All those sessions of legislative debate, all those days of early voting, all those hours of voting today, and where did it get us? The first results from today’s constitutional amendment election.
Early voter turnout was shockingly low: Under 4% statewide, and even worse in Austin, where only 13,454 registered voters – 2.31% of the electorate – turned out last week.
So far, everything is passing: Here are the numbers statewide, with 28% of precincts reporting (Travis County, with 15 of 210 precincts reporting, in parentheses):
Major support
2: 65% (60%)
3: 62% (65%)
5: 60% (70%)
6: 65% (67%)
7: 72% (73%)
8: 75% (76%)
9: 77% (81%)
10: 73% (24%)
11: 80% (77%)
Close run:
1: 55% (51%)
4: 55% (56%)
Heading for defeat:
Er, none.
So far, the surprise upset is Prop. 1, authorizing tax increment financing districts to pay for buffer zones between neighborhoods and military bases. However, even though it looks like Prop. 4, adding a little more cash for Tier 1 universities, is sitting on an eight point lead, that will remain the one to watch, as the conservatives have been beating the bushes on that one.
The rogue factor tonight will probably be the mayoral election in Houston, which is driving voter turnout up in Harris county.
This article appears in swine flu.
