case law, enshrining them in the Texas Constitution would safeguard them against future judicial shifts. GOP state Senator Bryan Hughes, a sponsor of the measure, wrote, “Placing the rights of parents in the Texas constitution would ensure the longevity of these rights for future generations.”
Opponents, including education and reproductive rights advocates, labeled the parental rights amendment “unnecessary” and “dangerous.” They expressed concern that such constitutional language could later be used to justify restricting children’s access to mental health care and reproductive health information. Some critics also called the amendment “vague,” warning of potential unintended consequences down the road. Nevertheless, the measure’s clear passage demonstrated the resonance of parental rights as a political issue in Texas.
Proposition 16, the amendment clarifying that only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas elections, was similarly contentious. While existing law already limits voting to citizens, backers argued that a constitutional amendment would prevent local governments from experimenting with noncitizen voting, as has occurred in some other states. GOP state Senator Brian Birdwell, the measure’s sponsor, pointed to examples in California, Maryland, New York, and Vermont, where noncitizen residents are allowed to vote in certain local elections. “With other states allowing their local governments to implement a voting mechanism to allow non-citizens to vote, Texas should proactively amend the constitution to ensure that Texas municipalities cannot implement such policies should statute change,” Birdwell wrote in a bill analysis. Governor Greg Abbott added his support, stating on X (formerly Twitter) in 2025, “It makes it crystal clear that if you are not a United States citizen, you’re not allowed to vote in Texas.”
Other ballot measures reflected a focus on law and order, infrastructure, and tax policy. Proposition 3, which allows for the denial of bail to certain violent offenders, passed with 61.14% of the vote. Proposition 12, reforming the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to increase citizen representation and transparency, won with 61.9%. Infrastructure also received a boost, with Proposition 4 diverting up to $1 billion annually into a new Texas Water Fund, passing by 70.42%. Proposition 14 established a state medical research institute, pledging $3 billion initially and $300 million annually, and passed with 68.57% support.
Tax reform was another major theme. Proposition 2, banning the state legislature from passing a capital gains tax, passed with 65.37%. Proposition 5 exempts retail animal feed from local property taxes (63.61%), while Proposition 6 bans the taxation of securities transactions (54.87%). Several measures expanded property tax exemptions: Proposition 7 allows homestead exemptions for surviving spouses of veterans (86.25%), Proposition 11 raises the school property tax exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners to $60,000 (77.68%), and Proposition 13 raises the exemption for homesteads to $140,000 (79.41%).
Proposition 8 bans estate, inheritance, or gift taxes (72.22%), Proposition 9 exempts up to $250,000 in income-generating property from property taxes (65.04%), and Proposition 10 allows a temporary homestead exemption for homeowners whose properties are destroyed by fire (89.28%). Proposition 17, which allows property along the southern border to be exempt from tax increases resulting from border security infrastructure, passed with 57.42%.
Education was not left behind. Proposition 1, which creates two dedicated state college funds for the Texas State Technical College System, passed with 69.03%. These funds are expected to provide a significant boost to technical education in the state, potentially helping to address workforce shortages in key industries. As The Dallas Express detailed, these education and infrastructure investments were part of a broader push to modernize Texas’s foundations while responding to voters’ concerns about taxes and government overreach.
The election cycle also saw Governor Greg Abbott call a special election to fill the seat of Democratic Representative Sylvester Turner, who died suddenly in March. As of November 6, the Houston-area seat remained undecided, with Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards locked in a tight race headed for a likely runoff, according to The Washington Post.
Texas’s robust turnout stood in stark contrast to the usual pattern for off-year elections, where participation typically lags. Turnout was especially high in Dallas and Collin counties, as reported by The Dallas Morning News. The surge was attributed to the high number of ballot measures and the mobilization efforts on both sides of key issues.
Meanwhile, other states took different paths on Election Day. Maine voters approved a new “red flag” gun law, allowing family members to petition courts to have firearms taken away from relatives who pose a risk—a measure opposed by both Democratic Governor Janet Mills and top Republicans, who argued that Maine’s existing “yellow flag” law was already effective. Maine voters also rejected a proposed voter ID law, with Mills stating, “If you’re an older Mainer or a single parent, someone with a disability, or someone with a busy schedule, Question 1 would only make it harder for you to cast your vote.” In Colorado, voters approved a tax increase on high earners to fund school meals for children, a move aimed at addressing funding gaps in the state’s Healthy School Meals for All program.
In a year when many states made incremental changes, Texas’s all-encompassing endorsement of its ballot measures stands out. The results reflect a state confident in its direction—at least for now—while the rest of the country continues to debate the balance between tradition and change.
