North Carolina is more than nine months into the current fiscal year without a state budget– the only state in the country in that position– and voters are expressing concerns over the impacts that the impasse is having on communities across the state.

Despite holding a majority in the NC House and NC Senate, Republican leadership have failed to come to an agreement on a spending plan for the state. It’s now been more than two and a half years since North Carolina passed a comprehensive budget, leaving teacher raises, Medicaid funding, and rural health care in question.  

Voters’ concerns appear to be especially pronounced in the districts of Republican legislators who are on Senate Appropriations Committees. 

In Senate District 4 (Wayne, Wilson, and Greene Counties), Republican State Senator Buck Newton, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety, is seeing significant backlash from constituents. 57% of voters express serious concern that Newton’s inaction has left nearly 2,000 teachers in his district waiting nearly three years for a pay raise, and 55% are concerned that more than 83,000 Medicaid recipients in the district are at risk of losing coverage without a state budget. 

In an initial test, Newton leads Democratic candidate Jess Rivera 41-35. However, after voters hear information about the impact of the budget stalemate on their community, the race moves to a tie at 42-42.

In Senate District 7 (New Hanover County), Republican State Senator Michael Lee, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee on Base Budget, appears especially vulnerable. President Trump has a -13 net approval rating in the district, and Democrats lead on a generic legislative ballot by 7 points. In an initial test, the race between Lee and Democratic candidate Jessica Bichler starts tied at 41-41. After voters hear information about the budget’s impact on their community, Bichler opens a 7-point lead, 48-41. 

New Hanover constituents are also deeply concerned about the budget stalemate’s impact on teacher pay raises. 59% of voters express serious concerns that 1,700 teachers in New Hanover are waiting on a raise from the delayed budget. 58% are concerned about the health care coverage for New Hanover’s 48,000 Medicaid recipients, and 57% are seriously concerned that hospitals will be unable to remain open without a state budget.

In Senate District 11 (Franklin, Nash, and Vance Counties), Republican Senator Lisa Stone Barnes, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources, also saw significant backlash from her constituents. In an initial test, Barnes trails her opponent, Democrat James Gailliard, 43-40. After voters heard information on the budget’s impact on their community, Gailliard’s lead expands to 48-42. Again, teacher raises (57%), the future of Medicaid coverage (57%), and funding for rural hospitals (54%) elicit serious concerns from constituents.  

In each district, there was at least a 6 point shift toward the Democratic candidate following budget accountability messaging. And in each district, a majority of voters had serious concerns about the impact of North Carolina’s budget impasse on educators, hospitals, and Medicaid recipients. 

The North Carolina General Assembly’s next opportunity to pass a budget will begin on April 21 when legislators return for the 2026 short session.