Voters in Waxhaw, Weddington, Marvin and the rest of Union County will find a $200 million question on the Nov. 3 ballot: whether the county can borrow money to build a new detention center, The Waxhaws Dispatch reported.

What the bond would pay for

  • A new jail with about 500 beds
  • Converting the administrative building attached to the current jail into space for staff training and operational support

Why the county says it needs a new jail

Union County's current detention center was built in 1994 under a federal court order. The county says it now runs over capacity, has significant mechanical and structural problems, has no room to expand and keeps getting more expensive to maintain. County leaders concluded that renovating it would cost about as much as replacing it, according to the county's July 22 announcement.

What it could cost homeowners

  • If voters approve the bond, the county estimates the property tax rate could rise by about 3.11 cents per $100 of assessed value.
  • For a home valued at $400,000, that works out to about $124.40 more a year.

How it got on the ballot

County commissioners voted unanimously on July 20 to send the question to voters. North Carolina law requires voter approval before a county can issue general obligation bonds, which are backed by the county's credit and taxing authority. The county says this kind of borrowing typically carries lower interest costs than other ways of paying for the project.

"It's not a question of whether Union County needs a new jail; it becomes a question of what's the more affordable way to make that happen," Board of Commissioners Chair Brian Helms said in the county's announcement.

When to vote

Early voting runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. You can look up your sample ballot, including the full bond question, through the N.C. State Board of Elections.

Weighing a move within Union County? Our Waxhaw vs. Weddington guide compares the two towns.

Sources: The Waxhaws Dispatch, Oct. 23, 2026, Union County, July 22, 2026