A total of 12,947 people voted Tuesday on Election Day in Smith County. There were 14 statewide propositions on the ballot and a handful of local elections as well.

Voter turnout for the Constitutional Amendment Election exceeded Smith County Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon’s expectations.

“The turnout has been exceptional for a constitutional amendment election,” Allcon said. “The overall total absentee, early voting and Election Day combined, we have beat the 2019 and the 2021 numbers.”

Unofficial election results show a 14.9% voter turnout. Of 155,333 registered voters, 23,142 ballots were cast in the Nov. 7 election. A total of 320 people voted via absentee ballots, while 9,836 people voted during the early voting period. On Election Day on Tuesday, 12,986 Smith County voters showed up to the polls.

For comparison, in the 2021 constitutional amendment election, 2,322 people voted early, and 8,281 people voted on Election Day, of 149,000 registered voters. In 2019, 2,649 people voted early, 13,220 people voted on Election Day, and there were 138,000 registered voters in Smith County.

Increased turnout could be attributed to more expansive news coverage of the various propositions or interest groups like teachers encouraging people to vote, according to Allcon.

“The issues on the ballot people are interested in including the local political subdivisions that are taking part in the election,” Allcon said. “It could simply be that people are more attuned to it. They’re realizing more that these elections make a difference and impact their lives.”

People are more aware of elections, what’s on the ballot and when elections are happening – all of those factors contributed to an excellent turnout today, she said.

Along with voting on 14 statewide propositions, some Smith County residents had local items on their ballots.

The cities of Whitehouse and Overton and the Whitehouse and Lindale Independent School Districts held special elections.

Here are the unofficial results:

City of Whitehouse

Proposition A passed with 69.38%, or 555 voters, in favor while 30.62%, or 245 people, voted against the measure.

This will change how the city’s taxes are reported to the state and how existing tax dollars are spent in the city. The city previously said if the measure were to pass, Whitehouse would offer “greater transparency on the amount of property taxes collected, direct more existing funds to economic development, and reduce the impact of government regulations coming out of Austin.”

Whitehouse ISD

Voters overwhelmingly approved the school district’s Proposition A, with 78.02%, or 2,389 people, voting in favor while 21.98%, or 673 voters, were against it.

This proposition will provide additional maintenance and operating funding and maximize state funding. Whitehouse ISD would realize $1.6 million more annually through maintenance and operating funds, according to previous reporting.

Lindale ISD

A majority of citizens – 71.74% or 2,825 voters – voted for Proposition A, ratifying the tax rate of $0.9542 per $100 valuation. A total of 1,113 voters, or 28.26%, voted against the measure.

This rate will result in an increase of negative 6.867% in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional negative $1,365,897.

Lindale ISD will cut taxes an additional 21.54 cents, for 43.58 cents over the last five years. The six cents will generate an additional $1,400,000 in revenue that the school district will use to improve the Lindale ISD teacher pay scale and pay for support staff, according to the district.

City of Overton

In the Overton mayoral race, Curtis Gilbert received 183 votes to Richard Howell’s 59, according to unofficial results provided by Rusk and Smith County elections offices.

Three ran uncontested for council places 2, 3, and 4, respectively, including Christopher Hall, Raymond G. “Tuck” Moon,” and April Littlefield.

Statewide

Property tax cuts, a raise for retired teachers and billions in investments in infrastructure, research, tech and energy are headed for passage as voters showed their approval on more than a dozen constitutional amendments, according to election results on Tuesday night. 

But a measure to allow judges to retire at a later age appeared to be going down, with barely over one-third of Texans voting for it.

And a few others — including a property tax exemption for biomedical inventory and equipment from property taxes and one to eliminate Galveston County’s treasurer position, were passing by only slim margins.

The most definitive support goes to Prop 4, the $18 billion property tax relief measure, which had 84% of the vote. Read more here.

Here’s how Smith County voters voted on the propositions:

State Prop 1

For: 82.14%, or 18,797 votes

Against: 17.86%, or 4,086 votes

State Prop 2

For: 63.33%, or 14,250 votes

Against: 36.67%, or 8,250 votes

State Prop 3

For: 78.47%, or 17,715 votes

Against: 21.53%, or 4,861 votes

State Prop 4

For: 83.18%, or 18,916 votes

Against: 16.82%, or 3,824 votes

State Prop 5

For: 58.09%, or 13,082 votes

Against: 41.91%, or 9,437 votes

State Prop 6

For: 72.38%, or 16,389 votes

Against: 27.62%, or 6,253 votes

State Prop 7

For: 67.05%, or 15,170 votes

Against: 32.95%, or 7,455 votes

State Prop 8

For: 67.33%, or 15,221 votes

Against: 32.67, or 7,384 votes

State Prop 9

For: 80.59%, or 18,407 votes

Against: 19.41%, or 4,434 votes

State Prop 10

For: 55.33%, or 12,404 votes

Against: 44.67%, or 10,015 votes

State Prop 11

For: 57.67%, or 12,488 votes

Against: 42.33%, or 9,167 votes

State Prop 12

For: 53.88%, or 11,254 votes

Against: 46.12%, or 9,632 votes

State Prop 13

For: 38.71%, or 8,673 votse

Against: 61.29%, or 13,731 votes

State Prop 14

For: 72.26%, or 16,304 votes

Against: 27.74%, or 6,259 votes