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BY THE RECORDASHEVILLE
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Statewide constitutional amendment

Limits on local property tax increases

Who votes on it: Every voter in North Carolina. Election Day is November 3, 2026.

What your vote means

A FOR vote

The constitution would require the legislature to pass limits on how much local property tax collections can increase. The size of the limit would come later, in a law.

An AGAINST vote

Nothing changes. The constitution would not require limits on how much local property taxes can grow.

Read it line by line

The exact words on your ballot. Scroll, and each part lights up with a plain-English explanation. Tap any part to jump to it.

The ballot question

Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments.

  1. 1 of 2

    This would change the state constitution. Lawmakers would have to pass limits.

  2. 2 of 2

    The limits would cap how much more property tax counties, cities and towns could collect, compared with before. The amendment does not set the limit. The legislature would write it later, and it may include exceptions.

What it changes in the constitution

Article V, Section 2(5), as the amendment would rewrite it. The ballot shows only the question above; this is the text that would change.

The constitution, rewritten

(5) Purposes of property tax. 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.

Underlined: addedStruck through: removed

  1. 1 of 3

    The heading changes to add the word limitation.

  2. 2 of 3

    This part stays the same. Cities and counties can only tax property for uses the state allows, unless their voters say yes.

  3. 3 of 3

    This sentence is new. The legislature must pass laws limiting how much local property tax collections can grow. It decides the size of the limit and any exceptions.

The official summary

Written by the legislature's nonpartisan Legislative Services Officer, as state law requires, and given to every county board of elections.

“This amendment to the North Carolina Constitution would require the General Assembly to set limits on property tax increases by local governments.”

How it got on the ballot

The General Assembly passed House Bill 1089, which puts this question to voters.

  1. May 21, 2026

    The General Assembly ratified House Bill 1089 (Session Law 2026-5)

  2. August 20, 2026

    The Legislative Services Officer adopted the official summary

  3. November 3, 2026

    Statewide vote

Also on the ballot