During November of each odd-numbered year, Texas voters head to the ballot box to decide whether to support or reject amendments to the Texas Constitution. On November 4, 2025, this biennial exercise in democratic decision-making is scheduled to once again take place.
In the past, voters have sometimes left the polling place more confused than when they first arrived. Part of the blame is often due to ballot language that is clunky, complicated, and convoluted. Too, explanatory materials that one might assume should accompany proposed amendments are either difficult to find or missing altogether. Without clear and concise supporting documentation, voters can sometimes find the process more difficult than it should be. The complication of it all may help to
explain why so many amendments seem to succeed.
Unlike the U.S. Constitution, the Texas Constitution is an expansive document that is frequently amended. Excluding the upcoming vote, 714 constitutional amendments have been proposed since it was adopted in 1876. Of those, 530 amendments have been ratified by voters, 181 have been defeated, and 3 amendments never made it to the ballot box. In all, amendments proposed to voters have been approved 74.2% of the time. Such a high passage rate is not necessarily a bad thing so long as it is
done from the perspective of informed decision-making. That is what this guide hopes to facilitate.
The preamble to the Texas Constitution reads: “Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas, do ordain and establish this Constitution.” This opening passage should remind us of the significance of our founding document and prompt us to not simply vote, but to be maximally informed as we vote. With that in mind, and with the spirit of civic responsibility, please enjoy the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 2025 Guide to Constitutional Amendments in Texas.
