Guilford County, North Carolina, School Bond Measure (May 2022)

Guilford County, North Carolina, School Bond Measure
Election date May 17, 2022
Topic Local school bonds
Status a Approved
Type Referral	Origin Lawmakers

The Guilford County, North Carolina, School Bond Measure was on the ballot as a referral in Guilford County on May 17, 2022. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported authorizing $1.7 billion in bonds for new school construction and expansions and improvements to existing schools with debt repayment to be funded through a 0.25% local sales tax increase if the increase is approved by voters.

A "no" vote opposed authorizing $1.7 billion in bonds for new school construction and expansions and improvements to existing schools with debt repayment to be funded through a 0.25% local sales tax increase.

A simple majority vote was required for the approval of the measure.

Election results

Guilford County, North Carolina, School Bond Measure (May 2022)
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		45,639	60.68%
No		29,577	39.32%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Measure design

Bond proceeds were designed to fund:

• over $363 million in critical safety and technology upgrades at all schools;
• construction of three new schools;
• rebuilding of 18 existing schools;
• full renovation of 13 schools; and
• repairs to schools with failing roofs, heat, air conditioning and plumbing.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for this measure was as follows:

“

SHALL the order authorizing $1,700,000,000 of bonds secured by a pledge of the faith and credit of the County of Guilford to pay capital costs of providing school facilities, including the acquisition and construction of new school facilities, the improvement and expansion of existing school facilities and the acquisition and installation of furnishings and equipment and the acquisition of interests in real property required therefor, and a tax to be levied for the payment thereof, be approved?

”

Support

Arguments

• Guilford County wrote the following on its website stating why the school bond measure was referred to the ballot: "A 2019 independent study funded jointly by the county’s board of commissioners and school board found that district schools were, in some cases, literally falling apart. The average GCS school was built more than a half-century ago and more than 50% of schools were rated as being in either poor or unsatisfactory condition. Guilford County Schools currently has more than $2 billion in facility needs, including more than $800 million in deferred maintenance. Across 12.5 million square feet of facilities – including 126 schools, 300 buildings, and nearly 3,000 acres of land – GCS historically has received less than $0.50 per square foot for maintenance and upkeep of those facilities each year from general operating funds."

Opposition

If you are aware of any opponents or opposing arguments, please send an email with a link to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Background

See also: Guilford County, North Carolina ballot measures and November 3, 2020 ballot measures in North Carolina

Voters in Guilford County approved a $300 million school bond measure in November 2020 by a vote of 69.74% in favor to 30.53% against. At the same election, voters rejected a quarter-cent sales and use tax increase by a vote of 33.07% in favor to 66.93% against.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners referred the measure from the ballot on the ballot.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in North Carolina

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in North Carolina.

How to vote in North Carolina

Poll times

In North Carolina, polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Any voter who is standing in line at the time polls close must be permitted to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in North Carolina, each applicant must be a United States citizen, a resident of the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election, be at least 16 years old at the time of application and at least 18 years old by the time of the subsequent general election, and not be serving a felony sentence, including probation and parole The North Carolina voter registration application is available online.

Voter registration applications can be completed online or submitted to the appropriate county board of elections. Applications must be submitted at least 25 days before the election, but voters can also register and vote on the same day during the early voting period, but not on Election Day.

Voter registration services are also provided by the following agencies:

• Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
• Division of Services for the Blind
• Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Division of Health Benefits
• Division of Child and Family Well-Being/WIC
• Division of Social Services
• Division of Rehabilitation Services
• Division of Employment Security (DES)
• Division of State Operated Healthcare Facilities

Automatic registration

North Carolina does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

North Carolina has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

North Carolina allows same-day voter registration during the early voting period only.

Residency requirements

Prospective voters must reside in the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

North Carolina does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who fraudulently or falsely registers is guilty of a "Class I felony under Chapter 163 of the NC General Statutes."

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The North Carolina State Board of Elections allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Voter ID requirements

North Carolina requires voters to present photo ID when voting.

Note: According to the Board of Elections website, "On April 28, 2023, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed an injunction against implementation of photo ID legislation. As a result, photo ID laws enacted in 2018 and 2019 will be implemented moving forward, starting with the municipal elections in September, October, and November 2023. A separate federal case challenging the same laws is pending, but no injunction against the laws exists in that case." The injunction was issued on December 16, 2022.

The following documents were acceptable forms of identification as of May 2024:

“

Any of the following that is unexpired, or expired for one year or less: North Carolina driver’s license State ID from the NCDMV (also called “non-operator ID”) Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election) U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections (...) College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections (...) State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections (...) Note: A voter 65 or older may use an expired form of acceptable ID if the ID was unexpired on their 65th birthday. Any of the following, regardless of whether the ID contains an expiration or issuance date: Military or veterans ID card (with photo) issued by the U.S. government Tribal enrollment card (with photo) issued by a tribe recognized by the State of North Carolina or the federal government ID card (with photo) issued by an agency of the U.S. government or the State of North Carolina for a public assistance program (Note: Although this is an acceptable form of ID under North Carolina law, the State Board is not aware of any such ID in circulation that contains a photo. All IDs for voting are required to have a photo.)

”

For a list of acceptable student and public employee IDs, click here.

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2022
• Local school bonds on the ballot

• Guilford County measures

California

• California 2022 local measures
• Local ballot measures, California
• Guilford, California

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas

External links

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