Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Close! The Texas State Constitution had been amended 498 times as of June 2019.
The Texas Constitution has been amended 498 times since the current constitution was adopted 143 years ago in 1876. On November 5, 2019, voters decided on 10 proposals in a statewide constitutional amendment election. Between the Texas House and Texas Senate, at least 121 votes were needed to pass a constitutional amendment. In Texas, the average number of legislative votes for a constitutional amendment was 164 between 1995 and 2019.
How do measures get on the ballot?
The Texas State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments, to the ballot in odd-numbered years and even-numbered years. However, as the legislature convenes regular sessions in odd-numbered years but not even-numbered years, most amendments have been referred to ballots in odd-numbered years. Between 1995 and 2018, 157 of 159 (99 percent) statewide ballot measures appeared on odd-numbered year ballots.
Texas is one of 16 states that requires a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 100 votes in the Texas House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Texas Senate, assuming no vacancies.
The 2019 legislative session began on January 8, 2019, and adjourned on May 27, 2019.
2019 proposals
In 2019, 216 constitutional amendments had been filed in the Texas State Legislature. Legislators were permitted to file constitutional amendments through March 8, 2019, unless permission was given to introduce an amendment after the deadline.
- Democrats filed 104 (48.1%) of the constitutional amendments.
- Republicans filed 112 (51.9%) of the constitutional amendments.
- In the state Senate, 70 (32.4%) of the constitutional amendments were filed.
- In the state House, 146 (67.6%) of the constitutional amendments were filed.
- Of the Democrats, Rep. Richard Raymond (D-42) filed the most constitutional amendments—10.
- Of the Republicans, three legislators—Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-7), Sen. Pat Fallon (R-30), and Rep. Steve Toth (R-15)—each filed five constitutional amendments.
Between 2009 and 2017, an average of 187 constitutional amendments were filed during regular legislative sessions. The state legislature approved an average of nine constitutional amendments during regular legislative sessions. Therefore, the average rate of certification during regular legislative sessions was 4.7%.
Historical facts
Measures
- See also: List of Texas ballot measures
The following statistics are based on ballot measures between 1995 and 2018 in Texas:
- Ballots featured 159 constitutional amendments.
- An average of 13 measures appeared on odd-year statewide ballots.
- The number of ballot measures on odd-year statewide ballots ranged from 7 to 22.
- Voters approved 91 percent (145 of 159) and rejected 9 percent (14 of 159) of the constitutional amendments.
| Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments, 1995-2018 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Approved | Percent approved | Defeated | Percent defeated | Odd-year average | Odd-year median | Odd-year minimum | Odd-year maximum | |
| 159 | 145 | 91.2% | 14 | 8.8% | 13.1 | 12.5 | 7 | 22 | |
In 2019, 216 constitutional amendments had been filed in the Texas State Legislature. Legislators were permitted to file constitutional amendments through March 8, 2019, unless permission was given to introduce an amendment after the deadline. Between 2009 and 2017, an average of 187 constitutional amendments were filed during regular legislative sessions. The state legislature approved an average of nine constitutional amendments during regular legislative sessions. Therefore, the average rate of certification during regular legislative sessions was 4.7 percent. In 2019, 10 of the 216 proposed constitutional amendments were certified for the ballot, meaning the rate of certification was 4.6 percent.
Turnout
Between 1988 and 2018, the average turnout of registered voters in odd-numbered year elections featuring constitutional amendments was 11 percent—39 percentage points lower than the average turnout at general elections in even-numbered years. The lowest turnout for an odd-numbered year election during this period was 5% in 2011, when voters decided 10 constitutional amendments. The highest turnout for an odd-numbered year election during this period was 26% in 1991, when voters decided 13 constitutional amendments.[1]
See also
Footnotes
