Nearly three-quarters of North Carolina voters support a constitutional amendment that would cap local property tax increases, according to a new Elon University poll released Thursday, Sept. 17.

The poll, conducted Aug. 21–31 by YouGov, surveyed 800 likely voters statewide. It found 72% favored the property tax amendment and 67% backed lowering the state's maximum personal income tax rate from 7% to 3.5%. Another 63% supported requiring photo ID for all forms of voting, including absentee ballots.

All three amendments were placed on the Nov. 3 ballot by the Republican-led General Assembly.

The property tax measure drew the strongest support and the least opposition, with just 14% against it. But the amendment does not set a specific cap. If voters approve it, state lawmakers would decide later how much local governments can increase total property tax revenue from year to year.

That open question matters in Ballantyne. Mecklenburg County's preliminary property revaluation found the median assessed value of residential properties rose about 15%, with commercial values up 30%. New property values will be mailed to owners in early 2027.

The NC Housing Coalition analyzed what a hypothetical 2% levy limit would mean. The state's 100 counties would have lost $587.8 million in revenue, and 75 of the largest municipalities would have lost $362.2 million. The average homeowner would save $84 per year under that scenario. Lawmakers have not proposed a specific percentage.

The amendment has drawn sharp debate. House Speaker Destin Hall, a Caldwell County Republican, said in May that "families are getting ripped off as some, but by no means all, local governments rake in billions more than inflation and population growth warrant," NC Newsline reported.

House Minority Leader Robert Reives, a Chatham County Democrat, told Carolina Public Press on Sept. 11 that the amendment offers false hope to taxpayers "because it makes them believe that if they vote for this amendment, something's going to change."

Senate Leader Phil Berger formed the Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform on Sept. 17 to evaluate proposals for easing tax burdens statewide, according to NC Newsline.

Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll, said all three amendments "lock in current status quo rather than leading to immediate policy change," which he said reduces their potential for controversy this election cycle.

The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points.

Charlotte voters will also decide on $425 million in housing, neighborhood improvement and transportation bonds on the same ballot. Voter registration closes Friday, Oct. 9. Early voting runs Thursday, Oct. 15, through Saturday, Oct. 31.