Union County voters are deciding Tuesday, Nov. 3, whether to authorize $200 million in general obligation bonds for a new detention center.

North Carolina’s polling hours are 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Anyone in line at their assigned polling place by 7:30 p.m. may vote.

What a yes or no vote means

The official referendum question asks voters to approve bonds to design, construct, furnish and equip a new jail, with additional property taxes permitted to repay principal and interest.

A “yes” vote approves that bond authorization and taxing authority. A “no” vote rejects this bond proposal. It would not, by itself, rule out a future jail project or other financing: the county says alternative borrowing options are available, though generally at higher cost.

The county says voter approval is required before it can issue these bonds, which are backed by its credit and taxing authority.

What the county proposes

According to the county’s July 22 project announcement, the plan includes a detention center with approximately 500 beds and reuse of the existing administrative building connected to the current jail for staff training and operational support.

The county says the existing detention center was built in 1994 under a federal court order and has mechanical and structural problems, limited space and rising maintenance costs. County leaders concluded that renovation would cost about as much as replacement.

In July reporting by Spectrum News, Lt. Matthew Winfrey of the Union County Sheriff’s Office said the jail’s capacity was 264 and its population had been averaging about 287. He described inmates sleeping on mats on cell floors and said overcrowding creates safety concerns. Those figures describe conditions reported in July.

Spectrum reported that the county expected construction to begin in 2029 and finish in 2031 if voters approved the financing.

Estimated tax and borrowing costs

The ballot lists an estimated lifetime repayment cost of $312,224,000: $200 million in principal and $112,224,000 in interest. It estimates an annual property-tax increase of $31.10 for every $100,000 of taxable property value.

That equals about $124.40 a year for property assessed at $400,000, or a tax-rate increase of 3.11 cents per $100 of assessed value.

County finance documents say the estimates use a 5.344% interest rate, the highest rate charged for similar debt over the previous 20 years, under the statutory disclosure requirements. These are estimates rather than a guaranteed final tax bill or borrowing cost; the interest rate will depend on financing when the bonds are issued.

How it reached the ballot

The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved putting the referendum on the ballot at its July 20 meeting, the county reported.

Board Chair Brian Helms argued that general obligation bonds would give voters a direct say and provide a less expensive financing option. At the public hearing, commissioner candidate Madeleine Byl supported the proposal and raised concerns about potential lawsuits over jail conditions, Spectrum reported.

Results and voter assistance

Election-night returns are unofficial. Voters can follow reporting through the Union County Board of Elections and the State Board of Elections’ results page.

The State Board’s 2026 candidate guide schedules county canvass meetings for Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. The canvass is the process of reviewing and finalizing the county’s results.

For voting questions, contact the Union County Board of Elections at 704-283-3809 or [email protected].