These results are based on the 2:45 a.m. Dallas County Elections report. The results have not yet been certified.
Three of the four citizen-driven city charter propositions, including Dallas HERO Act propositions S and U, were approved yesterday by Dallas voters, according to preliminary Dallas County elections data.
City of Dallas voters cast their ballots on 18 city charter amendments this election cycle, in addition to county, state and federal races. As mandated by state law, the Dallas City Charter is reviewed once every ten years. The first 14 charter amendments were developed by city staff and the Charter Review Commission before being approved and placed on the ballot by Dallas City Council.
According to Dallas County Elections data, almost 70% of residents voted for Proposition E, which prevents city councilmembers and the mayor from running for another term once they’ve reached the term limit (Dallas councilmembers and mayors have previously been able to run again after sitting one cycle out.) Proposition D, which opens the door to moving city elections to November, was passed with over 65% of the vote.
Proposition C, which provided pay raises for city council and the mayor, was voted down with over 57% of residents voting against.
But perhaps the bigger story comes from the results of the four citizen-driven amendments. Each generated significant controversy in the months leading up to the election. Each amendment was placed on the ballot after receiving the required number of signatures from residents. They are:
Proposition R
This amendment, advocated for by left-wing advocacy group Ground Game Texas, would severely restrict marijuana offense enforcement in the City of Dallas. The proposition’s language states that no DPD officer may issue a citation or make an arrest for the possession of less than four ounces of marijuana, except if part of a wider narcotics investigation. The proposition also prohibits DPD from testing substances for THC content, and would eliminate the odor of marijuana as grounds for search and seizure.
Proponents of the amendment say marijuana enforcement disproportionately impacts people of color, and that the amendment will free up DPD to focus on more pressing issues. Detractors, including Mayor Eric Johnson and District 10 Councilmember Kathy Stewart, say that it directly contradicts state law.
The result: Passed with over 65% of the vote.
Proposition S
Propositions S,T and U were placed on the ballot by Dallas HERO, a right-wing advocacy group funded by Dallas Express Publisher Monty Bennett. Earlier this year, a large group of city officials asked citizens to vote no on all three propositions.
This amendment waives governmental immunity for the City of Dallas in certain cases and gives standing to every resident to sue the city for violations of the city charter, city ordinances, and state law.
“I can’t imagine why anyone would want to serve in law enforcement, code compliance — you can just go down the line — why you would want to work in a job that has dangerous and precarious circumstances with the public sometimes and not feel protected in your role,” District 13 Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis recently told The Advocate. “How are you going to get quality applicants for police chief if you don’t have governmental immunity?”
The result: Passed with 55.02% of the vote.
Proposition T
Proposition T ties the city manager’s annual performance pay — and employment — to an annual quality of life survey. Per the language of the amendment, the survey would be completed by a minimum 1,400 Dallas residents.
The result: 55% against.
Proposition U
Proposition U appropriates 50% of excess annual revenue to funding the Police and Fire Pension Fund, which is currently facing a multi-billion dollar shortfall, as well as increasing police salaries. The proposition also stipulates that the city maintain a force of sworn officers numbering no less than 4,000. This amendment would require DPD to hire more than 800 officers, despite recent hiring struggles.
“On their surface, [Propositions S,T and U] look like they’re going to give us more accountability and more police officers, but when you dig in and see the financial and practical impact, they’d be devastating to the city budget, to city employees and to police officers who could lose their immunity and individually be subject to lawsuits,” Kathy Stewart recently told The Advocate.
The result: Passed with a razor-thin 50% of the vote, 49.48 of voters voted against.
Looking Forward
With its approval, Proposition S has opened the doors to an almost unprecedented new level of resident-city litigation, which may end up affecting every city department, board and commission. Supporters say the amendment encourages accountability, while detractors say the bill will further exacerbate staffing shortages, and cost the city millions in legal fees.
“We would see recruitment decline across many categories, and we would also see an exodus of our current employees,” Gay Donnell Willis told The Advocate before the election. “We would be the only city in the country that doesn’t have governmental immunity.”
The proposition also potentially clouds the future of Proposition R, as many of its opponents say it violates state marijuana laws.
Proposition U faces an uphill battle in a climate where DPD has struggled to recruit new officers. According to a 2023 Dallas Morning News article, in 2022 DPD hired 205 sworn officers, but lost 236 officers to attrition.
“Across the nation, hiring is just not as robust as it used to be, but this latest class had the most police recruits in a long time,” District 9 Councilmember Paula Blackmon recently told The Advocate. The number of people wanting to get into this line of work is finally starting to perk up. It is hard work being a police officer — somebody said you’re also a social worker, a psychologist and a family therapist. We want to make sure they are well-trained and know the policies and procedures of our city and how to work with communities. So, we are working to hire more. It is in the budget, but it’s a process.”
