Rep. Lowery files bill in North Carolina House to repeal voting literacy test

A new bill filed by State Rep. Jarrod Lowery in the North Carolina House seeks to repeal the constitutional literacy test requirement for voting, aligning state law with federal voting rights protections, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 93 on Feb. 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Constitutional Amendment/Repeal Literacy Test.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill proposes an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution to repeal the literacy test requirement for voting, originally stipulated in Section 4 of Article VI. The amendment is to be decided by qualified voters at the statewide general election on Nov. 3, 2026. The ballot question will ask voters whether they support the constitutional amendment to remove the literacy test requirement, which is prohibited by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. If a majority votes in favor, the State Board of Elections will certify the results, and the Secretary of State will record the amendment. If the majority votes against, the amendment will not take effect. The bill will become law upon its passage, except as explicitly provided otherwise regarding the election and certification processes.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Allen Chesser proposed the most bills (eight) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Lowery graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2012 with a BS.

Lowery, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 47th House district, replacing previous state representative Charles Graham.