WACO, Texas (KWTX) – If Texans vote in the Republican primary, they’ll have the chance to weigh in on more than just who should be the party’s candidates.
Along with the dozens of state and local races, Republicans will also have the chance to share their thoughts on ten propositions. Those propositions were created by the Republican Party of Texas to gauge opinions on a number of issues.
Jon Ker, is local attorney and member of the State Republican Executive Committee, which is where all the propositions come from.
Ker said the basis for the propositions comes from discussions the executive committee has with people around the state, and how voters feel about those propositions will guide the party’s legislative priorities in 2023. “A lot of these are because of what did not get accomplished last time,” Ker said. “Also, there’s some of them because they need to address the current political environment that we see.”
While voter turnout is traditionally low in primary elections, Ker said it’s important voters take the time to weigh in on the propositions.
“The voter needs to understand that this gives us direction to work with the legislature to make sure that our laws cover the things that we want them to cover.”
There were 10 propositions on the ballot in 2020, gathering opinions on issues like bail, restricting prayer in public school, gender modification for children and others. Ker said responses to those questions formed the eight priorities ahead of the 2021 legislative session.
While the propositions aren’t binding for the voter, they are binding for the Republican party. Ker said that means they can’t pursue a priority people don’t support.
You can find this year’s propositions below, and more information on the Republican Party website.
1.) In light of the federal government’s refusal to defend the southern border, Texas should immediately deploy the National Guard, Texas Military Forces, and necessary state law enforcement to seal the border, enforce immigration laws, and deport illegal aliens.
2.) Texas should eliminate all property taxes within ten (10) years without implementing a state income tax.
3.) Texans should not lose their jobs, nor should students be penalized, for declining a COVID-19 vaccine.
4.) Texas schools should teach students basic knowledge and American exceptionalism and reject Critical Race Theory and other curricula that promote Marxist doctrine and encourage division based on creed, race, or economic status.
5.) Texas should enact a State Constitutional Amendment to defend the sanctity of innocent human life, created in the image of God, from fertilization until natural death.
6.) The Republican-controlled Texas Legislature should end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats.
7.) Texas should protect the integrity of our elections by verifying that registered voters are American citizens, restoring felony penalties and enacting civil penalties for vote fraud, and fighting any federal takeover of state elections.
8.) Texas should ban chemical castration, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and genital mutilation surgery on all minor children for sex transition purposes.
9.) Texas parents and guardians should have the right to select schools, whether public or private, for their children, and the funding should follow the student.
10.) Texans affirm that our freedoms come from God and that the government should have no control over the conscience of individuals.
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