Ballot Measures

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North Carolina 2026 Ballot Measures

Summary of Amendments:

1. Property Tax Levy Limit Amendment: Require the state legislature to pass laws limiting the amount that property taxes may increase.

2. Reduce Income Tax Rate Cap from 7% to 3.5% Amendment: Reduce the maximum allowable income tax rate from 7% to 3.5%

3. Require Voter Identification Amendment: Require photographic identification to vote for all voters, not just those voting in person.

Details of Amendments:

There are three proposed constitutional amendments on the November 3, 2026, North Carolina ballot. Below are the exact ballot questions and the precise constitutional language that would be added or changed if each passes (taken from the official session laws).

1. Require Photo ID for All VotersBallot question (from Session Law 2024-58 / SB 921):

“[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST
Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting.”

Proposed constitutional changes (Article VI):
Section 2(4) would be rewritten to read:
“(4) Photo identification for voting. Voters shall present photographic identification before voting. The General Assembly shall enact general laws governing the requirements of such photographic identification, which may include exceptions.”

(The current version limits this to “Voters offering to vote in person.” The “in person” language is removed.)

Section 3 would be retitled “Registration; Voting.” and its subsection (2) would be rewritten to:
“(2) Voters shall present photographic identification before voting. The General Assembly shall enact general laws governing the requirements of such photographic identification, which may include exceptions.”

(Again removing the “in person” limitation.)

2. Lower Taxes for All NC (Income Tax Cap)Ballot question (from Session Law 2026-4 / SB 1080):

“[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST
Constitutional amendment to keep the State income tax rate from being raised higher than three and one-half percent (3.5%).”

Proposed constitutional change (Article V, Section 2(6)):

“(6) Income tax. The rate of tax on incomes shall not in any case exceed three and one-half percent, and there shall be allowed personal exemptions and deductions so that only net incomes are taxed.”

(Current language has “seven” in place of “three and one-half.” If approved, it would apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.)

3. Property Tax Levy LimitBallot question (from Session Law 2026-5 / HB 1089):

“[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST
Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments.”

Proposed constitutional change (Article V, Section 2(5)):

“(5) Property tax purposes, limitation. The General Assembly shall not authorize any county, city or town, special district, or other unit of local government to levy taxes on property, except for purposes authorized by general law uniformly applicable throughout the State, unless the tax is approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the unit who vote thereon. The General Assembly shall enact general laws limiting the amount by which the levy of taxes on property may increase, which may include exceptions.”

(The heading is changed from “Purposes of property tax” and the new sentence requiring levy limits is added. The amendment itself sets no specific percentage, formula, or dollar limit; that would be left to future legislation.)

Sources: Official NC General Assembly session laws (SL 2024-58, SL 2026-4, SL 2026-5) and consistent reporting from Ballotpedia and other outlets covering the measures.