Published: November 04, 2009 08:59 pm      

Local totals in for state election

By Nathan Straus

nstraus@jacksonvilleprogress.com



Of the just over 1 million votes cast statewide in Tuesday’s election, 2,486 came from Cherokee County, according to numbers from the county clerk’s office.

The total includes those who cast votes in early and Election Day voting, with the majority attending Election Day voting.

All 11 proposed constitutional amendments were passed, though some of them received more against votes than votes in favor in Cherokee County.

Proposition 11, limiting the government’s powers of eminent domain, received 82.66 percent of the yes votes in Cherokee County — it passed statewide with 81 percent of the vote.

Proposition 4, which aims to contribute $500 million of existing state money to a national research university fund, passed statewide despite being voted down in Cherokee County — only 931 voted in favor while 1,503 against the amendment.

Proposition 2 passed with Cherokee County voters at 2,472 votes; 1,687 were in favor of the proposition and 785 were against.

Voters in Cherokee County narrowly favored Proposition 3. Up to 1,264 voted in favor and 1,205 voted against it.

Proposition 5 was not popular with Cherokee County voters. Of the 2,420 votes, 55.58 percent were against it and 44.42 percent were for it.

On Proposition 6, voters in the county favored it 1,378 to 1,041.

Proposition 7 was approved, with 62.91 percent of 2,448 county voters in favor of the amendment and 37.09 against.

Proposition 8 was similarly well liked in Cherokee County. Of the 2,461 who voted, 67.53 percent voted in its favor and 32.47 percent voted against it.

Proposition 9 received 67.9 percent votes for it out of 2,442. It had 32.1 percent vote against it.

Proposition 10 received 1,563 votes in its favor and 871 votes against it.

Individual precinct numbers were not available Wednesday afternoon.

State Rep. Chuck Hopson said he is pleased with the outcome.

“It’s beneficial for landowners, beneficial for higher education and for veterans,” Hopson said. “The things that were very important to me were passed. I’m glad we had a very positive outcome.”

Sen. Robert Nichols said in a press release that he felt very strongly about Proposition 11.

“It will prohibit the taking of private property for transfer to a private entity for the purpose of economic development,” Nichols said. “It may be the last number of the proposed amendments, but it is of first importance in preserving Texas’ tradition of protecting land and home owners.”