Charlotte-Mecklenburg voters will see additional items at the bottom of their ballots asking for their approval on a proposed constitutional amendment and several referendums on bonds.
This is what we recommend:
Voting amendment for non-citizens
Voters in North Carolina will be asked to approve or oppose a constitutional amendment clarifying that “only a citizen of the United States” can vote in state and local elections.
It is not a clarification that is needed. The state constitution is already very clear, stating that “every person born in the United States and every person naturalized” is entitled to vote in North Carolina elections.
It is also a solution in search of a problem. There is no evidence to suggest that existing language is inadequate or somehow allows non-citizen voting in state and local elections.
But Republicans want you to think so. In an op-ed in Fox News in July, N.C. House Majority Leader John Bell said the amendment is necessary because there are millions of undocumented immigrants who could be terrorists, members of the Chinese Communist Party or violent criminals, and they could try to vote in the elections in North Carolina.
Again, there is no evidence that this will happen, nor is there any reason to believe that our existing election processes are not secure enough to stop them. Between 2015 and 2022, the North Carolina State Board of Elections referred only eight cases of suspected noncitizen voting to prosecutors — an infinitesimal fraction of all votes cast in the state during that period.
The exact wording of the amendment is far too vague – it states that “only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise qualified to vote shall have the right to vote.” It does not define “citizen,” nor does it clarify what it means to “otherwise be qualified to vote.” That vagueness invites confusion and misinterpretation, which is not good for anyone.
It’s not that we don’t believe in holding our elections securely. We oppose this amendment because they already are, and putting it on the ballot only encourages voters to believe otherwise. That’s dangerous.
We recommend voting NO about this amendment.
Charlotte Bonds
Charlotte residents will also see three bond referendums on their ballots this year. Bonds tend to have wide margins, and they should: they allow the city to meet critical needs and improvements that benefit everyone.
This year’s bonds total approximately $400 million and are divided into three categories:
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Transportation: $238.3 million, including money for sidewalks, road improvements and Vision Zero, the city’s initiative to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and serious injuries by 2030.
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Housing: $100 million for affordable housing for low- and middle-income families.
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Neighborhood Improvements: $61.57 million for neighborhood infrastructure and investments in the city’s Corridors of Opportunity. these are underserved areas that the city has highlighted for investment.
A more complete list of projects funded by the bonds can be found online at voteyesforbonds.com.
It may seem like these bonds appear on the ballot every election cycle. And they do this for one simple reason: because they are needed. As Charlotte’s population grows, so do its needs, and projects like these help city leaders accommodate that growth. We recommend vote yes on all three packages.
