In this year’s General Election, North Carolina ballots will include a ballot measure to change the wording of the state constitution to state that only citizens may vote in elections.
This amendment is unnecessary and will not change the law, which clearly provides that only citizens, whether born in the U.S. or naturalized, have the right to vote in North Carolina. Federal law maintains that the right to vote is reserved for citizens, both born and naturalized. This pointless bill aims to confuse voters, sow distrust in our elections, and stir up anti-immigrant rhetoric. We will not stand for this misinformation.
Non-citizens have never had the right to vote in North Carolina, and this amendment will not change that. Naturalized citizens have the right to vote and, even if this constitutional amendment passes, will maintain the right to vote.
What the Constitution says
The United States Constitution makes clear that all citizens — born or naturalized — are entitled to equal protection of the laws, including the right to vote. The Fourteenth Amendment affirms that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States” are citizens. The Fifteenth Amendment upholds the “right of citizens of the United States to vote.”
The North Carolina Constitution does not provide non-citizens with the right to vote.
“Every person born in the United States and every person who has been naturalized, 18 years of age, and possessing the qualifications set out in this Article, shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people of the State, except as herein otherwise provided.”
What the amendment does
The language of the ballot measure will read:
“Constitutional amendment to provide that only citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote any election in this state.”
This minor tweaking of the language will not change who can and cannot vote in North Carolina. If you can’t vote now, you still won’t be able to vote if the amendment passes. If you can vote now, you will still be able to vote if the amendment passes.
What you should know
North Carolina elections are secure. No election system or voting system in our state has ever been the target of a successful cyberattack. The State Board of Elections works to ensure that our votes are protected. Bipartisan election officials confirmed that the 2020 election results were credible, accurate, and secure.
Misinformation is widespread in elections, especially during federal election cycles. You can learn more about how to combat election misinformation here. If you’re not sure if the information you’re seeing about the election is accurate, check with the State Board of Elections.
Immigrants are not your enemy. Forty-four percent of all immigrants in North Carolina are naturalized U.S. citizens. Under the Constitution, naturalized citizens have every right to vote in our elections. But the wording of this amendment, which strips out specific language acknowledging that citizens may be born or naturalized, may confuse naturalized citizens and discourage them from exercising their fundamental right to vote.
Immigrants are an integral part of North Carolina’s diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions to our state. They contribute to our local economies, pay billions of dollars in taxes, and fill labor shortages. We reject the fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric that gave rise to this ballot measure.
