Local, Texas voters ban gay marriage
Heavy turnout attributed to interest in Proposition 2
By BRENDA ALLUMS news1@kilgorenewsherald.com

Gregg County voters followed the statewide trend in approving eight of the nine proposed constitutional amendments.

Voters followed the state’s example in voting against Proposition 5 that would have allowed commercial loan interest rated be defined by the legislature.

In Rusk County the picture was a little different. There, voters turned down Proposition 1 that would create funding for Texas rail facilities and Proposition 9 which would allow for six-year terms for members of the regional mobility authority. Rusk voters also joined Gregg and other statewide voters in opposing Proposition 5.

Gregg County Elections Administrator Kathryn Nealey said 14,731 (17.13 percent of 73,544 registered) voters turned out for Tuesday election. In Rusk County, reports indicate 18.7 percent of the 30,366 (5,678) registered voters turned out.

“This was the largest turnout for a constitutional amendment election I’ve seen,” Nealey said.

Nealey said she felt Amendments 2, 4 and 8 were the drawing cards for Gregg County Voters.

Bryan Johnston, election judge for Pct. 15 in Kilgore, said turn out was “exceptionally good” in his precinct. He said 496 people voted in this election – just shy of the vote total in the last major election. “In the last presidential election, which was a high profile election, 565 turned out in this precinct,” he said. “Proposition 2 drew the voters out because it was an emotional issue for many.”

Gregg County tallied 13,213 (89.92) percent for Proposition 2 and 51,480 or 44.77 percent against it.

Rusk County voters gave Prop 2 a 92 percent approval rating with 6,269 approving it and 519 voting against the measure.

Amendment 2 would provide that marriage in Texas is solely the union of a man and woman, and that the state and its political subdivisions could not create or recognize any legal status identical to or similar to marriage, including such legal status relationships created outside of Texas.

Gregg and Rusk voters follow the statewide trend in approving Proposition 4. Some 12,616 or 91.12 percent of the Gregg County voters approved it with 1,229 or 8.8 percent voting against it. In Rusk County, 5,652 approved the amendment while 638 opposed it.

Amendment 4 would authorize a district judge to deny reinstatement of bail or new bail to a person accused of a felony, if the person’s bail had been revoked or forfeited as a result of the person’s violation of a condition of release related to the safety of a victim of the alleged offense or to the safety of the community.

Proposition 8 drew approval in Gregg County also by a wide margin -11,435 or 86.24 percent for and 1,835 or 13.82 percent against. In Rusk County this proposed amendment was approved 4,791 to 1,111.

Amendment 8 would clear individual land titles by relinquishing and releasing all claims of state ownership interests, including mineral interests, in two local areas – a roughly 4,600-acre area about 14 miles south of Gilmer and a separate 900-acre area located north of Tyler.

Rusk County did not follow the state trend with Proposition 1. Rusk County voted against the measure 3,044 against and 2,901 for the proposal.

Gregg voters approved the proposition that would create a Texas rail relocation and improvement fund and would authorize grants of state revenue and issuance of public debt to relocate, rehabilitate, and expand privately and publicly owned passenger and freight rail facilities and to construct railroad underpasses and overpasses. Gregg County passed the amendment 7,248 for to 5,876 against.

Statewide voters approve the measure by 54 percent.

Proposition 5 that would have authorize the Legislature to exempt commercial loans from state usury laws that set maximum interest rates. “Commercial loans” are loans made primarily for business, commercial, investment, agricultural, or similar purposes and not primarily for personal, family or household purposes was defeated statewide with 57 percent of the voters against the issue. Gregg and Rusk counties followed that trend. Gregg County recorded 52 percent against the measure and Rusk County recorded 49 percent against it.

Proposition 3 would provide that local economic development program loans or grants (other than debts secured by a pledge of ad valorem taxes or financed by the issuance of any bonds or other obligations payable from ad valorem taxes) do not constitute or create debt. Any provision of state constitutional law that may prohibit or limit the authority of a political subdivision of the state to incur debt does not apply to those loans or grants.

Gregg County went against the grain in voting on Proposition 9 which would authorize the Legislature to provide staggered six-year terms of office for board members serving on regional mobility authorities, with no more than one-third of the board positions being appointed every two years.

Gregg County voters approved the measure 6,924 to 2,232 against. In Rusk County the voters downed the issue 3,016 to 2,664. Statewide the issue failed with 53 percent voting against the measure.

Another issue on the ballot was Proposition 6 that will increase the size of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from eleven to thirteen members by increasing from four to five the number of public members and by adding a constitutional county court judge. The additions would ensure that the commission has an odd number of members, which is required by another provision of the state constitution.

Also on the ballot was Proposition 7 which will authorize new options for reverse mortgage agreements for senior homeowners allowing them to draw advances at unscheduled intervals, if and when needed, and only in the amounts needed, during the loan term.