2025 Bond election results: Lamar voters approve most of $1.99B measure

Voters in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, Texas, approved three of the four portions of its $1.99 billion bond package, rejecting just the $26.74 million for stadium renovations.

In the recent past, voters have turned down many proposals for such facilities.

Richardson ISD, Texas, voters approved a $1.4 billion bond package before them: $1.34 billion Proposition A for construction, $54 million Proposition B allocates for technology updates for students, and $7.4 million Proposition C for stadium improvements.

There were at least 637 ballot referendums voted upon Tuesday, totaling $129.487 billion, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The Sandow Municipal Utility District No. 1A, Texas, boasts the four largest ballot referendums, with the biggest one at $39.413 billion, set for master district water, sewer and drainage contract payments. All of Sandow MUD 1A's propositions appeared to pass. Most MUD votes pass, as there are a limited number of voters and sometimes in several districts, making it difficult to confirm passage.

The smallest ballot referendum from the list is from Chester, Connecticut, with $435,000 for construction of a splash pad at the community pool.

Texas has the most referendums on the ballot, with 357 items, totaling $110.84 billion, also the largest amount for a state, according to the data.

Michigan has the second-largest total with $3.084 billion across 41 ballots, followed by Arizona with $2.73 billion across 19.

After Texas, Iowa has the second largest number of ballot referendums with 57, followed by Michigan's 41.

Plum Creek Management District No. 1C's five bond propositions totaling $1.45 billion were rejected by two of the three votes cast for each measure, according to unofficial results from Liberty County.

Voters in Bexar County, Texas, approved a proposition to raise the county's hotel occupancy rate to 2% from 1.75% and continue its 5% motor vehicle rental tax to generate up to $311 million to help fund a $1.3 billion, partly bond-financed arena for the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs.

All 17 constitutional amendments Texas lawmakers piled onto statewide ballots passed, according to unofficial results from the secretary of state. They include an increase in the homestead exemption that is part of ongoing state-funded property tax relief and a 20-year state funding boost for water supply projects that could total $20 billion. Another amendment gives the Texas State Technical College System a permanent endowment to fund capital infrastructure.

Maricopa County, Arizona's Proposition 409, which would back $898 million bonds for health care, was narrowly receiving approval, but too close to call, according to published reports. The same was true for $415 million of bonds for the Western Maricopa Education Center District. In Chandler, voters appeared to approve a total of $475 million: $183 million for streets, $158 million for parks and recreation, $88 million for fire services and $46 million for police services. Tolleson Union HSD #214 voters appear to have rejected $125 million of issuance.

Van Alstyne ISD, Texas, voters appear to have rejected the request for $550 million of bonds. Greenville ISD voters approved $399 million of bonds. Brownsville ISD voters rejected $385 million Prop A and $75 million Prop B. Manor ISD voters appear to have rejected the request for $359.5 million of bonds. Royal ISD voters appear to have approved three issues: $350.6 million Prop A, $9.5 million Prop B and $6 million Prop C. Magnolia ISD voters were narrowly rejecting $469.6 million of bonds (50.57% voting no), according to a published report citing unofficial results.

Continuing in Texas, North East ISD voters approved $400 million for various purposes. Alvin ISD voters approved $380 million of bonds. Bryan ISD voters approved a total of $397 million of bonds: $325.5 million Prop A, $67.4 million Prop B and $4 million Prop C. Midlothian ISD voters appear to have approved $389 million of bonds comprised of $226.5 million Prop A, $157 million Prop B and $5.6 million Prop C. Weatherford ISD voters rejected $189.3 million in three propositions.

Early results in Navarro County, Texas, had the $205 million Corsicana ISD bond vote at 1,797 for and 1,709 opposed. Walker County Hospital District voters rejected the requested $198 million bonds. Parker County voters nixed $181 million Prop B, which would have funded construction of a justice center, and $105 million Prop A to renovate the county jail. Cleburne ISD voters appear to have narrowly rejected $165 million of bonds, according to a published report citing unofficial results. Snyder ISD voters rejected $170.9 million of bonds.

Friendswood ISD voters seem to have rejected $165 million the district requested. Beaumont voters rejected $147.3 million bonds for public safety and three other parts of the $264 million proposal, passing just Prop A, $58.2 million for streets and sidewalks. Taylor ISD's $147 million proposal received 64% support, according to unofficial results. Copperas Cove ISD voters approved $143.3 million.

Columbus, Ohio, voters approved a five-part $1.9 billion bond package for various purposes. Olantangy LSD voters approved $235 million of bonds.

Novi Community School District, Michigan, voters approved a $425 million bond proposal and South Lyon SD voters said yes to $325 million of bonds. But Lake Orion CSD voters rejected the district's $272 million bond proposal. And Rockford Public Schools voters turned down the $230 million bond request. Zeeland Public School voters agreed to sell $186 million of bonds.

Saginaw Township CSD voters turned down the request for $169.2 million of bonds. Hopkins school voters passed a $140 million bond. Portage school voters okayed $132.4 million for construction and buses. Jackson school voters approved $126 million. Wayne-Westland CSD voters backed a $125 million proposition with nearly 58% of the vote.

Fairfax County, Virginia, voters approved $460 million bonds.

Denver voters okayed the $935 million Vibrant Denver bond package including $441 million for streets, $244 million for infrastructure and $175 million for parks and recreation. Colorado's Pitkin County's $340 million of revenue bonds to help finance a $575 million modernization program for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport passed with 62.8% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico, voters approved $350 million of bonds. New Mexico's Dona Ana County won approval for two bond propositions totaling $140 million.

Des Moines Public SD, Iowa, voters approved a $265 million issuance. Ankeny CSD voters okayed $130 million for construction.

Lake Oswego SD #7J, Oregon, voters appear to have approved $245 million of bonds.

In South Carolina, voters in Spartanburg County SD 5 okayed $200 million, while SD 1 voters said yes to $140 million of bonds.

Spokane SD 81, Washington, voters passed the $200 million bond referendum. Orting SD voters were approving $137.2 million of bonds, but it was unclear if it would meet turnout requirement and maintain the needed supermajority.

Bulloch County, Georgia, voters approved a school tax that will allow the sale of $175 million of bonds for schools.

Hopkins ISD 270, Minnesota, voters approved $140 million of bonds.

Sandpoint, Idaho, voters gave a green light to $130 million of bonds for wastewater treatment facility renovation.

The Austin City Council will have to revisit the budget for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 after voters rejected a property tax rate increase that would have generated $109.5 million, according to Mayor Kirk Watson.

"The voters have told us they want us to do more, and they want us to not add to the problem of affordability," he said in a statement. "We should hear them, learn from this election, and trust our voters."

For the ballot referendums that were rejected, economic uncertainty may have played a role, said Tom Kozlik, managing director and head of public policy and municipal strategy at HilltopSecurities.

Since the equity markets are doing well, some believe the economy is doing well. However, there is a growing number of people who aren't positively impacted by what's happening in the equity market, giving rise to more economic uncertainty than some believe, he said.

Going back to the summer there are "cyclical but structural shifts" happening in the labor market. With higher inflation and increasing costs, people are more uncertain about their jobs, Kozlik said.

This, he noted, is playing into the mixed ballot referendum results.

The referendums that passed in Texas are constructive for the state, said Matt Fabian, president of Municipal Market Analytics, as states, along with Texas, need to invest in water infrastructure, a reference to the largest ballot referendums from Texas's Sandow Municipal Utility District No. 1A.

Texas is consistently one of the top three issuers of debt over the past several years. Through the end of October, the Lone Star State issued $73.153 billion, up 21.3% year-over-year, according to LSEG data.

The state is also the fastest net adder of debt, Fabian said.