Candidate |
Party |
Website |
| Mark Robinson | Republican Party | https://www.markrobinsonfornc.com/ |
| Mike Ross | Libertarian Party | https://firetheuniparty.com/ |
| Vinny Smith | Constitution Party | https://vinnyfornc.com/ |
| Josh Stein | Democratic Party | https://www.joshstein.org/ |
| Wayne Turner | Green Party | https://www.agreenforgovernor.org/ |
Candidate |
Party |
Website |
| Rachel Hunt | Democratic Party | https://www.rachelhunt.com/ |
| Wayne Jones | Constitution Party | https://www.waynejonesforltgov.com/ |
| Hal Weatherman | Republican Party | https://www.halweathermanfornc.com/ |
| Shannon Bray | Libertarian Party | https://www.shannonbray.us/ |
WUNC | By Dave DeWitt
Published October 7, 2024 at 9:04 AM EDT
In addition to president, governor, and a slew of state and local races, North Carolina voters will see something else on their ballots on election day: an amendment that would change the language in the state constitution around noncitizens voting.
Voters will see it under a “REFERENDA” section on their ballot. Underneath, it will say “Constitutional Amendment” and will read:
Constitutional amendment to provide 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 at any election in this State.
Voters will be able to vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” the measure.
It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal or state elections. The current entry in the North Carolina constitution says that voting is limited to “every person born in the United States and every other person who has been naturalized, 18 years of age.”
A vote for the amendment would change the language in the state constitution to: “Only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age” and remove language about naturalized citizens.
Supporters of the amendment, like Republican House Speaker Tim Moore, says it’s about “shutting the door” on any potential legal challenge.
"The concern is looking down the road, and we're seeing what's happened in some other states where some activist judges have come in and tried to find loopholes to allow non-citizens to vote," Moore said.
A vote against the amendment would leave the language in the state constitution unchanged. Noncitizens would still legally not be allowed to vote.
Multiple advocacy groups and democrats have come out against the ballot measure, saying it’s unnecessary and will sow confusion among immigrant voters who are legally allowed to vote.
“This is an insidious change to the constitution that sets a dangerous precedent for setting up barriers for eligible North Carolinians to have a say in our future,” said Chavi Khanna Koneru, co-founder and executive director of NC Asian Americans Together.
https://www.wunc.org/politics/2024-10-07/2024-north-carolina-ballot-citizens-only-voting-amendment