2021: A Year in Review
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
    • Careers
  • Programs
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • Mental Health Advocacy
      • BIPOC Mental Health Grant
      • Growing Communities of Inclusion: A Faithful Response to HIV
      • Healthy Aging
      • Citizen Science
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Criminal Justice
    • Immigrant Rights
    • Public Education
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
  • Events
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

Statement of Opposition to Constitutional Amendments

North Carolina Council of Churches · September 18, 2018 · 2 Comments

Approved unanimously on September 11, 2018 by the Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches

The Governing Board of the North Carolina Council of Churches opposes six amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that have been approved by the General Assembly and that will be submitted to voters in the 2018 general election. We base our opposition on these grounds:

1) The state Constitution is our state government’s charter of principles and organization toward the ends of justice and liberty. It should be amended only in the interests of making our system of government more fair and efficient in promoting the welfare of all state residents. Proposed amendments must be advanced after careful, open consideration and with due regard for the public’s need to understand their effects.

2) Legislation setting forth the six amendments was hurried to passage in June during the closing days of 2018 regular session. That schedule did not allow for a thorough, objective review of the amendments’ costs and consequences. Revisions in response to adverse court rulings similarly have been rushed.

3) Constitutional amendments must be approved by voters in statewide referendums. For those referendums to be credible, descriptions on the ballot of the proposed changes must be straightforward and accurate. The referendum language stipulated by the legislature does not meet that standard.

4) In some cases, the referendums seek voters’ approval for major organizational and policy changes that would be carried out through subsequent legislation. Because that legislation would not be brought forth until amendments were approved, voters would not be able to tell specifically what changes in state laws they were being asked to authorize. They are being asked to issue blank checks to a legislative majority that has abused the amendment process to conceal its intentions.

5) Taken together, the proposed amendments would:

  • Promote a partisan agenda that fails to address many of North Carolina’s most important needs, and would help shield misguided laws from further constitutional challenges.
  • Be designed to boost turnout among voters who would help the majority maintain its grip on power.
  • Augment that power at the expense of the governor, upsetting the balance required for good and just governance.

6) Specifically, the amendments in their latest versions would:

  • Embed in the Constitution a requirement that in-person voters present photo identification. The legislature already has shown a willingness to use such requirements to hold down the number of voters, especially among the poor, elderly and racial minorities, and it has been rebuked by the courts. (Reference Session Law 2018-128.)
  • Reduce the governor’s authority over the State Board of Ethics and Elections Enforcement in a way that the state Supreme Court already has rejected. The effect would be to overrule that decision and likely to further hinder access to the polls. (Reference Session Law 2018-133.)
  • Strip the governor of his or her independent authority to decide who should fill vacant judgeships. The governor instead would have to choose among at least two candidates presented by the legislature, which has shown its eagerness to give the courts a partisan slant. Among other ill effects, such a breach in the separation of powers could work to erode the separation of church and state. (Reference Session Law 2018-132.)
  • Expand the existing rights of crime victims to receive notice of and participate in court proceedings. This proposal was approved without due regard to the additional costs to an already underfunded justice system. Victims’ rights must be taken seriously, but there is little to suggest that’s not currently the case. (Reference Session Law 2018-110.)
  • Guarantee the right to “hunt, fish and harvest wildlife.” The ability to engage in these traditional activities in keeping with sensible regulations is not threatened. (Reference Session Law 2018-96.)
  • Cap the state income tax at 7 percent, constraining future legislatures’ ability to raise sufficient revenue to deal with unforeseen events or changing priorities. The present cap of 10 percent is more than sufficient to protect the taxpayers. (Reference Session Law 2018-119.)

7) The North Carolina Council of Churches rejects manipulation of the state Constitution that enables one branch of government to impose its will on another, that abuses the amendment process for partisan gain and that facilitates a radical agenda harmful to the state’s well-being and in conflict with justice guidelines followed by the Council. We stand against the proposed amendments for the damage they are likely to do and for the cynical manner in which they are being pursued.

Filed Under: Issue Statements Tagged With: vettingthevote

About North Carolina Council of Churches

The Council enables denominations, congregations, and people of faith to individually and collectively impact our state on issues such as economic justice and development, human well-being, equality, compassion and peace, following the example and mission of Jesus Christ. Learn more about our work here: www.ncchurches.org/about

Reader Interactions

More Like This

Vetting the Vote: Gun Sanity
On the Ballot: Harmful Changes to State Constitution
Vetting the Vote: North Carolina’s Involvement in Torture

Comments

  1. Gregory T Headen says

    October 3, 2018 at 10:25 am

    I agree with your statement. Thank you for crafting it and making it available. It is right in line with that of the NC NAACP. I will pass it on to those in my circle of family, colleagues, and friends. We must turn out to vote in November. It is critical for so many reasons.

    Reply
  2. Ruth Downey says

    September 19, 2018 at 11:10 am

    Once again, your organixation provides information I have been unable to locate anywhere else.
    Thank you.Ruth Downey, Wilmington, NC

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

Statement of Opposition to Constitutional Amendments

Latest Tweets

#SCOTUS has overturned Roe v. Wade, making it crystal clear how much #CourtsMatter. Reproductive choice is a healthcare decision and women should make those decisions about their own bodies. We stand by those words today.

About 2 days ago

We affirmed in 1970 that reproductive choice is a healthcare decision and women should make those decisions “without embarrassment, excessive cost, and unwarranted delay.” We stand by those words today.

About 2 days ago

Grant opportunity for BIPOC faith communities in North Carolina to apply towards COVID-19 mental health efforts. Follow the link for more details! ncchurches.org/bipoc…

About 2 days ago

Join us this Sunday! twitter.com/Christin…

About 3 days ago

"All people of faith and spirituality with a role in the financial system have a responsibility to create action immediately, to put the world on a path to a just and sustainable future." publicnewsservice.or…

About 4 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

Greetings! Be sure to stop by our table at the Western NC Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church at Lake Junaluska this weekend! We hope to see you there! pic.twitter.com/30bk…

About 2 weeks ago

Hello twitter family! Be sure to stop by our table at the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church in Greenville, NC starting today! We hope to see you there! pic.twitter.com/l6X3…

About 2 weeks ago

Our mini grant cycle is now open!!! pic.twitter.com/eyRp…

About 3 weeks ago

RT @faithleadership Faith coalitions are addressing the opioid crisis by providing resources, connections and a destigmatizing vision. lght.ly/45iam80 Featuring: @okconfchurches | @ODMHSASINFO | @healthandfaith | @ncchurches | @DukeTMCI | @shannon_fleck

About 3 weeks ago

Join us for Sacred Conversations: Older Adults - Fraud & Scams on Friday, June 24th from 11 AM to 12 PM and learn to recognize common scams targeted towards older adults and how to protect yourself and those in your faith communities. ncchurches.ourpowerb…

About a month ago

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

Faith Leaders Call on U.S. to Pay Fair Share for Climate Related Loss #USFairShare Click to listen - 2min w/Rev. Malcom @mtmalcom & Rev. @Susannah_Tuttle: shar.es/afbjPy @scennetwork1 @uscan @WEDO_worldwide @ActionAidUSA @AlabamaPJC @foe_us @UCSUSA @ClimateNexus

About 6 days ago

RT @mocleanair Climate change affects everything: investments, agriculture, health, factories, transportation, the electric grid. Fossil fuels cause climate change, and @LloydsofLondon needs to stop insuring fossil fuels. Climate change is wreaking havoc with the economy and our health. Enough! twitter.com/parents4…

About 6 days ago

RT @mocleanair Today @mocleanair, @GeorgiaIPL and @CleanAirMoms_GA delivered postcards to @SenatorWarnock asking for more funding for #EVschoolbuses! #EV schoolbuses are better for kids health and learning! #post4theplanet #cleanair4kids #CleanAir #ClimateAction pic.twitter.com/ztzI…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @mocleanair #EVschoolbuses: better for health, better for education, better for climate, and good for Georgia’s economy. A real win-win-win! #post4theplanet #CleanAir #HealthyAirIsHealthCare #ClimateAction #ClimateActionNow @GeorgiaIPL @NCIPL @uwomenfaith @AlabamaPJC @eldersclimate twitter.com/mocleana…

About 2 weeks ago

RT @alinterfaithpl You don’t want to miss this! Register RIGHT NOW with this link: us02web.zoom.us/meet… twitter.com/alabamap…

About 2 weeks ago

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2022 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine