North Carolina ballot measure · November 3, 2026

North Carolina Constitutional Amendment - Require Photo ID for Voting, explained

Require photo ID for voting. A ballot measure is a yes-or-no question put directly to voters — no candidate is involved, and the wording on the ballot is the wording that becomes law. This page shows that wording first, then what it actually changes.

The official wording

“Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting.” ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2023-2024/SL2024-58.html?utm_source=openai))

This is what appears on the ballot. Everything below explains it.

What it actually means

This proposed amendment would change the North Carolina Constitution so the photo-ID rule would apply to all voting methods, not just in-person voting. North Carolina’s election board would still use state law and rules to define acceptable IDs and exceptions. ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2023-2024/SL2024-58.html?utm_source=openai))

If you vote YES

The Constitution would say all voters must present photo identification before voting, instead of only voters voting in person. ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2023-2024/SL2024-58.html?utm_source=openai))
The amendment would take effect once the referendum is certified in the voter-approved result. ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2023-2024/SL2024-58.html?utm_source=openai))
The General Assembly would still be responsible for passing general laws on the photo-ID requirement and any exceptions. ([www3.ncleg.gov](https://www3.ncleg.gov/Laws/Constitution/Article6?utm_source=openai))

If you vote NO

The current constitutional language requiring photo ID only for in-person voting would stay in place. ([www3.ncleg.gov](https://www3.ncleg.gov/Laws/Constitution/Article6?utm_source=openai))
State statutes and State Board rules already governing absentee photo ID would continue to operate without this constitutional change. ([ncsbe.gov](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id?utm_source=openai))

The numbers that matter

Election date: November 3, 2026
House vote on SB 921: 73-45
Senate vote on SB 921: 30-19

Why supporters say YES

Senate Republicans backing the measure said it is important to ensure that all forms of voting are treated equally going forward on photo ID.
— Associated Press reporting on Senate Republicans
The amendment would preserve voter ID in the Constitution and make it harder for future legislatures or courts to reverse.
— Dr. Andy Jackson, John Locke Foundation

Why opponents say NO

The amendment is a strict photo-ID requirement that would impact eligible voters’ access to the ballot and especially harm voters of color and vulnerable voters.
— Democracy North Carolina, statement by Executive Director Tomas Lopez
State law already requires identification for absentee voting and provides options for voters who cannot reasonably provide ID, so the amendment is unnecessary.
— League of Women Voters of North Carolina

What’s genuinely uncertain

I did not find an official North Carolina State Board of Elections page showing the final 2026 sample-ballot listing for this specific amendment yet. The official ballot question is established in the session law and legislative analysis. ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2023-2024/SL2024-58.html?utm_source=openai))
I did not locate a publicly posted official fiscal note or separate fiscal analysis attached to this amendment. The NC General Assembly bill page shows a fiscal-note slot, but I could not retrieve a substantive fiscal note document. ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2023/S921?utm_source=openai))

The bottom line

This measure would move North Carolina’s photo-ID rule from being a requirement for in-person voting to a constitutional requirement covering all voting methods, while leaving the details to state law. ([ncleg.gov](https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2023-2024/SL2024-58.html?utm_source=openai))

One neutral sentence describing the tradeoff — not a recommendation.

Sources:ncleg.gov dashboard.ncleg.gov www3.ncleg.gov ncsbe.gov johnlocke.org democracync.org my.lwv.org

Checking it against the official text

The North Carolina State Board of Elections publishes the certified measures and, in most states, an official voter guide with fiscal notes. That is the authoritative version. Everything here is an explanation of it, not a substitute for it.

Confirm this with the official source

Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at North Carolina State Board of Elections.

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