Summary
Federal & state elections on the ballot: 3 US House members, Governor, and State Senate members
Ballot measures:
The Nebraska Division of Elections, part of the Secretary of State, oversees all Nebraska elections.
OnAir Post: Nebraska Votes in 2024
News
The Nebraska Legislature gave final approval Thursday to maps redrawing the state’s congressional, legislative and other political districts, and Gov. Pete Ricketts signed them into law.
The Legislature wrapped up its two week special session on redistricting Thursday, voting final approval to new maps for elections to Congress, the Legislature, State Board of Education, University of Nebraska Board of Regents, Public Service Commission, and judicial retention elections. There were no changes proposed to the maps that advanced earlier this week, and most of the discussion concerned other issues, such as the prison staffing crisis and objections to the conversion of a room in the Capitol for nursing mothers into an office during construction. But Sen. Jen Day of Omaha talked about the redistricting process, which was compressed into a two-week special session due to census delays. Day is a registered Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature, where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 32-17.
“I don’t discount the feelings of people being upset at how some of these maps turned out. I know there’s people in the body and outside the body that are disappointed. But I also, being a part of the process for the first time, I saw how incredibly difficult this process is… And I respected that process. I saw the sacrifices that were made on both sides of the issue. And because I respected that process and the sacrifices that were made, I ended up being a ‘yes,’” Day said.
The congressional map ended up keeping all of Douglas County in the Omaha-area Second Congressional District, as Democrats had demanded, but added heavily Republican Saunders County to the district. It was approved 35-11 with all the no votes cast by Democrats. The legislative map wound up dividing the largely rural district of Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg among neighboring districts to create a new district in rapidly-growing Sarpy County. It also saw districts stretching from the Iowa and Kansas borders extended into the city of Lincoln. It was approved 37-7, with five Democrats who voted no joined by Republican Sens. Mike Groene and Steve Erdman, objecting to the loss of a rural district. Gov. Pete Ricketts then signed all the bills into law, meaning they’ll be in place for next year’s election.
LINCOLN — A Republican redistricting proposal unveiled Wednesday would cleave off Democratic-leaning northwest Douglas County from a Nebraska congressional district that has been won by presidential and congressional Democrats at various points over the past decade.
State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the GOP chairwoman of the Legislature’s Redistricting Committee, distributed the proposed district boundaries at a morning committee meeting.
The map would divide Douglas County, all of which currently sits in the state’s 2nd Congressional District. The district became known as Nebraska’s “blue dot” following Democrat Joe Biden’s electoral victory there in the 2020 presidential election.
The committee is slated to meet again Wednesday afternoon to discuss her map and an alternative proposed by the committee’s vice chairman, Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, a Democrat.
Wayne’s map would leave Douglas County whole while putting Bellevue and Offutt Air Force Base back into the 2nd Congressional District. The result would be similar to the district’s boundaries following the 2001 redistricting.
The Linehan map, by contrast, would split Douglas County along Interstate 680 and West Dodge Road. Everything north and west of those main thoroughfares would move into the 1st Congressional District, which is dominated by Lincoln. The district is represented by U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.
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Locations
Division of Elections
State Capitol, 1445 K St., Suite 2300
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: 402.471.2554
Fax: 402.471.3237
Web Links
Registering to Vote
General Information
Who can register
To register in Nebraska you must:
- be a citizen of the United States;
- be a resident of Nebraska;
- be at least 18 years of age or will be 18 years of age on or before the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November;
- not have been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, two years have passed since the sentence was completed (including any parole);
- not have been officially found to be mentally incompetent; and
- not have been convicted of treason, unless you have had your civil rights stored.
How to register
- Use our Register to Vote form below to fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
- Sign and date your form. This is very important!
- Mail or hand-deliver your completed form to the address we provide.
- Make sure you register before the voter registration deadline.
Election Day registration
N/A
Voting Rights restoration
If you have been convicted of a felony and have questions about whether you can register to vote, visit Restore Your Vote to determine your eligibility.
Registration Status (form)
New Registration (form)
Voting
General Information
Voting as a Student
Learn more from Campus Vote Project about voting for students.
Overseas and Military Voting
You are a Military or Overseas voter if you are in uniformed services, living overseas OR a spouse or dependent of a uniformed services voter. To get registered and vote, you can utilize Overseas Vote Foundation.
If you have additional questions about elections and voting overseas you can use our state specific elections official directory or contact the Overseas Vote Foundation.
Voting with Disabilities
In-person Absentee Voting is available in Iowa beginning 40 days before an election. Voting takes place in the county auditor’s office.
You may vote absentee in-person until the day before Election Day, unless polling places open at noon on Election Day. In that case, you may vote absentee in-person from 8am-11am on Election Day.
Early Voting
Early voting is available from 30 days before a statewide election and 15 days before a special election.
Vote by Mail (Absentee)
Absentee ballot rules
Any registered Nebraska voter may apply for an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
How to get Absentee ballot
- Use our Absentee Ballot form below to prepare your application.
- Sign and date the form. This is very important!
- Return your completed application to your Local Election Office as soon as possible. We’ll provide the mailing address for you.
- All Local Election Offices will accept mailed or hand-delivered forms. If it’s close to the deadline, call and see if your Local Election Office will let you fax or email the application.
- Make sure your application is received by the deadline. Your application must actually arrive by this time — simply being postmarked by the deadline is insufficient.
- Please contact your Local Election Office if you have any further questions about the exact process.
What to do next
- Once you receive the ballot, carefully read and follow the instructions.
- Sign and date where indicated.
- Mail your voted ballot back to the address indicated on the return envelope.
- Your voted ballot must arrive by the deadline or it will not be counted.
Absentee ballot application deadline
By Mail: 11 days before Election Day.
Absentee ballot submission deadline
Election Day
Absentee Ballot (form)
Elections Alert (Form)
Pollling Information
Polling Place Locator
You can find your polling place by utilizing your state resource.
If you have further questions on your polling place location, please contact your county clerk.
Polling Place Hours
Polling locations will be open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm central time and 7:00 am to 7:00 pm mountain time.
Poll Worker Information
In order to be a poll worker in Nebraska, you must:
- Be registered to vote in Nebraska
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Political affiliation generally required
- Be entitled to compensation
- Be a resident of the precinct
- Complete required training
- Be able to read and write English
- Students 16 years or older who meet all other voter requirements may be appointed
To sign up, contact your local board of elections.
Division of Elections
Secretary of State
Secretary Evnen, was sworn in as the 27th Secretary of State of Nebraska, on January 10, 2019. Secretary Evnen has many duties, which include serving as Nebraska’s chief protocol officer for international relations. In that role, the Secretary promotes commerce, educational studies and cultural exchanges between Nebraska and the world. In addition, the Secretary of State oversees: business services, elections, licensing, rules and regulations, records management, international relations, youth services, keeper of the Great Seal, and various others duties serving and chairing state boards.
Prior to becoming elected Secretary of State of Nebraska, Secretary Evnen was a notable labor attorney, practicing labor law for more than 40 years. He was a partner with Woods & Aitken LLP, a downtown Lincoln law firm, for 32 years. Secretary Evnen served for eight years on the Nebraska State Board of Education.
Secretary Evnen resides in Lincoln. He and his wife Debra have three adult children and three grandchildren.
