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Elon Poll Finds North Carolinians Confused About Constitutional Amendments

A new Elon University Poll found that support for two constitutional amendments to appear on the ballot this fall shifted when voters received additional explanation of what the amendments entail. KERI BROWN/WFDD

A new Elon University poll takes a closer look at what North Carolinians know about six constitutional amendments on the November ballot. Researchers found that only 56 percent of North Carolina voters were aware of all the amendments they could see this fall.

They then drilled down into people's knowledge of two of the measures: voter ID and the income tax cap.

Participants were shown the ballot question, as well as the full amendment language.

“When people read the ballot description for voter ID, 63 percent were for the proposed amendment, 20 percent against and 17 percent not sure,” says Jason Husser, Elon University Poll director. “There was a slight decline in support of a voter ID after reading the full description, but it remained relatively popular.”

Husser says a state issued ID or driver's license was the most popular acceptable form of identification followed by a passport.

He says when asked about the income tax cap amendment, many respondents weren't sure what it meant, even after reading the longer version. 

“Even under that condition, almost half of voters still didn't fully understand what affect this amendment would have on their income taxes,” says Husser. “Fifty-six percent of people got it right and said the amendment would have no immediate effect on their taxes. However, 44 percent then said they would either raise it, lower it, or they didn't know what would happen. So that to me suggests the language of the tax cap amendment is not clear to at least what would work out to be millions of voters in the state.” 

More than 1,500 registered voters across the state provided information for the online survey. It was conducted Sept. 1-3, 2018.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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