Our Indivisible Destiny

North Carolina’s constitution says that “all political power is vested in and derived from the people” and that government “is instituted solely for the good of the whole.” Those are not just words — they are a promise. And right now, that promise is not fully kept. Concern about the integrity of American democracy is bipartisan and growing, driven by the outsized role of money in politics, ethical lapses in the legislature, and election rules that make it harder than it needs to be for citizens to participate. The good news is that North Carolina doesn’t need an act of Congress to fix most of this. The state has the authority to act — and the obligation to do so.

Key Findings

Money in politics is the most broadly shared concern across the political spectrum. The ability of wealthy donors, corporations, and special interests to convert campaign contributions into access and preferential policy has corroded public trust across party lines. While the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked federal campaign finance reform, North Carolina can act within its own jurisdiction — strengthening disclosure requirements, limiting the influence of outside spending in state races, and changing how campaigns are funded.

The legislature operates with too little transparency. North Carolinians know remarkably little about how decisions are actually made in Raleigh — who is lobbying for what, how legislators spend public resources, and what financial interests lawmakers bring to the votes they cast. New ethics and financial disclosure rules would bring basic sunlight to the inner workings of state government and give voters the information they need to hold their representatives accountable.

Redistricting remains a structural problem. When politicians draw their own district maps, they draw maps that protect themselves. North Carolina has been through repeated rounds of court-ordered redistricting because legislators have consistently used the process to entrench power rather than reflect the will of voters. Taking redistricting out of politicians’ hands — and into an independent commission — is the most direct solution.

Voter participation could be significantly higher with modest reforms. Automatic voter registration has already been adopted by more than 20 states, including Georgia and West Virginia. It is cheaper, more accurate, and more secure than the current system, and it enjoys strong support from voters across the political spectrum. Making Election Day a paid holiday, restoring voting rights after people have served their sentences, and preserving access to early and same-day registration would bring more North Carolinians into the democratic process.

Ranked choice voting and proportional representation would make elections more competitive and representative. First-past-the-post voting in two-party races drives polarization and gives voters a narrow range of choices. Ranked choice voting allows voters to express genuine preferences without throwing away their vote. Proportional representation would make it possible for a broader range of voices to be heard in the legislature — and would make gerrymandering structurally impossible.

What North Carolina Should Do

• Strengthen campaign finance disclosure requirements so voters know who is funding state and local races
• Establish new ethics and financial disclosure rules for legislators
• Create an independent redistricting commission insulated from legislative control
• Adopt automatic voter registration and make Election Day a paid holiday
• Restore voting rights automatically after people have served their sentences
• Explore ranked choice voting and proportional representation as tools for a more competitive and accountable democracy