2013 Texas elections

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Nine proposed amendments to the Constitution of Texas appeared on the November 5, 2013 general election ballot. All nine amendments were successfully passed.^[2]

Proposition 1 provided for an exemption from ad valorem taxation on all or part of the market value of the residence of a surviving spouse of a United States Armed Forces member killed in action.^[3]

The measure passed.^[4]

Texas Proposition 1^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	999,724	86.98
No	149,613	13.02
Total votes	1,149,337	100.00

Proposition 2 repealed a constitutional provision that required the formation of a State Medical Education Board and a State Medical Education Fund.^[3]

The measure passed.^[6]

Texas Proposition 2^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	950,046	84.70
No	171,666	15.30
Total votes	1,121,712	100.00

Proposition 3 increased the number of days that aircraft parts held in the state could be exempt from ad valorem taxation.^[3]

The measure passed.^[7]

Texas Proposition 3^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	626,602	57.73
No	458,767	42.27
Total votes	1,085,369	100.00

Proposition 4 provided for an exemption from ad valorem taxation on part of the market value of a residence if it was the home of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a partially disabled veteran, and had been donated to the disabled veteran by a charitable organization.^[3]

The measure passed.^[8]

Texas Proposition 4^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	965,377	85.14
No	168,435	14.86
Total votes	1,133,812	100.00

Proposition 5 authorized the making of a reverse mortgage loan for the purchase of homestead property, and amended other regulations surrounding reverse mortgage loans.^[3]

The measure passed.^[9]

Texas Proposition 5^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	683,402	62.61
No	408,197	37.39
Total votes	1,091,599	100.00

Proposition 6 provided for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas (SWIRFT) to assist in the financing of projects in the state water plan.^[3]

The measure passed.^[10]

Texas Proposition 6^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	839,369	73.35
No	304,981	26.65
Total votes	1,144,350	100.00

Proposition 7 authorized a home-rule municipality to detail in its charter the procedure on filling a vacancy on its governing body in which the unexpired term is 12 months or less.^[3]

The measure passed.^[11]

Texas Proposition 7^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	809,844	74.38
No	278,878	25.62
Total votes	1,088,722	100.00

Proposition 8 repealed the constitutional provision for the creation of a hospital district in Hidalgo County.^[3]

The measure passed.^[12]

Texas Proposition 8^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	743,510	72.37
No	283,933	27.63
Total votes	1,027,443	100.00

Proposition 9 expanded the types of sanctions against a judge or justice following disciplinary proceedings instituted by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.^[3]

The measure passed.^[13]

Texas Proposition 9^[5]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes	925,509	84.65
No	167,825	15.35
Total votes	1,093,334	100.00

Summarize Timeline Top Qs Fact Check

2013 Texas's 50th House of Representatives district special election (runoff)

← 2012 January 28, 2014 2014 →

Nominee Celia Israel Mike VanDeWalle Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 6,275 4,245 Percentage 59.65% 40.35%

Representative before election Mark Strama Democratic Elected Representative Celia Israel Democratic

A special election took place in Texas's 50th House of Representatives district after the resignation of Democratic Representative Mark Strama, who left politics to lead Google Fiber's operations in Austin.^[14] As no candidate reached 50% of the vote in the November 5, 2013 election, a runoff election took place on January 28, 2014. The runoff was won by Democratic candidate Celia Israel, who defeated Republican Mike VanDeWalle.^[15]

• Jade Chang Sheppard (Democratic), owner of Gideon Contracting^[16]
• Celia Israel (Democratic), realtor and community activist^[16]
• Rico Reyes (Democratic), attorney and former Marine^[16]
• Mike VanDeWalle (Republican), chiropractor^[16]

2013 Texas House of Representatives 50th district special election^[17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike VanDeWalle	5,853	39.19%
	Democratic	Celia Israel	4,755	31.84%
	Democratic	Jade Chang Sheppard	2,335	15.63%
	Democratic	Rico Reyes	1,993	13.34%
Total votes			14,936	100.00%

2013 Texas House of Representatives 50th district special runoff election^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Celia Israel	6,275	59.65%
	Republican	Mike VanDeWalle	4,245	40.35%
Total votes			10,520	100.00%
	Democratic hold

2013 Texas's 6th Senate district special election (runoff)

← 2012 March 2, 2013 2016 →

Nominee Sylvia Garcia Carol Alvarado Party Democratic Democratic Popular vote 9,595 8,546 Percentage 52.89% 47.11%

Senator before election Mario Gallegos Jr. Democratic Elected Senator Sylvia Garcia Democratic

On October 16, 2012 State Senator Mario Gallegos Jr. of the 6th district died from complications associated with his liver transplant.^[19] However, during the 2012 general election, Gallegos' name remained on the ballot and he was re-elected. As a result, a special election was called for January 26, 2013.^[20] As no candidates reached at least 50% of the vote in the special election, a runoff took place on March 2. There, Democrat Sylvia Garcia defeated fellow Democrat Carol Alvarado to win the seat.^[21]

• Carol Alvarado (Democratic), State Representative from the 145th district^[22]
• R.W. Bray (Republican), 2012 election candidate^[22]
• Susan Delgado (Democratic), real estate broker^[22]
• Sylvia Garcia (Democratic), former Harris County Commissioner and City of Houston Controller^[22]
• Joaquin Martinez (Democratic), community leader^[22]
• Dorothy Olmos (Republican), educator and State Board of Education candidate^[22]
• Rodolfo Reyes (Democratic), business consultant and former League City Council member^[22]
• Maria Selva (Green), community organizer^[22]

2013 Texas Senate 6th district special election^[23]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sylvia Garcia	7,424	45.35%
	Democratic	Carol Alvarado	6,813	41.62%
	Republican	R.W. Bray	1,015	6.20%
	Republican	Dorothy Olmos	461	2.82%
	Democratic	Joaquin Martinez	405	2.47%
	Democratic	Rodolfo Reyes	125	0.76%
	Green	Maria Selva	73	0.45%
	Democratic	Susan Delgado	53	0.32%
Total votes			16,369	100.00%

2013 Texas Senate 6th district special runoff election^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sylvia Garcia	9,595	52.89%
	Democratic	Carol Alvarado	8,546	47.11%
Total votes			18,141	100.00%
	Democratic hold