1. Top voter concerns
Across Guilford and contiguous counties (Alamance, Forsyth, Randolph, Rockingham, and others), the same interconnected issues keep surfacing:
- Property taxes. The leading concern, driven by 2026 reappraisals that raise bills for homeowners and, through rents, for renters. A March 2026 Carolina Journal poll found 76.8% of respondents call property taxes a burden on their household budget.
- Education funding and school quality. Teacher pay, school performance, discipline, and state policy shifts such as private-school vouchers.
- Crime, public safety, and jail conditions. Gun violence, jail staffing shortages, inmate safety, and deputy recruitment and retention.
- Affordable housing and growth. Housing costs and development pressure as the Triad grows. More than half of Triad homes are considered cost-burdened.
- Local government spending and transparency. A desire for focus on core services and clearer accounting of where tax dollars go.
2. The property-tax legislation
Two related bills in the 2025-26 General Assembly session respond directly to the top concern. They work on different timelines.
HB 1089, Const. Amend. Property Tax Levy Limit (Session Law 2026-5). Signed into law on May 21, 2026, this places a constitutional amendment on the November 3, 2026 statewide ballot. If voters approve, it would require the General Assembly to enact a "levy limit" capping how much a local government's total property tax revenue can grow each year, with exceptions. The ballot question reads: "Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments." The bill was a recommendation of the House Select Committee on Property Tax Reduction and Reform, with primary sponsors Reps. Echevarria (R-Cabarrus), Howard (R-Davie), Setzer (R-Catawba), and Pare (R-Wake).
SB 889, property reappraisal moratorium. The shorter-term companion: it aims to delay or soften the effect of revaluations for affected counties, including Guilford, while HB 1089 addresses the longer-term cap. As of mid-June 2026 it was still moving through the House.
3. How the vote went (HB 1089)
The amendment cleared both chambers largely along party lines: the House 73-46 and the Senate 31-15. In the House, all Republicans plus unaffiliated Reps. Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed voted yes. In the Senate, all Republicans plus Sen. Dan Blue (D-Wake) voted yes. The Triad's Republican legislators supported it; the region's Democrats generally opposed it, citing risks to local services and schools.
| Legislator | District | Vote on HB 1089 |
|---|---|---|
| Rep. Alan Branson (R) | House 59, Guilford | Yes |
| Rep. John Blust (R) | House 62, Guilford | Yes |
| Rep. Jeff Zenger (R) | House 74, Forsyth | Yes |
| Guilford & Forsyth Democratic members | Various | Generally No |
Individual Republican votes confirmed in the official House roll call for HB 1089 (ncleg.gov). For the complete roll call, see the bill's vote history.
4. Races to watch in 2026
The general election is November 3, 2026. These Triad races are competitive based on recent margins, primary results, and issue salience. Matchups below are confirmed against Ballotpedia and the boards of elections; the list is not exhaustive.
| Race | Matchup | Why it is competitive |
|---|---|---|
| NC Senate 26 Guilford / Rockingham |
Sam Page (R) vs. Steve Luking (D) | Page unseated Senate leader Phil Berger by 23 votes in the March GOP primary, one of the biggest upsets in recent NC politics. Berger conceded after two recounts. |
| NC House 74 Forsyth |
Jeff Zenger (R, inc.) vs. Amy Taylor North (D) | A 2024 rematch in a closely divided district; a top Democratic target. |
| NC House 59 Guilford |
Alan Branson (R, inc.) vs. Elma Hairston (D) | Flagged by analysts as a possible Democratic pickup; sensitive to taxes, growth, and schools. |
| NC House 62 Guilford |
John Blust (R, inc.) vs. Shelly Headen (D) | A competitive Guilford seat in a closely split chamber. |
| Guilford County Sheriff | Danny Rogers (D, inc.) vs. Phil Byrd (R) | A 2022 rematch; jail staffing, inmate safety, and recruitment are central issues. |
Other county commission, sheriff, and legislative races across the Triad (including in Forsyth, Alamance, and on the Guilford Board of Commissioners) are also contested. For the full, official candidate list, see the NC State Board of Elections and your county board of elections.
The clearest through-line of 2026 is property taxes: it is the top concern, the subject of a constitutional amendment on your ballot, and a theme in nearly every competitive local race.
What happens next
State legislation is decided in Raleigh, but the property tax rate is set locally by the Guilford County Board of Commissioners during the budget process, and the levy-limit amendment is decided by voters statewide in November. Residents can weigh in at county budget hearings, with their legislators, and at the ballot box. The two numbers to follow close to home: your reassessed property value and the rate the county adopts after revaluation.
- Sources:
- NC General Assembly, HB 1089 / Session Law 2026-5, bill text, status, and roll-call votes: ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/HB1089
- NC General Assembly, SB 889 (property reappraisal moratorium): ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/SB889
- Carolina Journal, "Property tax levy limit amendment heads to voters in November" (May 2026): carolinajournal.com
- Ballotpedia, North Carolina elections 2026 (race matchups): ballotpedia.org
- NC State Board of Elections and county boards of elections (candidate lists, results): ncsbe.gov
This brief is provided by Our Piedmont Education Foundation for educational purposes. It is nonpartisan and is not an endorsement of, or opposition to, any candidate or party.