Texas Proposition 3, Voter and Election Constitutional Provisions Amendment (1975)

Texas Proposition 3
Election date November 4, 1975
Topic Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements and Residency voting requirements
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Texas Proposition 3 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Texas on November 4, 1975. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported the amendment to lower the voting age to 18, permit the legislature to enact residency requirements, permit the legislature to set laws relating to property qualifications for certain elections, and retore voting rights to convicted felons upon the completion of their sentence.

A "no" vote opposed the amendment to lower the voting age to 18, permit the legislature to enact residency requirements, permit the legislature to set laws relating to property qualifications for certain elections, and retore voting rights to convicted felons upon the completion of their sentence.

Election results

Texas Proposition 3
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		322,205	27.70%
No		840,991	72.30%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 3 was as follows:

“

The constitutional amendment revising the voter qualifications and elections provisions of the Texas Constitution

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Supporters

Officials

• Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Bill Clayton

Organizations

• Texas Famers Union President

Arguments

• Bill Clayton, speaker of the Texas House of Representatives: "There is a shift of emphasis in the new constitution. No person convicted of a felony and who is in jail, on parole, or on probation can vote."
• Jay Naman, president of the Texas Farmers Union: Overall impact would be to "return control of government processes to the people and away from the 'court house' government and government by agency control."

Opposition

Opponents

Officials

• State Senator Payton McKnight

Arguments

• State Sen. Payton McKnight: "I don't think the people want to give future legislatures a blank check, which is what these eight propositions do."

Media editorials

Ballotpedia identified the following media editorial boards as taking positions on the proposition.

Ballotpedia lists the positions of media editorial boards that support or oppose ballot measures. This does not include opinion pieces from individuals or groups that do not represent the official position of a newspaper or media outlet. Ballotpedia includes editorials from newspapers and outlets based on circulation and readership, political coverage within a state, and length of publication. You can share media editorial board endorsements with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Support

• Corpus Christi Caller-Times Editorial Board: "It is a compromise, and a healthy one. It will give Texas close to a model constitutional article on voter qualifications and elections, adhering to the principal that in a democracy, the right to vote is fundamental and should be restricted only for compelling reasons."
• Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board: "The major objection to this article is that it would allow convicted felons to vote after they serve their sentences and terms of parole or probation. However, we believe it is only fair that a person should have his voting rights restored after he has paid his debt to society."
• Austin American-Statesman Editorial Board: "Generally, we see little objection to the new article on voting and elections. It brings the state into conformity with federal constitutional requirements which are controlling anyway. Some frown on restoring voting rights to ex-felons, but that is already possible. We like the idea of permitting property ownership to be made a qualification for voting in property tax or tax bond elections, but perhaps the provision ought not to be in the constitution. On balance, vote 'yes.'"

Opposition

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Texas Constitution

A two-thirds vote was needed in each chamber of the Texas State Legislature to refer the constitutional amendment to the ballot for voter consideration.

The constitutional amendment was introduced into the Texas State Legislature as Senate Joint Resolution 11 during the 64th regular legislative session in 1975.

See also

1975 Measures

• 1975 Measures
• Literacy on the ballot
• poll tax on the ballot
• and property voting requirements on the ballot
• Residency voting requirements on the ballot
• Voting age policy on the ballot
• Voting rights for persons with criminal convictions on the ballot
• 1975 legislative sessions

Texas

• Texas ballot measures
• Texas ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Legislative Reference Library of Texas, Constitutional Amendments