RALEIGH, N.C. — Every North Carolina voter who casts a ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 3, will see three proposed changes to the state constitution, covering the state income tax, local property taxes and photo identification at the polls.
Each question is answered for or against, and an amendment takes effect if a simple majority of the votes cast on that question favor it. The governor has no veto over amendments the General Assembly sends to voters.
Lawmakers put the questions on the ballot. North Carolina does not let citizens petition statewide measures onto the ballot, so every amendment must clear 60% of the members of both legislative chambers in a single session, at least 72 House votes and 30 Senate votes when no seats are vacant. Legislators referred the two tax amendments on May 20, 2026.
The income tax question would cut the constitutional ceiling on the state income tax rate from 7% down to 3.5%. The rate this year is 3.99%, and the cuts already written into state law take it to 3.49% next year, then 3.24% in 2030 and finally 2.99% from 2033 on. Backers call the lower ceiling a guardrail against future increases, while critics argue it would box in later legislatures when revenue needs change.
The property tax question would direct the General Assembly to pass laws limiting how much counties, cities and towns can raise their property tax levies. No specific number or formula appears in the amendment, which leaves the details, and any exceptions, to lawmakers. Supporters say homeowners would gain predictability; local government officials and some legislators worry about funding for services.
The voter ID question would extend the constitution’s photo identification requirement from in-person voters to all voters, including those who vote by mail. State law already requires ID and offers an exception process for absentee voters, so the change would write that broader rule into the constitution.
North Carolinians have a long record of approving these referrals. Of the 30 statewide ballot measures voters saw between 1985 and 2024, 25 passed and 5 failed.
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