New Hanover County School Bonds Referendum

What it does

Additional property taxes may be levied on property located in the County of New Hanover in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on bonds if approved by the following ballot question. SHALL the order authorizing $320,525,000 of bonds plus interest to provide funds to pay the capital costs of constructing, improving, and renovating school facilities, including, but not limited to, the construction and renovation of classroom facilities, the acquisition and installation of furnishings and equipment, the acquisition of land, rights-of-way and easements in land required therefor, and related public infrastructure development, and providing that additional taxes may be levied in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds be approved, in light of the following: (1) The estimated cumulative cost over the life of the bonds, using the highest interest rate charged for similar debt over the last 20 years, would be $500,377,988 (consisting of $320,525,000 principal amount of the bonds plus $179,852,988 of interest). (2) The estimated amount of property tax liability increase for each one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of property tax value to service the cumulative cost over the life of the bond provided above would be $5.00 per year, which includes the impact of anticipated grant receipts from the New Hanover Community Endowment in the amount of $11,600,000 per year for ten years beginning in February 2028.

A YES vote means

New Hanover County could borrow $320,525,000 by issuing bonds for building, improving and renovating school facilities, including classrooms, furnishings, equipment, land and related infrastructure, repaid with property taxes; the estimated total cost with interest is $500,377,988, and the estimated property tax increase is $5.00 a year per $100,000 of value, counting expected New Hanover Community Endowment grants of $11,600,000 a year for ten years starting February 2028.

A NO vote means

New Hanover County would not be authorized to issue these $320,525,000 in bonds or levy taxes to repay them.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

Port City Daily reported that the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 15, 2026 to adopt the bond order and resolution placing this $320,525,000 school bond on the ballot.

The ballot question, as filed with the State Board of Elections, estimates a total cost of $500,377,988 including interest and a property tax increase of $5.00 a year per $100,000 of value, a figure that counts on New Hanover Community Endowment grants of $11,600,000 a year for ten years starting February 2028.

Port City Daily reported that the Endowment grant is paid only if the bond passes, under an agreement signed in late May by the county, school district and Endowment, and that without it the county's estimate would be $17.50 per $100,000; listed projects include a new Riverlights elementary, a new Trask Middle School, replacing Pine Valley Elementary and the first phase of a New Hanover High School plan.

Put on the ballot by New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, unanimous, June 15, 2026 (bond order and resolution, as reported by Port City Daily).

From official source.

In the news

• Commissioners vote to put school bond referendum on 2026 ballot · Port City Daily, 2026-06-15

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on New Hanover County School Bonds Referendum mean?

New Hanover County could borrow $320,525,000 by issuing bonds for building, improving and renovating school facilities, including classrooms, furnishings, equipment, land and related infrastructure, repaid with property taxes; the estimated total cost with interest is $500,377,988, and the estimated property tax increase is $5.00 a year per $100,000 of value, counting expected New Hanover Community Endowment grants of $11,600,000 a year for ten years starting February 2028.

What does a NO vote on New Hanover County School Bonds Referendum mean?

New Hanover County would not be authorized to issue these $320,525,000 in bonds or levy taxes to repay them.

How many votes does New Hanover County School Bonds Referendum need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on New Hanover County School Bonds Referendum?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.