Yard signs, both in favor of Prop A, are for different issues (sometimes) on the same ballot. Staff photo.
In the November 5 election, Lubbock County voters will decide Proposition A. But that can mean four different things.
The following all show up on the ballot as Prop A:
- A $103.4 million road bond issue in Lubbock.
- Tax rate issue in the Frenship ISD for teacher pay.
- $58.5 million bond in the Roosevelt ISD for new construction.
- Lubbock annexation for the Highland Oaks subdivision.
Plus, Lubbock’s proposition A earlier this year would have decriminalized marijuana if it had passed. It failed 35 percent to 65 percent. In May 2021, local voters approved Proposition A to make Lubbock a sanctuary city for the unborn.
A Google search of “Prop A Lubbock” brings up the road bond first, but the marijuana election comes up in the same search results.
“For some folks, that does make it harder,” said Roxzine Stinson, elections administrator for Lubbock County.
Why are so many issues called Prop A?
“Used to, you could pick or choose how you wanted it to be. And legislators changed that to where all propositions start with the letter ‘A.’ All constitutional amendments are numbered, one through whatever on the ballot. So. And that’s why that was changed,” Stinson said.
Stinson has an idea to make things easier if lawmakers ever want to revisit the issue. As you might imagine, it involves using more letters in the alphabet.
State Representative Carl Tepper of Lubbock responded, “We might look at it. We might look for a statutory fix.”
No one will see all four Prop A items on the same ballot. However, some voters in West Lubbock will get both the Frenship tax rate and the city’s road bond. A few on the northeast corner of Lubbock will get both the road bond and Roosevelt bond issue.
On the ballot
Special Election, City of Lubbock, Proposition A – Vote For or Against – The issuance of $103,400,000 general obligation bonds for street improvements, and the imposition of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds.
Frenship ISD, Proposition A – Vote For or Against – Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $0.75670 per $100 valuation in Frenship Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 18.59 percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $5,300,921.
Roosevelt ISD, Proposition A – Vote For or Against – The issuance of bonds in the amount of $58,500,000 for school facilities and the levy of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. This is a property tax increase.
Special Election, City of Lubbock, Proposition A – Vote For or Against – Shall the City of Lubbock (the city) annex approximately 374.74 acres commonly known as the Highland Oaks subdivision and located within an area located south of 146th Street (F.M. 7500), east of Frankford Avenue, north of Woodrow Road (F.M. 7600), and west of Slide Road (F.M. Road 1730), (the area), thereby to include the area inside the full purpose city limits of the city, resulting in the city providing municipal services in accordance with Texas local government Code Section 43.0692; the area shall be subject to the jurisdiction, laws, and regulations of the city; and the city shall impose a property tax each year on all property in the area at the same rate that is imposed on other property in the city.
Headers on the ballot items
“We have headers on our ballots. … They’re so you can identify what you’re voting on,” Stinson said.
“Our headers tell you if this is Roosevelt ISD Proposition A, [or] City of Lubbock special election Proposition A,” Stinson said.
It’s not just on the ballot. It’s also out in the community.
“You think about the campaign signs,” Stinson said.
The colors of the various Prop A signs can help, but some of them have colors in common, Stinson said.
“That could confuse people,” Stinson said.
There is a way to see a sample ballot before you go vote, but that too is a little harder this year.
Sample ballots got more complicated
There is a consolidated sample ballot at votelubbock.org. It combines all the races and all the ballot issues from Lubbock County on a single sample ballot.
That’s not ideal.
You might see candidates or propositions on the sample ballot from the other side of the county you don’t get to vote for (or against).
“We’re unable to break that out by individual ballots on our website anymore,” Stinson said, after the county changed software venders.
The solution is to email the election office.
“We have been very good about maintaining and watching our emails. You’re more than welcome to e-mail us and we’ll send you the correct sample,” Stinson said.
The election workers can find your exact ballot and let you see it in advance by mail or email (website contact form). Or call (806) 775-1339. A sample can be dropped in the mail.
If lawmakers are open to suggestion
If state lawmakers are up for suggestions, Stinson has one.
“My suggestion would be … look at the size of their territory. You start with your largest territory and start the letter A and work your way through the alphabet,” Stinson said.
Under her suggestion, Lubbock would get Prop A. Then Frenship (which has three propositions this year) would get Prop B, C and D. Roosevelt would get Prop E. Highland Oaks would get Prop F.
“It would be less confusing out there if they could have different lettering for that,” Stinson said.
Tepper is already doing research and writing bills for election issues in the next legislative session. If this specific issue ends up on his list of bills, he would do it like this.
“The largest bond amount should get the [first] letter. And then non-bonds would get lower letter letters. … We would put the most expensive things at the top of the ballot,” Tepper said.
Waiting in line
“I saw where someone had posted [online] that they waited an hour and 20 minutes in line today at one of the grocery stores. The lines haven’t been quite that long here at our office, but we have had lines off and on today,” Stinson said Monday.
“I do appreciate that the voters are getting out. I’m glad to see it,” Stinson said.
There are 22 early voting locations, she said.
“For Election Day, currently we have full staffing,” Stinson said. That allows her to keep 50 locations open on November 5.
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