Voting in Nebraska
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Nebraska:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information election agencies.
- Summaries of noteworthy policy-related events.
See Election administration in Nebraska for more additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Voter registration
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Nebraska's 2024 election cycle.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Nebraska, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the Nebraska county in which they are registering, and at least 18 years old by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Citizens are eligible to register to vote on January 1 of the year they will turn 18 before the November general election. People convicted of a felony are ineligible to register to vote until two years after the terms of their sentence have been completed, and individuals who have been declared mentally incompetent by a court are ineligible to register to vote.[1][2] A voter registration application can be completed in person at the county clerk or election commissioner's office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, or other state agencies. In-person registration must be completed by the third Friday preceding the election if completed at the DMV or other state agencies. In-person registration at county election offices must be completed by 6 p.m. on the second Friday before the election. Applications returned by mail must be postmarked by the third Friday before the election.[3] Online applications must be submitted by midnight on the third Friday before the election.[4]
In-person voting
The table below displays in-person voting information specific to Nebraska's 2024 election cycle.
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Nebraska, all polling locations are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Nebraska is divided between Central and Mountain time zones.[5]
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Nebraska requires voters to present identification while voting.
Initiative 432, approved by Nebraska voters in November 2022, amended Article I of the state constitution to require voters to present valid photo identification in order to vote. Governor Jim Pillen (R) signed Legislative Bill 514 into law on June 1, 2023, in order to implement this policy change. Due to this legislation, Nebraska's voter ID requirement went into effect on April 1, 2024, in time for the state's 2024 primary.[6][7]
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Nebraska permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to Nebraska's 2024 election cycle.
The state of Nebraska refers to its no-excuse absentee/mail-in voting option as early voting. All voters are eligible to vote absentee/mail-in in Nebraska. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by-mail.[8]
The last day to request an absentee ballot to be mailed is if the close of business on the second Friday preceding the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials by 8 p.m. (CST) on Election Day.[8]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
As of October 16, 2024, people convicted of a felony in Nebraska regained the right to vote after the completion of their sentence, including prison time, parole, and probation.[9] Click here for more information.
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[10]
Noteworthy events
2015
In early 2015, Senator Tyson Larson introduced LB111 in the Nebraska State Legislature. The bill proposed requiring voters to present government-issued photo identification at the polls. The legislation also "[provided] for acquisition of a state card at no cost for voters who may not have a photo ID." Larson argued that the requirement was necessary in order to "protect the integrity and reliability of the electoral process."[11]
On February 17, 2015, opponents in the legislature began a filibuster. Senator Adam Morfeld said the legislation "[imposed] on a fundamental constitutional right [to solve] a nonexistent problem." Senator Ernie Chambers, meanwhile, called the bill "treacherous, disingenuous and racist." Other opponents of the legislation argued that providing free identification to voters who lack it could have cost the state upwards of $1 million.[11]
On February 18, 2015, state legislators voted to move the bill to the bottom of the legislative agenda, effectively eliminating any chance of passage in the 2015 legislative session. Larson said he would consider introducing a similar bill in a later session. Larson said, "The new members of the Legislature, nobody quite knew where they were going to be, and they showed where they were and that's part of dealing with a new body."[12]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Nebraska can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Nebraska Election Officials
Nebraska Secretary of State, Elections Division
- Physical Address: 301 S. 13th Street, Suite 410
- Lincoln, Nebraska 68508
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 94608
- Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4608
- Phone: 402-471-2555
- Fax: 402-471-7834
- Email: sos.elect@ne.gov
- Website: https://sos.nebraska.gov
Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission
- Physical Address: Centre Terrace Bldg, 1225 L St, Suite 400
- Lincoln, Nebraska 68508
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box 95086
- Lincoln, Nebraska 68509
- Phone: 402-471-2522
- Email: nadc@nebraska.gov
- Website: https://nadc.nebraska.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
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- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
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- The Ballot Bulletin: November 15, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: November 1, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: October 25, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: October 18, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: October 11, 2024
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Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
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- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- Voter ID in Nebraska
- Election administration in Nebraska
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Nebraska
Elections in Nebraska
- Nebraska elections, 2024
- Nebraska elections, 2023
- Nebraska elections, 2022
- Nebraska elections, 2021
- Nebraska elections, 2020
- Nebraska elections, 2019
- Nebraska elections, 2018
- Nebraska elections, 2017
- Nebraska elections, 2016
- Nebraska elections, 2015
- Nebraska elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, “Nebraska Voter Registration Background,” accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, “Felon Voting Rights FAQ,” accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, “Voter Information Frequently Asked Questions,” accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, “Online Voter Registration Frequently Asked Questions,” accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Statutes, "Section 32-908," accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Full text," accessed June 8, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Election Day FAQ," accessed June 8, 2023
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Nebraska Secretary of State, “Early Voting,” accessed April 18, 2023
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Felon Voting Rights," accessed October 16, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 JournalStar.com, "Voter photo ID bill prompts filibuster," February 17, 2015
- ↑ The Columbus Telegram, "Voter ID legislation abruptly stops, likely dead in Nebraska," February 18, 2015
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