The Republican Party and Democratic Party placed nonbinding advisory questions on March 3, 2020 primary ballots. Republican ballots featured 10 questions, and Democratic ballots featured 11 questions.
The Democratic and Republican primaries were open, meaning all voters were able to vote in the election.
Click here to learn more about Texas' elections in 2020.
Overview
What is an advisory question?
- See also: Advisory question
An advisory question is a type of ballot measure in which citizens vote on a non-binding question. The largest difference between an advisory vote and any other type of ballot measure is that the outcome of the ballot question will not result in a new, changed or rejected law or constitutional amendment. Rather, the advisory question symbolically makes heard the general opinion of the voting population in regard to the issue at hand.
Why were these questions on the ballot?
Political parties place these nonbinding questions on ballots to gauge voters' priorities. In the introduction to the propositions on its website, the Republican Party stated, "Keep in mind that this is an opinion poll of Republican voters and not a policy referendum. When you vote YES or NO, you are telling us what you think should happen. You are not voting to make a law but merely saying YES you agree or NO you do not agree with the statement." The Democratic Party introduced its propositions by stating, "Our Texas Bill of Rights will be voted on by Texans in the Democratic Primary Election and will guide our party, our campaigns, and our movement in the 2020 election."[1][2]
Republican Party propositions
The Republican Party placed 10 nonbinding propositions on March 3 primary ballots.[1]
Proposition 1
Proposition 1 was related to religion. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
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Texas should not restrict or prohibit prayer in public schools.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 1 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
 a Yes | 1,768,450 | 88.62% |
| No | 227,105 | 11.38% |
Proposition 2
Proposition 2 was related to firearms. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texas should reject restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 2 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,700,394 | 85.38% |
| No | 291,190 | 14.62% |
Proposition 3
Proposition 3 was related to lobbying. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
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Texas should ban the practice of government-to-government lobbying, which allows your tax dollars to be spent on lobbyists who work against the taxpayer.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 3 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,862,609 | 94.3% |
| No | 112,642 | 5.7% |
Proposition 4
Proposition 4 was related to immigration. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texas should support the construction of a physical barrier and use existing defense-grade surveillance equipment along the entire southern border of Texas.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 4 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,861,692 | 93.86% |
| No | 121,880 | 6.14% |
Proposition 5
Proposition 5 was related to healthcare. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texas parents or legal guardians of public school children under the age of 18 should be the sole decision makers for all their children’s healthcare decisions including, but not limited to, psychological assessment and treatment, contraception, and sex education.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 5 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,787,644 | 90.54% |
| No | 186,753 | 9.46% |
Proposition 6
Proposition 6 was related to healthcare. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texas should ban chemical castration, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and genital mutilation surgery on all minor children for transition purposes, given that Texas children as young as three (3) are being transitioned from their biological sex to the opposite sex.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 6 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,869,742 | 94.65% |
| No | 105,668 | 5.35% |
Proposition 7
Proposition 7 was related to historical landmarks. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texans should protect and preserve all historical monuments, artifacts, and buildings, such as the Alamo Cenotaph and our beloved Alamo, and should oppose any reimagining of the Alamo site.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 7 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,940,892 | 97.82% |
| No | 43,271 | 2.18% |
Proposition 8
Proposition 8 was related to elections and voting. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texas election officials should heed the directives of the Office of the Governor to purge illegal voters from the voter rolls and verify that each new registered voter is a U.S. Citizen.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 8 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,953,946 | 98.46% |
| No | 30,524 | 1.54% |
Proposition 9
Proposition 9 was related to law enforcement and prison. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Bail in Texas should be based only on a person’s danger to society and risk of flight, not that person’s ability to pay.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 9 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,880,689 | 95.05% |
| No | 97,892 | 4.95% |
Proposition 10
Proposition 10 was related to term limits. The official ballot text was as follows:[1]
| “
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Texas should limit our state legislators’ terms to 12 years.[3]
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”
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| Republican Party Proposition 10 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,810,548 | 92.13% |
| No | 154,646 | 7.87% |
Democratic Party propositions
The Texas Democratic Party titled the 11 nonbinding propositions, Our Texas Bill of Rights.[2]
Proposition 1
Proposition 1 was related to healthcare. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
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Should everyone in Texas have a right to quality healthcare, protected by a universally accessible Medicare-style system that saves rural hospitals, reduces the cost of prescription drugs, and guarantees access to reproductive healthcare?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 1 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,923,052 | 94.51% |
| No | 111,801 | 5.49% |
Proposition 2
Proposition 2 was related to public education. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to high-quality public education from pre-k to 12th grade, and affordable college and career training without the burden of crushing student loan debt?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 2 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,931,961 | 94.98% |
| No | 102,209 | 5.02% |
Proposition 3
Proposition 3 was related to the environment and energy. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to clean air, safe water, affordable and sustainable alternative energy sources, and a responsible climate policy that recognizes and addresses the climate crisis as a real and serious threat that impacts every aspect of life on this planet?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 3 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,989,221 | 97.63% |
| No | 48,352 | 2.37% |
Proposition 4
Proposition 4 was related to the economy. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to economic security, where all workers have earned paid family and sick leave, training to prepare for future economies, and a living wage that respects their hard work?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 4 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,919,677 | 94.95% |
| No | 102,152 | 5.05% |
Proposition 5
Proposition 5 was related to human dignity. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to a life of dignity and respect, free from discrimination and harassment anywhere, including businesses and public facilities, no matter how they identify, the color of their skin, whom they love, socioeconomic status, disability status, housing status, or from where they come?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 5 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,970,672 | 97.3% |
| No | 54,676 | 2.7% |
Proposition 6
Proposition 6 was related to firearms. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to live a life free from violence—gun violence, racial hatred, terrorism, domestic violence, bullying, harassment or sexual assault—so Texans can grow in a safe environment?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 6 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,969,341 | 97.34% |
| No | 53,763 | 2.66% |
Proposition 7
Proposition 7 was related to housing. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to affordable and accessible housing and modern utilities (electricity, water, gas, and high-speed internet) free from any form of discrimination?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 7 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,908,130 | 94.79% |
| No | 104,976 | 5.21% |
Proposition 8
Proposition 8 was related to elections and voting. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should every eligible Texan have the right to vote, made easier by automatic voter registration, the option to vote-by-mail, guaranteed early and mobile voting stations, and a state election holiday — free from corporate campaign influence, foreign and domestic interference, and gerrymandering?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 8 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,939,704 | 95.93% |
| No | 82,254 | 4.07% |
Proposition 9
Proposition 9 was related to law enforcement. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should everyone in Texas have the right to a fair criminal justice system that treats people equally, uses proven methods for de-escalating situations instead of excessive force, and puts an end to the mass and disproportionate incarceration of people of color for minor offenses?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 9 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,963,247 | 97.41% |
| No | 52,303 | 2.59% |
Proposition 10
Proposition 10 was related to immigration. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should there be a just and fair comprehensive immigration reform solution that includes an earned path to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants and their children, keeps families together, protects DREAMers, and provides workforce solutions for businesses?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 10 (March 2020) |
|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,912,118 | 94.87% |
| No | 103,291 | 5.13% |
Proposition 11
Proposition 11 was related to taxation. The official ballot text was as follows:[2]
| “
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Should Texas establish equitable taxation for people at all income levels and for businesses and corporations, large and small, so our state government can fund our educational, social, infrastructure, business, and all government services to improve programs necessary for all Texans to thrive?[3]
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”
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| Democratic Party Proposition 11 (March 2020) |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage |
| a Yes | 1,824,089 | 91.54% |
| No | 168,482 | 8.46% |
See also
