Only about 900 Bee County voters appeared at the polling places Tuesday, a low turnout according to county officials.

Yet, those who made the effort to do their civic duty appeared eager to let their voices be heard, overwhelmingly approving Proposition 11, by a 7-to-1 margin.

Across the state, voters passed Prop. 11, which sends a strong message that Texans want to protect their property and limit the Legislature’s power to grant eminent domain, by an 81.2 percent rate.

Along with the other 10 propositions, including those which protect property owners from higher appraisals and ad valorem taxation, it seems that Texans wanted to stop government abuses of private property owners.

Perhaps, when viewed with the outcomes of the governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia, it appears as though 2009’s voters were issuing a warning to all government – local, state and federal – that incumbents better watch out if we continue down the current path of increased taxes, spending and deficits, crippling our ability to generate energy with disastrous cap-and-trade legislation, and unnecessary government takeover of the nation’s health industry.

Whatever the reason for Tuesday’s election results, politicians better exercise caution and prudence. Judging from these outcomes and the continued anger demonstrated at the tea parties, 2010 may be another watershed moment in American electoral history.