Erath County voters approved the sale of liquor county-wide and eight state amendments in the Nov. 2 elections.
The special local election allowing the sale of alcohol and unifying the rules for sale throughout Erath County was approved by a total of 2,655 voters with 935 against.
The option was added to the Nov. 2 ballot after organizers gathered the signatures of more than 4,400 voters. The effort was organized through Texas Petition Strategies and championed by local business owners to create one set of rules regarding alcohol sales for Erath County, removing the private club requirement on restaurants expanding current sales to include fine wine and package stores.
Erath voters followed the state trend of approving the eight constitutional amendments up for decision.
Results of those elections follow:
Proposition 1 (HJR 143)
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues."
Erath: 3,218 FOR; 357 AGAINST (Passed state with 83.82% FOR)
Proposition 2 (HJR 99)
"The constitutional amendment authorizing a county to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted areas in the county."
Erath: 2,317 FOR; 1,411 AGAINST (Passed state with 63.09% FOR)
Proposition 3 (SJR 27)
"The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations."
Erath: 2,729 FOR; 830 AGAINST (Passed state with 62.42% FOR)
Proposition 4 (SJR 47)
"The constitutional amendment changing the eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge."
Erath 2,176 FOR; 1,290 AGAINST (Passed state with 58.78% FOR)
Proposition 5 (HJR 165)
"The constitutional amendment providing additional powers to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct with respect to candidates for judicial office."
Erath: 2,176 FOR; 1,290 AGAINST (Passed state with 58.78% FOR)
Proposition 6 (SJR 19)
"The constitutional amendment establishing a right for residents of certain facilities to designate an essential caregiver for in-person visitation."
Erath: 3,237 FOR; 309 AGAINST (Passed state with 87.87% FOR)
Proposition 7 (HJR 125)
"The constitutional amendment to allow the surviving spouse of a person who is disabled to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse’s residence homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older at the time of the person’s death."
Erath: 3,235 FOR; 313 AGAINST (Passed state with 87.12% FOR)
Proposition 8 (SJR 35)
"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 member of the armed services of the United States who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty."
Erath: 3,250 FOR; 301 AGAINST (Passed state with 87.76% FOR)
Overall, 3,601 of Erath’s 24,012 registered voters (15%) cast their ballot in the elections- 2,089 on election day, 1,441 in early voting and 71 absentee ballots.