Only one week remains until November’s mid-term elections. That’s when North Carolinians have a chance to participate in direct democracy by voting on six proposed state constitutional amendments.
One of the most hotly debated amendments would — if passed by voters — require voters to show photo identification before voting in person. It wouldn’t be a North Carolina election year without a robust debate on voter ID.
What are the voter ID amendment’s prospects in North Carolina’s General Election?
As you know, Civitas conducts a regular statewide public opinion poll that has been asking about this constitutional amendment. However, the Civitas Poll is not the only poll that has surveyed public sentiment on the voter ID amendment. For this article, let’s look at how this voter ID amendment has tracked over the past month or so among five statewide polls.
Poll |
Release Date |
Sample |
For |
Against |
Spread |
| Tracking Average |
– |
– | 62.4 | 30.8 |
FOR +31.6 |
| Spectrum News/SurveyUSA |
30-Oct-18 |
659 LV[i] | 56 | 38 |
FOR +18 |
| Civitas |
25-Oct-18 |
500 LV | 61 | 34 |
FOR +27 |
| Spectrum News/SurveyUSA |
8-Oct-18 |
561 LV | 64 | 27 |
FOR +37 |
| High Point University |
21-Sep-18 |
734 RV[ii] | 66 | 23 |
FOR +43 |
| Civitas |
20-Sep-18 |
500 LV | 65 | 32 |
FOR +33 |
The voter ID amendment appears to be in a strong position heading into the final week of the election cycle. The tracking average shows that the amendment seems to have more support than opposition by more than 31 percent.
All fiveof the polls in the graph and chart above used the ballot language for the amendment, so the question was asked consistently in these surveys.
Progressive leftist campaigns have been working to convince North Carolinians to defeat all six amendments – including voter ID – outright and without thought. For them, this strategy makes sense to take the focus off specific amendments, since at least four of them appear to be popular with the electorate. It appears, however, that campaign is behind the eight ball, as North Carolina is poised to join 34 other states that require some form of identification to vote.
[i] LV – likely voters
[ii] RV – registered voters
