Endorsements: How we view NC’s proposed constitutional amendment and Charlotte bonds

Charlotte-Mecklenburg voters will see additional items at the bottom of their ballot, asking for their approval on a proposed constitutional amendment and several bond referenda.

Here’s what we recommend:

Noncitizen voting amendment

North Carolina voters will be asked to approve or oppose a constitutional amendment that clarifies “only a citizen of the United States” can vote in state and local elections.

It isn’t a clarification that’s needed. The state constitution is already very clear, stating that “every person born in the United States and every person who has been naturalized” is eligible to vote in North Carolina elections.

It’s also a solution in search of a problem. There’s no evidence that suggests that the existing language is inadequate or somehow enabling voting by noncitizens in state and local elections.

But Republicans want you to think that it is. In an op-ed in Fox News in July, NC House Majority Leader John Bell said that the amendment is necessary because there are millions of undocumented immigrants who may be terrorists, members of the Chinese Communist Party or violent criminals, and they may try to vote in North Carolina’s elections.

Again, there is no evidence to suggest that will happen, nor is there any reason to believe that our existing electoral processes aren’t secure enough to stop them. Between 2015 and 2022, North Carolina State Board of Elections only referred eight cases of suspected noncitizen voting to prosecutors — an infinitesimal fraction of all votes cast in the state during that time period.

The exact language 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 possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote.” It doesn’t define “citizen,” and it doesn’t clarify what it means to “otherwise possess the qualifications for voting.” That vagueness invites confusion and misinterpretation, which isn’t good for anyone.

It’s not that we don’t believe in keeping our elections safe and secure. 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 on this amendment.

Charlotte bonds

Charlotte residents will also see three bond referenda on their ballot this year. Bonds tend to pass by wide margins, and they should — they allow the city to tend to critical needs and improvements that benefit everyone.

This year’s bonds total approximately $400 million and are broken into three categories:

• Transportation: $238.3 million that includes money for sidewalks, road improvements and Vision Zero, the city’s initiative to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and severe injuries by 2030.

• Housing: $100 million for affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income families.

• Neighborhood improvements: $61.57 million for neighborhood infrastructure and investment in the city’s “Corridors of Opportunity.” which 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, for one simple reason: because they’re necessary. As Charlotte’s population grows, so too do its needs, and projects like these help city leaders accommodate that growth. We recommend voting yes on all three packages.

This story was originally published October 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM.