Friends, Over the last month, Democratic activists, including Governor Cooper, filed a flurry of lawsuits to try to stop you from ever weighing in on popular constitutional amendments like Voter ID and lowering the maximum income tax rate. I’m happy to report that this week, the North Carolina Supreme Court rejected these absurd legal attacks, ending the Democrats’ attempts to get an activist judge to prevent the amendments from appearing on the ballot. It’s now up to you to decide if you want to join 34 other states in requiring ID when voting. To me, the policy just makes sense – you have to show ID for a whole host of minor transactions, and you should have to do the same when deciding on who will govern the country. And last month, federal authorities charged 19 foreign nationals with voting illegally. You’ll also be able to weigh in on lowering the maximum income tax rate in our state constitution. This year’s income tax rate is 5.49%, and it’s dropping to 5.25% next year, but the Constitution permits the rate to be as high as 10%. The General Assembly proposed lowering that maximum rate to 7%. I think it’s a good idea to prevent a return to the days of spendthrift politicians, high taxes, and multi-billion dollar deficits by lowering the maximum tax rate. Voter ID and the income tax cap are just two of the six proposed constitutional amendments that you will now have a chance to vote on this fall. The six amendments are as follows: 1. To require voters to provide photo identification before voting in person. 2. To reduce the income tax rate in North Carolina to a maximum allowable rate of seven percent (7%). 3. To protect the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife. 4. To strengthen protections for victims of crime; to establish certain absolute basic rights for victims; and to ensure the enforcement of these rights. 5. To establish an eight-member Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections Enforcement in the Constitution to administer ethics and elections law. 6. To change the process for filling judicial vacancies that occur between judicial elections from a process in which the Governor has sole appointment power to a process in which the people of the State nominate individuals to fill vacancies by way of a commission comprised of appointees made by the judicial, executive, and legislative branches charged with making recommendations to the legislature as to which nominees are deemed qualified; then the legislature will recommend at least two nominees to the Governor via legislative action not subject to gubernatorial veto; and the Governor will appoint judges from among these nominees. These policies are very popular which is why the Democrats did everything in their power to prevent them from ever appearing on the ballot. Now that their ridiculous legal challenge has finally come to an end, it’s time for the people to vote on how they want their state to be run. I believe that every one of these amendments is of vital importance to North Carolina and I’m confident that the voters will agree. Below my signature is a helpful chart that explains how the amendments will appear on the ballot along with a description of what the amendment would change.
As always, if my office can be helpful to you in dealing with state government, please don’t hesitate to contact me or my staff. Sincerely, Warren T. Daniel PS Attached is a flyer for those that may be interested in attending a military academy. Rep. Meadows will be holding interviews for those that may be interested.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS You will find listed below the constitutional amendments and an explanation of each. They are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot on election day (11-6-18). Voters will vote “for” or “against” on each amendment.
What the Ballot Says Right to Hunt and Fish “Constitutional amendment protecting the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife.”
Victims’ Bill of Rights “Constitutional amendment to strengthen protections for victims of crime; to establish certain absolute basic rights for victims; and to ensure the enforcement of these rights.”
What the Law Would Change • Would amend the North Carolina Constitution to safeguard citizens’ right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife. • These rights are deeply rooted in the culture of North Carolina and this amendment would ensure that North Carolina remains a sportsman’s paradise. • Would expand the constitutional rights of victims of crime and their families. • Would expand the scope of crimes under which protections to victims are extended, require that victims receive effective and timely notice of all court proceedings, expand victims’ rights to those victimized by juveniles, give victims a greater voice in the process by allowing them to be heard at plea, conviction, sentencing or adjudication hearings and create an enforcement mechanism to allow a victim to file a
motion with the court if they are being deprived of their rights.
Income Tax Cap “Constitutional amendment to reduce the income tax rate in North Carolina to a maximum allowable rate of seven percent (7%)”
Voter Photo ID “Constitutional amendment to require voters to provide identification before voting in person”
• While protecting the rights of victims, the bill makes sure that those rights do not infringe upon the rights of the accused. • Would lower the state’s maximum possible income tax rate from 10 percent to seven percent. • With this amendment, voters can say no to a return to the days of spendthrift politicians, high taxes and multi-billion dollar deficits by placing this protection in our state constitution. • In 2019 the North Carolina income tax rate will drop to 5.25 percent so even in the case of a recession or emergency, should the $2 billion that Republicans have put into the rainy day fund not be enough, lawmakers would have wiggle room to generate more revenue without having to resort to a sales tax increase. • Voter ID would help safeguard citizens’ votes at a time when there is uncertainty surrounding the security of the electronic elections process. • Voter ID would curtail questions of voter fraud by folks on both sides of the aisle. • North Carolina is the last state in the Southeast not to have some form of voter ID at the polls. • Voter ID was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in 2008. • Polls have shown voter ID is hugely popular in North Carolina and across the country.
Ethics and Elections “Constitutional amendment to establish an eight-member Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections Enforcement in the Constitution to administer ethics and elections law.”
Judicial Appointments “Constitutional amendment to change the process for filling judicial vacancies that occur between judicial elections from a process in which the Governor has sole appointment power to a process in which the people of the State nominate individuals to fill vacancies by way of a commission comprised of appointees made by the judicial, executive, and legislative branches charged with making recommendations to the legislature as to which nominees are deemed qualified; then the legislature will recommend at least two nominees to the Governor via legislative action not subject to gubernatorial veto; and the Governor will appoint judges from among these nominees.”
• Would establish an eight-member, bipartisan board to administer North Carolina’s ethics and elections laws, free from the influence from the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of state government. • Members of the bipartisan board would be appointed by the governor based on recommendations from legislative leaders of both parties. • No more than four members of the board could be registered with the same political party, ensuring that ethics and elections enforcement is not encumbered by partisan politics. • Would not change the process for regular judicial elections, but would end the practice of patronage judicial appointments. • Would empower the people of the state to nominate candidates to fill judicial vacancies. • Would authorize a non-partisan merit commission, appointed by the Chief Justice, the governor and the General Assembly, to evaluate those nominees and rate them based on their professional qualifications and merit. • Would direct the General Assembly to review the qualified nominees submitted by the nonpartisan commission and forward at least two nominees to the governor for consideration. • Would provide that the governor will appoint the nominee he or she considers most qualified to serve a provisional judicial term. • Would require the appointed judge to stand for election following the governor’s appointment in order to continue holding the judicial office.