With votes in from 774 of Harris County's 782 voting centers, voters have approved all seven of the bond referendums proposed by the city of Houston this November, which will help fund a number of city capital improvement projects and salary replacement in departments such as public safety, parks and solid waste.
As of the morning of Nov. 9, six of seven propositions passed with 65% of the votes. The following results have been reported by the Harris County Elections Administrator:
- Some 67.8% favor Proposition A, which would provide $270 million for public safety, including multiple renovations as well as replacement and maintenance projects for fire and police.
- About 70% favor Proposition B, which would provide $60 million for improvements to swimming pools, park facilities, salaries and the Hermann Park conservancy.
- Some 66.6% favor Proposition C, which would provide $47 million for BARC animal shelters and adoptions, including for a BARC warehouse replacement and new facility.
- Some 68.9% favor Proposition D, which would provide $33 million for facilities that provide health-related services and salary recovery.
- About 53.7% favor Proposition E, which would provide $29 million for general city projects, including City Hall structure repairs, exterior waterproofing, renovations to the water system and replacement of sanitary lines.
- Some 68.8% favor Proposition F, which would provide $26 million for city libraries.
- Some 74% favor Proposition G, which would provide $6 million for facility projects related to the city’s Solid Waste Department, such as roof replacements, environmental services, salary recovery, locker room upgrades, concrete and pavement repairs, facility conditions assessment and inflation-related contingency.
Meanwhile in Harris County, the counting of provisional ballots has been delayed after the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay. Provisional ballots are ballots that are cast but not initially counted until a voter's registration status is determined.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Updated 10:50 p.m. Nov. 8
With votes in from 11 of Harris County's 782 voting centers, the city of Houston's seven bond elections remain on track to pass with approval percentages almost identical to early voting results.
- Some 67.6% favor Proposition A, which would provide $270 million for public safety, including multiple renovations as well as replacement and maintenance projects for fire and police.
- About 68.9% favor Proposition B, which would provide $60 million for improvements to swimming pools, park facilities, salaries and the Hermann Park conservancy.
- Some 66.2% favor Proposition C, which would provide $47 million for BARC animal shelters and adoptions, including for a BARC warehouse replacement and new facility.
- Some 68.2% favor Proposition D, which would provide $33 million for facilities that provide health-related services and salary recovery.
- About 53.7% favor Proposition E, which would provide $29 million for general city projects, including City Hall structure repairs, exterior waterproofing, renovations to the water system and replacement of sanitary lines.
- Some 68.2% favor Proposition F, which would provide $26 million for city libraries.
- Some 73.5% favor Proposition G, which would provide $6 million for facility projects related to the city’s Solid Waste Department, such as roof replacements, environmental services, salary recovery, locker room upgrades, concrete and pavement repairs, facility conditions assessment and inflation-related contingency.
- Proposition E, which would help fund repairs at City Hall and the City Hall Annex Building at Bagby Street in Houston, is the only Proposition with less than 65% approval.
- Proposition G, which would go toward the city's Solid Waste Department, has garnered the most voter approval so far at 73.5%.
Results are expected to continue to come in from Harris County voting centers over the course of the Nov. 8 evening and morning of Nov. 9.
Posted 8:15 p.m. Nov. 8
With early voting results reported in Harris County, voters have shown support for Houston’s seven bond referendums that aim to fund a variety of capital improvements from police facilities to parks to the city’s animal shelter.
If passed, the referendums—which appeared on ballots as propositions A-G—would give the city the ability to sell roughly $478 million in bonds to investors, which would be paid back with interest over a longer term.
Early voting results showed the following level of support for each proposition:
- 67.6% in favor of Proposition A, which would provide $270 million for public safety, including multiple renovations as well as replacement and maintenance projects for fire and police
- 68.9% in favor of Proposition B, which would provide $60 million for improvements to swimming pools, park facilities, salaries and the Hermann Park conservancy
- 66.2% in favor of Proposition C, which would provide $47 million for BARC animal shelters and adoptions, including for a BARC warehouse replacement and new facility
- 68.2% in favor of Proposition D, which would provide $33 million for facilities that provide health-related services and salary recovery
- 53.7% in favor of Proposition E, which would provide $29 million for general city projects, including City Hall structure repairs, exterior waterproofing, renovations to the water system and replacement of sanitary lines
- 68.1% in favor of Proposition F, which would provide $26 million for city libraries
- 73.5% in favor of Proposition G, which would provide $6 million for facility projects related to the city’s Solid Waste Department, such as roof replacements, environmental services, salary recovery, locker room upgrades, concrete and pavement repairs, facility conditions assessment, and inflation-related contingency
The bonds would not require an increase in property taxes, city officials have said.
Funding will in part be used on roughly $194 million in projects in Houston’s 2023-27 capital improvements plan but have not yet been funded. Among the projects labeled “future bond election” in Houston’s plan are more than $70 million for emergency response vehicles; $23 million to replace or renovate fire stations; and about $20 million in salary recovery across the police, fire, solid waste, public health and parks departments, Community Impact previously reported.
The remaining $274 million would be used for projects for 2028 and beyond, city officials said.
The city of Houston most recently called for a bond referendum in 2017. In that year, voters approved a $1 billion pension overhaul plan by 77.1%, a plan city officials at the time said was critical to pay off pension debt and would save the city money in the long run.
In 2017, voters also approved a $159 million public safety bond by a 75.3% margin, a $104 million parks bond by a 75% margin, a $109 million public facilities bond by a 74% margin and a $123 million library bond by a 72.6% margin.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
