This post is from Burnt Orange Report's coverage of the 2009 Constitutional Amendment election. For coverage of the 2011 Constitutional Amendment election, CLICK HERE.
Early voting is on for the Constitutional Amendments election. Yesterday and today, Burnt Orange Report is providing some information about the 11 propositions on the ballot. Our aim is to give a broad sense of how different Texas entities perceive these amendments. In the table below, we've compiled their yea, nay, or no-endorse. Sources are all linked at the bottom. Friday, BOR will issue our official endorsements on some or all of these amendments. For more on the Amendment process, see the post on Amendment 1.
Proposition 7: Allowing Members of the Texas State Guard to Hold Civil Office
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"Currently, civil officers are prohibited in holding more than one compensated civil office, unless specifically exempted in the Constitution. ... The Texas State Guard was overlooked during earlier amendments to this section largely because they were not very active. However, in recent years they have become much more active and provide vital services to Texas during natural disasters." --League of Women Voters Guide
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| Source: | Endorsement: |
| Austin Chronicle: | YES. "When the current exceptions to "double-dipping" were written, everybody but the state guard or similar militia was included. The more, the merrier." |
| El Paso Times: | YES. "This would allow Texas State Guard members and members "or other state militia or military group" to hold other civil offices." |
| Fort Worth Star-Telegram: | NO. "A better way to do this, rather than holding an election every time some exception seems like a good idea, is to scrap the list and give the Legislature the authority to make exceptions by statute. Voters could hold the Legislature responsible for bad decisions." |
| Houston Tea Party Patriots: | No Endorsement. |
| Sen. Kirk Watson's "Watson Wire:" | YES. It "would clarify that members of the Texas State Guard (or similar groups) could hold civil offices such as justice of the peace or county commissioner." |
These posts will continue throughout the day. Endorsements by the Burnt Orange Report staff will follow on Friday.
Sources:
League of Women Voters Guide (PDF)
Austin Chronicle Endorsements, October 16, 2009
El Paso Times, October 18, 2009
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Endorsements, October 16, 2009
Houston Tea Party Patriots, October 15, 2009
Sen. Kirk Watson's Watson Wire, October 12, 2009
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