Unnecessary Amendments on the Ballot - VOTE “AGAINST”

Three unnecessary amendments to the NC Constitution are on this year's ballot.  All of them were proposed and passed by the Republican majority in the NC General Assembly.  If they receive a majority of "FOR" votes they will be added to our state constitution. 

Overview:
The proposed 2026 North Carolina constitutional amendments can be criticized as unnecessary and "too good to be true" because they do not actually lower current taxes or solve active problems but instead lock rigid limits into the state constitution that critics say will starve public services and strip local control.

The Mail-In Voter ID Requirement

  • Already the Law: Existing and enforced state law already requires absentee voters to include a copy of a photo ID or complete an exception form. 
  • Unnecessary Addition: Because the rule already exists in statute, adding it to the constitution solves no active security gap and is designed primarily to drive specific voter turnout rather than address a real problem.

The Income Tax Cap

  • No New Tax Cut: Analysts at the NC Budget & Tax Center point out that North Carolina’s personal income tax rate is already scheduled by regular law to drop to 3.49% in 2027 and 2.99% in 2028, meaning the proposed 3.5% cap does not give taxpayers an extra cut.
  • Tying Future Hands: Opponents argue that making this limit a permanent part of the state constitution stops future lawmakers from raising revenue during recessions, natural disasters, or population booms.
  • Irreparable Consequences: Democratic State Representative Marcia Morey stated that while the pitch sounds great, the long-term damage to essential government services like public safety and schools makes it "too good to be true".

The Property Tax Limit

  • No Immediate Relief: Advocacy groups note that a property tax levy limit does not fix underlying housing affordability or lower current bills for families. 
    • Loss of Local Power: Critics from Carolina Forward warn that capping local property tax growth strips power away from local county commissioners. Decisions shift to state politicians in Raleigh, which could slash billions from local budgets used to fund police, fire departments, and schools.
  • Proponent Defense: Republican Representative Destin Hall argued the amendment is necessary to stop runaway local government hikes and protect taxpayers from over taxation.  A state law already exists which caps the amount of tax per $100 of property value at $1.50. The highest rate in the state is currently $0.93 per $100 of property value.  The current average rate is $0.53 per $100 of property value.

Learn more by researching 2026 Amendments at these media sources.  

View a PCDP Sample Ballot. This one handout covers all Pamlico County elections and can be used by all voters.