Constitutional Amendments

• How much have you heard about the November 2023 Constitutional Amendment Election in Texas? (October 2023)

  Respondents were asked, "How much have you heard in the news about each of the following: The November 2023 Constitutional Amendment Election in Texas?"

• Peculiar Partisan Patterns Persist in Lukewarm Views of Constitutional Revision

  February 27, 2017 | By: Jim Henson, Joshua Blank

  Legislation clearing the way for Texas to join the call for a Convention of the States aimed at considering amendments to the U.S. Constitution appears poised to hit the Senate floor for debate this week, as early as Tuesday. Statewide polling, however, continues to show patterns of support among Texans that don’t necessarily correspond to a project favored by the state GOP’s standard bearer.

• Hold a Constitutional Convention (February 2017)

  Respondents were asked, "Would you say the United States Constitution has held up well as the basis for our government and laws and is in little need of change, or would you say that we should hold a new constitutional convention to update the Constitution?"

• Hold a Convention of the States (February 2017)

  Respondents were asked, "Would you say the United States Constitution has held up well as the basis for our government and laws and is in little need of change, or would you say that we should hold a convention of the states to consider amendments to the U.S. Constitution?"

• Impulse to conserve the Constitution could block Texas' call for a convention

  September 23, 2016 | By: Jim Henson, Joshua Blank

  Comparatively higher levels of support among liberals for a constitutional convention might well reinforce conservative impulses to defend the status quo — the threat of liberal change could outweigh the promise of changes justified in the call.

• Amended Endorsements & Endorsed Amendments: Texas Data Points from the Week in Politics – September 16, 2016

  September 16, 2016 | By: Jim Henson, Joshua Blank

  In a week that found Governor Abbott a little more committed to Donald Trump, the legislature continued to hold hearings that provide glimpses at possible agenda items as the universe around the state capitol comes to terms with the fact that Legislature will be back in session in less than four months. Two issues were on display this week that defy conventional coalition politics – a familiar one of finding a way to subsidize private schools with public funds, and the more esoteric subject of holding a Constitutional Convention to consider changes to the U.S. Constitution. Ted Cruz also made his way back into the news this week by being nice to some of his GOP colleagues and being not so nice to the Obama Administration. A new statewide poll grabbed headlines by finding Trump leading Clinton in the first major poll to switch over to focusing on likely voters.

• Birthright Citizenship Repeal Support (November 2015)

  Respondents were asked, "As you may know, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution says that all children born in the United States are automatically U.S. citizens regardless of their parents' legal status. Would you favor or oppose changing the Constitution to REPEAL this part of the 14th Amendment?"

• Texas Data Points from the Week in Politics (November 6)

  November 06, 2015 | By: James Henson, PhD, Joshua Blank, PhD

  It was a week in which Texas political headlines were generated by characteristically low-turnout Constitutional and local elections and the release of interim charges by the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives – which is to say, it was a week for insiders.

• In Vote, Opposition Isn't Overflowing

  October 24, 2013 | By: James Henson, PhD, Joshua Blank, PhD

  Political chatter about a grassroots uprising against the water funding measure on the November ballot appears to be overblown. Polling indicates a fair amount of Tea Party support for that constitutional amendment.

• A Trickle of Votes for a Water Fund

  October 15, 2013 | By: James Henson, PhD, Joshua Blank, PhD

  Texas voter turnout is low, but for constitutional amendments like the one next month, turnout is often very, very low. So how do you figure out which poll respondents deserve your attention?