Politics
Waco Charter Amendment Referendum: Signature Thresholds Compared to Austin and San Antonio
Waco residents face a November ballot question that would raise the number of signatures needed for citizen petitions from 5 percent to 8 percent of registered voters, matching rules already in place in several larger Texas cities.
How we reported this
Waco voters will decide in November on a city charter amendment that changes the signature requirement for citizen-initiated referendums from 5 percent to 8 percent of registered voters in the most recent municipal election. The measure affects anyone seeking to place questions about taxes, zoning or city services directly on the ballot through petition.
How Waco Rules Differ From Nearby Cities
Austin requires 20,000 signatures or 5 percent of registered voters, whichever is lower, for most charter amendments, while San Antonio sets its threshold at 5 percent of votes cast in the last mayoral election. Waco’s proposed shift would align its process more closely with Fort Worth, which uses an 8 percent standard. City documents show the change would apply to petitions filed after January 2027.
The amendment stems from a 2025 city council resolution that directed staff to review petition rules after two separate initiatives on property tax caps reached the ballot in 2024. McLennan County election records list 92,400 registered voters in Waco at the close of 2025, meaning the new threshold would require roughly 7,400 valid signatures instead of the current 4,600.
Daily Effects on Residents and Local Services
Residents who want to challenge a proposed water rate increase or a zoning change near Baylor University would need to collect additional signatures before the city clerk certifies the petition. The city budget for fiscal year 2026 allocates $2.8 million to maintain streets and sidewalks; any referendum seeking to redirect those funds would face the higher bar. Local advocates note that groups working on neighborhood issues often rely on volunteers rather than paid circulators.
City Clerk records indicate that three petitions have qualified for the ballot in Waco since 2018. Two addressed park funding and one concerned short-term rental regulations. Under the proposed rule, the 2024 tax-cap petition that gathered 5,100 signatures would have fallen short.
Early voting for the November 3 election begins October 19. The city will mail sample ballots to all registered voters by October 1, and the full text of the charter amendment appears on the municipal website under the elections section. If approved, the new signature requirement takes effect immediately for any petition filed after certification of the election results.