North Carolina Voters Approve All Three Constitutional Amendments

North Carolina voters approved all three proposed constitutional amendments Tuesday, locking in a lower income-tax ceiling, directing lawmakers to limit local property-tax growth and expanding the constitution’s photo ID requirement to every voting method.

With all precincts reporting, the photo ID amendment received about 59.6% support, the property-tax measure won roughly 60.4%, and the income-tax cap led with nearly 61.9%, according to unofficial results.

The income-tax amendment lowers the maximum rate permitted by the state constitution from 7% to 3.5% for personal and corporate income beginning with the 2027 tax year. It does not immediately cut taxes. North Carolina’s personal income-tax rate is 3.99% and was already scheduled to fall to 3.49% next year.

The property-tax amendment requires the General Assembly to enact laws limiting how much counties, cities and other local governments may increase their total property-tax levies. It does not establish a numerical cap, leaving lawmakers to determine the limit and any exceptions through future legislation.

The voter ID amendment changes constitutional language that previously applied only to people voting in person. It now requires all voters, including those casting absentee ballots by mail, to present photo identification before voting. State law already imposes an identification requirement on mail voters, subject to exceptions, but the amendment places the broader rule in the constitution.

The Republican-controlled General Assembly placed all three measures on the ballot. Supporters presented them as protections for taxpayers and election security. Opponents argued the tax amendments could restrict future state and local officials from responding to revenue needs, while the photo ID change was unnecessary because similar requirements already existed in state law.

Once certified, the photo ID and property-tax amendments take effect, while the income-tax limit applies beginning Jan. 1.