Three Amendments on Your Ballot

A balanced, non-partisan guide to the three proposed amendments to the North Carolina Constitution - what each one would actually do, what a FOR and an AGAINST vote mean, and the arguments voters will hear from supporters and from critics.

This guide makes no endorsement. Each amendment is decided separately, by a simple majority of voters who vote on it. You can vote FOR one and AGAINST another. Read the ballot wording, the immediate effect, and both sides - then decide for yourself.

Why “constitutional” matters

An ordinary law can be changed by a future General Assembly. A provision in the state constitution cannot. Changing or repealing it again requires a three-fifths (60%) vote in the legislature plus another statewide vote. That permanence is central to the debate on all three measures: supporters value locking in a rule voters approve; critics ask whether a policy that may need adjusting belongs in the constitution at all.

Key dates for 2026

Date

Milestone

Fri, Oct. 9

Voter registration deadline, 5 p.m.

Thu, Oct. 15 - Sat, Oct. 31

Early in-person voting, including same-day registration. Early voting ends at 3 p.m. on Oct. 31.

Tue, Oct. 20

Deadline to request an absentee (mail) ballot, 5 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 3

Election Day. Polls 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. A mail ballot must reach your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. that day.

Dates as listed by the NC State Board of Elections and reported for the November 2026 election. Confirm your own sample ballot, polling place, and deadlines with your county board - see the last page.