NC Democrats propose three constitutional amendments to protect judicial independence, but leave dark money disclosure out

For nearly a decade, North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature has systematically hollowed out the state's democratic institutions. ProPublica's investigation chronicled how, after three consecutive Democratic gubernatorial victories, the GOP passed bills stripping the governor of control over elections, board appointments, and budgets—leaving North Carolina's governor with the weakest institutional authority among all 50 states. Against this backdrop, Democratic lawmakers in June 2026 proposed a set of three constitutional amendments: one to require a supermajority vote before transferring any additional gubernatorial authority to the legislature; another to establish uniform standards preventing legislative ambush tactics that rush bills through without adequate public notice and to promote transparency in government operations; and a third to overhaul the Judicial Standards Commission to protect judicial independence and create a binding ethics code for the state Supreme Court.

The amendments are a necessary step toward restoring checks and balances, but they are incomplete. The package contains no measure to close the state's dark money loopholes—such as requiring 501(c)(4) organizations that spend on issue ads to disclose their donors. Without that disclosure, voters remain in the dark about who is funding the avalanche of spending that shapes judicial elections and legislative outcomes. Furthermore, these amendments must still survive a GOP-controlled legislature or advance through a voter referendum, an uphill climb given the party's record of resisting accountability. The fight for a truly transparent and balanced North Carolina government is far from over, and the absence of campaign finance reform means the most corrosive influence on elections—undisclosed money—remains untouched.