Understanding State Constitutional Amendment Defeat in Texas

• In Event: Poster Session: Predicting Political Preferences & Civic Engagement
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Predicting Political Preferences

Abstract

Texas voters considered 58 constitutional amendments proposed to them by the Texas Legislature from 2013 through 2023. Two amendments were defeated. Both amendments, Proposition 1 in 2019 and Proposition 13 in 2023, dealt with the judiciary. Proposition 1 (2019) would have allowed municipal court judges to serve in more than one municipality. Proposition 13 (2023) would have raised the mandatory retirement age of state judges to 79. This paper examines the political context of the statewide vote on both propositions. Using data collected at the county-level, we analyze party identification, political ideology, and various demographic variables, to better understand why these specific amendments failed to be approved by voters.

Authors

• John David Rausch, West Texas A&M University

• Mary S. Rausch, West Texas A&M University