In case you didn’t know, it’s early voting season in Texas through the 31st of October. Our last day to vote is on 11/4/2025. If you are registered to vote, but you’re not sure where to vote, check your county’s election page. That’s going to be your best resource to help you. If you need further help, please send me a message with your first and last name and the town/county you live in — I’ll do my best to get you where you need to go.

Look, I know it’s confusing right now for voters. The Texas Democratic Party should be giving us consistent messaging and recommendations, but even between counties these recommendations vary a lot within our party. Some voter guides say some propositions are fine, other say that actually that one is a no, but another one should be a yes. It makes things about as clear as mud for us who really want to make informed votes.

Let’s Keep It Simple

Show up and vote AGAINST all 17 proposed Amendments. Yes, even that one you’re thinking of.

Whoa, I know, right? It sounds extreme, but it really isn’t. Let me explain.

This is the strategy Texas Democratic and Progressive voters have been yearning for. It gives visible pushback to this Texas Republican Government, who actively harms large minority communities with legislation and rhetoric. Moreover, it also is grounded in merit. This isn’t just a “let’s vote against the Texas Republicans,” which honestly, for me, that would be a good enough reason to oppose most of these. Protest voting definitely has its own place in resistance and civic action.

So why this election? Well, this is why this strategy is so brilliant and so important for 5 key reasons.

1. Democrats are showing up and voting in huge numbers, so motivation is up for our base.
2. Amendments are passed or declined by the state of Texas’ popular vote.
3. Most critically, it’s the lowest turnout of all of our state wide elections. Meaning this is our best shot at success.
4. It’s simple. There’s no complexity with vote yes for this and no for that one. It is just an easy “against” 17 times.
5. No harm, no foul. It keeps everything as is, so there’s no additional harm being done. Only what has already happened.

I’ve outlined my personal reasons for individually voting AGAINST all 17 Amendments that are currently on the ballot further down below.

Before you read on, I want to say I am aware there are Democratic politicians and county parties pushing for yes votes on some of these. I think their why is some of these look so deceptively good at face value, but voter experience and history tells us to know and do better. Republican legislators are experts at what I’ve been calling “trojan horse” policies. They repeatedly use our goodwill against us and then they will turnaround and staff boards with corrupt people, lobbyists, and billionaires who are incentivized to hurt Texans, and then this party will have the gall to say this is what we wanted because it had bipartisan support. I’ve lived in Texas 34 years. I’ve seen it over and over and so have you. Don’t give them your support.

Lastly, I want to thank StevieSaidForNow for starting this movement and educating us and other voters. If you found this helpful, please send her a $5 Venmo: @steviesaidfornow and follow her on her social media accounts.

Her handle is the same for all platforms: 
TikTok, Youtube, Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and Substack.
We would not be behind this idea without her, and I want to make sure this woman gets all of her flowers for her brilliant strategy. I am so proud to call her a friend and thankful the internet connected us.

A Few More Things to Know Before You Go Vote

Many of these amendments are locked in from anywhere from a couple of years to a full decade. We are quickly heading into a time period where Texas will be hurting severely for funding; since Federal dollars are being slashed at an unsustainable rate for Texas, thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress this summer. The consequences of this administration are coming up fast for Texans.

Property taxes are also continuing to climb, and I’m struggling right alongside everyone else who owns a home. Even though our property taxes are high, our schools, roads, police, and fire departments need these funds to continue to function. That is what our property taxes pay for in our county. Look at how many tax breaks they are offering when our schools are hurting so badly to be funded properly, plus other vital state operations.

State Income Tax will not be an option for us, as it’s already protected in our state constitution. Sales tax is also capped out in most places in our state. The State collects 6.25%, the counties and cities can get up to 1.0% additional percent, respectively. No more. That’s the cap, and that’s been the cap for a very long time.

We’re going to need real revenue options if our state is going to make it through this cutback season.

So, if you are an unhappy Texas voter and want to fight back, I highly suggest you get out and vote AGAINST all 17 of these proposed amendments.

You can continue reading if you still have conflictions about any of these propositions. I have my reasonings below each proposition for why I’m okay with opposing each one further.

Proposition 1 – SJR 59

“The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Locks funding into a fund that benefits very few Texans, at the same time we are going to be losing millions of dollars from Federal funding. NO.

Proposition 2 – SJR 18

“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Again, while we are losing Federal funding, we should not be pigeonholing ourselves when we are going to need revenue streams. I’d much rather wealthier revenue options stay available. NO.

Proposition 3 – SJR 5

“The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: This can easily become abused under judges. I feel like judges have enough power and this gives them more and simultaneously weakens a right we have. NO.

Proposition 4 – HJR 7

“The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: The Texas Water Board is made up of 3 people, 2 of which are former lobbyists for Greg Abbott. This board has no public oversight or appointments for us to keep these positions accountable. Moreover, these dollars are going to be used for AI Data Centers and won’t actually go to Texans when we DO have a water problem. NO.

Proposition 5 – HJR 99

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: This is trickle down economics, which we have tons and tons of data that we know does not work. It is deceptively written to sound like it will help farmers, but it is to help big feed stores, like Tractor Supply. Corporations never pass their chance to make more money off of us. NO.

Proposition 6 – HJR 4

“The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Again, while we are losing Federal funding, we should not be pigeonholing ourselves when we are going to need revenue streams. I’d much rather our revenue options stay open. NO.

Proposition 7 – HJR 133

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Defunds our local schools, roads, police and fire departments, while they are hurting for funding, particularly schools thanks to the Voucher program. Moreover, widows/widowers of veterans are not allowed to remarry and receive this benefit, while the VA could be helping these families. NO.

Proposition 8 – HJR 2

“The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent’s property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Again, while we are losing Federal funding, we should not be pigeonholing ourselves when we are going to need revenue streams. I’d much rather wealthier options stay available. NO.

Proposition 9 – HJR 1

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Again, while we are losing Federal funding, we should not be pigeonholing ourselves when we are going to need revenue streams. I’d much rather wealthier options stay available. NO.

Proposition 10 – SJR 84

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Defunds our local schools, roads, police and fire departments, while they are hurting for funding, particularly schools thanks to the Voucher program. NO.

Proposition 11 – SJR 85

“The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Defunds our local schools, roads, police and fire departments, while they are hurting for funding, particularly schools thanks to the Voucher program. NO.

Proposition 12 – SJR 27

“The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission’s recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Weakens our judicial system. Texas judges are our last hold out under this administration protecting us. I absolutely know some abuse their power. We have to consider the few that are protecting us and the harm that will come if we don’t protect them right now. NO.

Proposition 13 – SJR 2

“The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Defunds our local schools, roads, police and fire departments, while they are hurting for funding, particularly schools thanks to the Voucher program. NO.

Proposition 14 – SJR 3

“The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: In a perfect world, where I could trust that this would be stewarded ethically and scientifically, I would be for this. Unfortunately, we have weirdo’s in charge of our healthcare system, like RFK Jr. who wrongly think Tylenol and circumcisions cause autism. Moreover, this 9-member board is only required to have 3 medical doctors and no public appointed oversight. NO.

Proposition 15 – SJR 34

“The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Literally already a law. I am so against children’s rights being further stripped in this state. This will be abused heavily by people who do not care for children and simply want to use them for things like child marriage and other types of abuse. Absolutely NO.

Proposition 16 – SJR 37

“The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Also already a law, and has no business being in our state constitution. Get with your county registrar if you are concerned about voter fraud in our state. Also, become a VDR, so you can understand the process how difficult it is to become a registered voter. Voter laws are also under attack and I can see this easily being a problem if the Voter Rights of 1965 falls. NO.

Proposition 17 – HJR 34

“The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements.”

Why I’m voting AGAINST: Texas already has to pay you if there are intrusions on your land. This makes a cash grab for large ranches and businesses on the border at the expense of Texans. Do you think big businesses need more money or do you feel strapped for cash? NO.