14. Freedom of speech and press. North Carolina ballots will include a ballot measure to change the wording of the state constitution to state that only citizens may vote in elections.That debate is instructive for several reasons. The 14th Amendment requires people to be born or naturalized in the United States to vote. What did the amendment change about voting in North Carolina? It included provisions to protect men's right to vote while abridging the rights of former Confederates. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution is one of the nation's most important laws relating to citizenship and civil rights. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Amendment IX (1791). The Equal Protection Clause requires each state to provide equal protection under the law to all people, including non-citizens, within its jurisdiction.