Follow live: Proposition A earns landslide victory in Austin; Prop B rejected
Proposition A earns landslide victory in Austin; Prop B rejected
Austin voters are in favor of stronger police oversight in the city after Proposition A was overwhelmingly passed Saturday night. Voters rejected Proposition B, setting a clear vision for how residents would like to see allegations of police misconduct investigated, according to the final but unofficial election results.
Austin voters in Travis County, which make up the majority of the ballot count, passed Proposition A with 79.86% support and rejected Proposition B with 81.09% in opposition to the measure.
In Williamson County, the results showed 61.68 % of voters were for Prop A and 62.24 % against Prop B.
Hays County, which only had 11 total votes cast in the proposition questions, voted down Prop A with 54.55%, or six votes against the proposal. But more than 81%, or nine votes, were against Prop B.
Still police oversight rules are complicated even with support from Austin voters. Advocates with Equity Action long feared that both propositions, which propose to handle police oversight completely different, would pass and create a legal limbo. Though that didn't happen Saturday night, city officials are concerned by proposals in the Legislature that could affect police oversight.
Senate Bill 2209 by Sen. Kelly Hancock would override what Austin voters just approved, and would prevent civilian entities, like Austin’s Office of Police Oversight, from having any role in investigating an officer's conduct. The Senate on Thursday approved the bill and advanced it to the House for consideration.
Mayor Kirk Watson said in a statement Saturday night that SB 2209 would impact provisions just approved by voters that could lead to less police oversight than the city had under the expired contract or from a proposed four-year contract, if the Austin Police Union does not agree to certain provisions under Prop A.
“This deeply felt conversation about public safety and policing in our community has raised a lot of challenging questions and absolutely no easy answers,” Watson said. “But we’ll keep talking in the hope of finding some common-sense solutions that serve all our community.”
The Austin Police Association said in a tweet that it was determining its next steps, but “will not stand by while this city and anti-police activists operate with blatant disregard for state law and the rights and protections afforded to our hardworking men and women.”
The association said that it will continue to prioritize negotiating a long-term contract, but would not be forced back to the table “under a structure in which a new city ordinance attempts to unlawfully interfere with the statutory rights associated with the meet and confer process.”
“We look forward to finding these answers so that we can get back under a long-term contract that allows for our police department to recruit, hire and retain the best and brightest people who wish to serve this community in a law enforcement capacity,” the group said.
All results are unofficial until they're canvassed.
-Luz Moreno-Lozano
Round Rock voters OK $274 million bond
Round Rock voters have approved the biggest bond package in the city's history, according to unofficial election results. The $274 million bond was divided into two propositions that both received strong support.
Round Rock City Council incumbents Michelle Ly and Frank Ortega won reelection Saturday to their Place 1 and Place 4 seats, respectively.
Pflugerville school board candidate Chevonne Lorigo-Jhost won her race for Place 7.
- Claire Osborn
Dripping Springs voters approve $224 million bond
After rejecting a bigger bond package in November, Dripping Springs school district voters on Saturday approved a $223.7 million bond package that would fund building new schools and facilities to address growth.
More than 64.1% voters — 4,744 of 7,397 votes — approved the bond package, according to complete but unofficial election results. The bond will cover building a new elementary school, expanding a middle school and paying for designs for other schools.
Voters also elected two new board members.
Kim Cousins received 3,730 votes, or 30.1%, and Rob McClelland got 3,112 votes, or 25.1%, according to complete but unofficial results. Cousins and McClelland won narrow margins against incumbent Ron Jones, who received 2,882 votes, or 23.2%, and challenger Jeffrey Aylstock, who got 2,680 votes, or 21.6%.
Dripping Springs elects school board members at large, rather than with specific places.
- Keri Heath
Hutto voters approve $522M bond package
Voters have approved a $522 million bond for the Hutto district to build new facilities to address the area’s rapid growth.
The bond package is the largest in the school district’s history.
The $471.5 million Proposition A passed with 61%, 1,235, of the 2,025 votes, according to complete but unofficial results.
Proposition A would construct two new elementary schools, build a ninth grade center, renovate Hutto High School and expand classrooms.
Proposition B, a $10.5 million package, drew 58.3%, 1,176, of the 2,019 votes.
The proposition will purchase technology devices.
Proposition C, $40 million, passed with 57%, 1,154, of the 2,024 votes, according to complete but unofficial results. The money will go toward a district academic center.
- Keri Heath
Round Rock voters on track to approve bond package
Round Rock voters are strongly supporting both propositions in the largest bond package in the city's history, according to voting results from all of the polling locations in Williamson County and 50% of precincts in Travis County. Those results also show incumbents Michelle Ly and Frank Ortega are leading in their races for the Round Rock City Council.
- Claire Osborn
Austin voters continue to show support for police oversight
Voters across Austin’s three counties – Travis, Williamson and Hays – say they want stronger police oversight with overwhelming support going to Proposition A, while voters overwhelmingly vote down Proposition B.
With a majority of Election Day precincts reporting in Travis County, 79.82% of voters are in favor of Proposition A and 81.09% came out against Proposition B.
In Williamson County – with nearly all election day precincts reporting – 60.44% of votes landed in favor of Proposition A while 61.71% of votes are against Proposition B.
Hays County has tallied 6 votes in the races for Prop A and B in Austin with more than 83% of votes in favor of Prop A, and all votes against Prop B.
-Luz Moreno-Lozano
Bastrop voters OK $322 million bond package
With a majority of precincts reporting, Bastrop voters are on track to approve a $321.5 million bond proposition that would upgrade facilities and build new schools.
Of 3,417 ballots cast, 1,847, votes, or 54.1%, were for the bond, according to complete but unofficial voting results.
School board President Billy Moore appears to have retained his Place 3 seat against challenger Joseph B. Thompson, with 56.5% support, according to election results.
In the Place 4 race, Priscilla Kay Ruiz is on track to defeat Greg Mueller with almost 60% of the vote.
- Keri Heath
Hutto, Leander school bonds lead in early tallies
All three propositions making up Hutto’s $522 million bond package, the largest in the school district’s history, is getting support from voters, according to early tallies.
Proposition A has garnered 62.23% support of the early vote, election data shows. The $471.5 million investment would fund constructing two new elementary schools, additional middle school classrooms, high school renovations, and set aside money to purchase land for future schools.
Proposition B received 59.91% of early votes in favor. The measure would dedicate $10.5 million to technology upgrades.
Proposition C has 58.89% of early voters saying yes. The proposition would give $40 million for a district academic center.
In Leander, early voters are supporting a $762.8 million school bond package with backing in both Williamson and Travis counties, according to the early vote tallies. The school district stretches across both counties.
The bond is broken into three propositions — Proposition A asks for $698.3 million for school facilities, buses and vehicles. Proposition B asks for $50.8 million for technology equipment and infrastructure. Proposition C requests $13.6 million for renovations to the district's two performing arts centers.
Leander school district voters in Travis County gave just over 52% support to Prop A, 57.58% support to Prop B, and 52.77% support to Prop C.
In Williamson County, Leander district voters gave 67.95% support to Prop A, 69.28% support to Prop B, and 65.77% support to Prop C.
Together the votes amount to:
Prop A: 6,503 votes for ; 3,803 against.
Prop B: 6,754 votes for; 3,541 against.
Prop C: 6,348 votes for; 3,943 against.
- Luz Moreno-Lozano
Early voters support Bastrop, Liberty Hill school bonds
In Bastrop, early vote totals showed voters in favor of a $321.5 million bond that would build a district police facility, install security cameras, finish high school renovations and build two new elementary schools, according to Bastrop County election data.
Just under 57% of early voters supported the bond, according to election data.
Liberty Hill early voters came out in support of the school district's three $471.1 million growth-related bond propositions, according to Williamson County election information.
Among early voters, 79.1% supported the $459 million Proposition A, which would upgrade safety and expand academic, fine art and career and technical facilities, according to county election data.
The $7.1 million Proposition B, which proposes to upgrade technology devices for students and staff, garnered 77.9% support from early voters.
More than 68% of early voters supported Proposition C, which would spend $5 million on stadium upgrades.
- Keri Heath
Round Rock city bond takes early lead
Round Rock voters are strongly supporting both propositions in the largest bond package in the city's history, according to early voting results.
Voters are also supporting incumbents Michelle Ly and Frank Ortega in their races for their places on the Round Rock City Council. Chevonne Lorigo-Jhost is leading in her race for the Pflugerville school board, according to early voting results.
- Claire Osborn
7:40 p.m. update: Dripping Springs, Hays, Eanes school bonds gain early support
Dripping Springs school district voters show early support for a $223.7 million school bond, the second multimillion proposal in six months, according to early voting results.
Almost 66.6% of early voters supported the measure, which is the district’s attempted do-over after voters rejected a $481.1 million bond package in November.
The projects in the bond would fund construction of new schools and expansions to accommodate growth.
In the Hays school district, early vote totals showed more narrow support for four bond propositions on the ballot, according to the early vote totals.
Between 52% and 56% of early voters supported each of the four propositions of a $367.9 million bond package that would construct new schools, build new fine art and athletic facilities and upgrade technology.
In the Eanes school district, early voters came out in support of all three school bond propositions.
About 78% people who voted early supported Proposition A — $117.8 million for security and physical upgrades.
More than 66% of early voters supported Proposition B — $2.4 million refurbishment of Chaparral Stadium.
About 75% of people who voted early supported Proposition C — $11.2 million to replace student and staff digital devices.
- Keri Heath
Get live May 6 Texas election results. Find key Travis County and Austin-area races here.
Police oversight measure, Proposition A, takes early lead
Austin early voters show strong support for the police oversight measure, Proposition A, which would return more powers to the civilian police oversight office and allow investigators to access all police records and interview witnesses while gathering evidence of police misconduct, early vote totals show.
Meanwhile, early voters came out against Proposition B, which would keep the Office of Police Oversight from conducting initial reviews of complaints or being part of the evidence-gathering portion of police misconduct investigations, according to early vote results, which were published after polls closed at 7 p.m.
In Travis County, Prop A received 80.11% support from early Austin voters, while Prop B had 81.21% of voters against the measure.
Parts of Austin that reach into Williamson County, show Prop A received 60.63% support from early voters. Prop B had 61.94% of early voters coming out against the measure.
Prop A was circulated by the criminal justice nonprofit Equity Action.
Proposition B, which joined the ballot earlier this year and was circulated by Voters for Oversight and Police Accountability, would ultimately uphold an arbitration ruling from last year that watered down the civilian oversight group's investigatory authority.
- Luz Moreno-Lozano
Polls open until 7 p.m. Saturday
Polling places are open Saturday until 7 p.m. in Austin and across the state for voters to cast their ballots on city, school district and other local races.
Early voting totals showed a low turnout for Austin's two police oversight-related propositions, with only 7% of eligible voters casting ballots as of Tuesday, when early voting ended.
In Williamson County, 6.5% of voters had cast ballots, compared with 4.5% in Hays County, according to county election data.
Austin voters will decide two propositions Saturday. Criminal justice nonprofit Equity Austin proposed Proposition A, which would return the Office of Police Oversight's abilities to investigate complaints of misconduct.
Proposition B, proposed by the Austin Police Association, would uphold a 2021 arbitration ruling that removed some of those abilities and would essentially keep the office from conducting initial reviews of complaints.
Voters in areas outside of Austin are voting on several multi-million dollar bond propositions and school board races.
Voters can view sample ballots and find open polling places here:
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas election: Get live updates as voters decide Austin-area races
