Greensboro voters approved $39.4 million in bonds but rejected $2.1 million for the Cultural Center. Guilford's sales tax passed with 63%. Unofficial results.
Greensboro voters approved four of the five city bond questions on Tuesday’s ballot, worth $39.4 million in all. The fifth, $2.1 million to repair the Greensboro Cultural Center, failed.
Across Guilford County, voters also approved a quarter-cent sales tax that will fund teacher pay supplements, rural fire departments and more. It passed with almost 63% of the vote. Similar questions failed in 2024, 2020 and 2008.
All figures here are unofficial. They come from the N.C. State Board of Elections results for Guilford County, with every precinct reporting. The county canvass, which makes them official, is Friday, Nov. 13. Provisional ballots are not yet in the count.
The five Greensboro bonds
Only voters inside the city limits had these questions. All 108 Greensboro precincts reported.
| Bond question | Amount | Yes | No | Yes share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighting facilities | $15.9 million | 60,641 | 45,139 | 57.3% | Passed |
| Housing | $5 million | 55,017 | 50,934 | 51.9% | Passed |
| Transportation | $7 million | 53,893 | 51,773 | 51.0% | Passed |
| Parks and recreation | $11.5 million | 53,908 | 52,237 | 50.8% | Passed |
| Municipal building | $2.1 million | 43,693 | 61,047 | 41.7% | Failed |
Parks and recreation passed by 1,671 votes, the narrowest margin of the five. Transportation passed by 2,120.
The failed question was listed on the ballot as municipal building bonds. The city’s bond information page calls it general facilities. It would have paid for two items at the Greensboro Cultural Center downtown:
- $1.5 million to repair and stabilize the brick facade, which lets in water
- $600,000 for an accessible third-floor restroom and other accessibility work
What the approved bonds pay for, project by project, is in our guide to the five bond questions. The largest items are a new fire station at Knox Road and Burlington Road, $5 million toward the cleanup and rebuild of Bingham Park, and $2 million to replace the Washington Street and Gorrell Street bridges over Murrow Boulevard.
The Guilford County sales tax
The county sales tax question passed 129,732 to 76,669, or 62.85% for.
Guilford County Schools said the tax takes effect in April 2027. The county rate will rise from 6.75% to 7%, “one penny on a $4 purchase.” It will not apply to gas, groceries, vehicles, medications or certain medical devices, the district said.
The money goes to:
- supplements for Guilford County Schools employees paid on the teacher salary schedule
- rural fire departments
- community colleges
- the county’s cities and towns
Voters rejected similar questions in 2024, 2020 and 2008, with 40.17%, 30.07% and 30.51% in favor, according to the district.
“Our students are watching, and this week, Guilford County has given them a powerful lesson in using their voice for their community,” Superintendent Whitney Oakley said in the district’s release.
County races
Democrats won every contested partisan county race on the ballot.
| Race | Winner | Share | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheriff | Danny Rogers (D) | 66.65% | Phil Byrd (R) |
| Commission, at-large | Greg Drumwright (D) | 66.53% | Mike Perdue (R) |
| Commission, District 2 | Scott A. Jones (D) | 51.40% | Alan Perdue (R) |
| Commission, District 3 | Derek Mobley (D) | 54.35% | Pat Tillman (R) |
| School board, District 4 | Ebony Burnett (D) | 61.76% | Tracy Gaskins (R) |
| School board, District 6 | Khem D. Irby (D) | 65.20% | Maritza Gomez (R) |
Two sitting commissioners lost. Alan Perdue, District 2, and Pat Tillman, District 3, are both listed as current members on the county’s Board of Commissioners page. Jones beat Perdue by 712 votes, 13,076 to 12,364. Mobley beat Tillman 19,274 to 15,329, with Green Party candidate Jeanine Couto at 862.
In the Soil and Water Conservation District race, where voters chose two, Grace Summers (90,660) and Andrew J. (Andy) Courts, Jr. (56,805) finished first and second.
Close legislative races
Two Guilford seats in the N.C. House were close:
- District 62: Shelly Headen (D) 21,367, John M. Blust (R) 21,134. That is a 233-vote margin.
- District 59: Elma Hairston (D) 22,405, Alan Branson (R) 20,812.
Both districts lie entirely in Guilford County.
In N.C. Senate District 26, Democrat Steve Luking carried the Guilford part 30,052 to 29,322. Republican Sam Page won the district 50,217 to 43,202 once Rockingham County’s votes are added, according to the state board’s precinct file.
How Guilford voted
Most ballots were cast before Election Day. In the U.S. Senate race, which was on every Guilford ballot, 217,239 votes were counted:
- 141,272 at early voting sites, 65%
- 71,365 on Election Day, 33%
- 4,602 by mail, 2%
Democrat Roy Cooper carried Guilford with 70.09% in that race. Our final early voting story has the daily turnout and the busiest sites.
What it means for you
- Property taxes: the city estimated that repaying all five bonds would cost about what one cent on the city rate raises. It said that “does not necessarily mean a one-cent tax increase.” With four bonds approved, the City Council decides how to pay. Our property tax page has the current rates.
- When work starts: the North Carolina Local Government Commission must approve the borrowing first. The city said borrowing would begin in 2027.
- The Cultural Center facade repairs are not funded by this vote.
- Shopping: the county sales tax rises to 7% in April 2027, on most purchases other than groceries, gas, vehicles and medicine.
- Results are unofficial until the canvass on Friday, Nov. 13. Questions go to the Guilford County Board of Elections at 336-641-3836.
The full candidate list is in our Nov. 3 ballot guide.
Frequently asked questions
Did the Greensboro bonds pass in 2026?
Four of five passed in unofficial results: firefighting facilities ($15.9 million), housing ($5 million), transportation ($7 million) and parks and recreation ($11.5 million). The $2.1 million municipal building question, for the Greensboro Cultural Center, failed with 41.7% yes.
Did the Guilford County sales tax pass?
Yes. The quarter-cent sales tax passed with 129,732 votes for, or 62.85%, in unofficial results. Guilford County Schools said it takes effect in April 2027, raising the county rate from 6.75% to 7%.
Who won Guilford County sheriff in 2026?
Sheriff Danny Rogers, a Democrat, won with 66.65% to Republican Phil Byrd’s 33.35%, in unofficial results.
When are the Guilford County results final?
The county canvass is Friday, Nov. 13. Until then all results are unofficial, and provisional ballots have not yet been added to the count.
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