Election Policy In Nebraska

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Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Nebraska:

Poll times[edit]

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. Nebraska is divided between Central and Mountain time zones. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.^[2]

Voter registration[edit]

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 regain the right to vote upon completion on their sentence, including parole and probation. Individuals who have been declared mentally incompetent by a court are ineligible to register to vote.^[3][4]

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.^[5] Online applications must be submitted by midnight on the third Friday before the election.^[3]

Automatic registration[edit]

See also: Automatic voter registration

Nebraska does not practice automatic voter registration.^[6]

Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

Nebraska has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. The Nebraska State Senate enacted legislation allowing online voter registration in 2014, and the system was implemented in 2015.^[7]

Same-day registration[edit]

See also: Same-day voter registration

Nebraska does not allow same-day voter registration.^[8]

Residency requirements[edit]

According to the Nebraska Secretary of State, "There is no waiting period to register to vote in Nebraska. You may register to vote the same day you become a Nebraska resident."^[5]

Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Nebraska does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "any registrant who signs this application knowing that any of the information in the application is false shall be guilty of a Class IV felony under section 32-1502 of the statutes of Nebraska. The penalty for a Class IV felony is up to two years imprisonment and twelve months post-release supervision, a fine of up to $10,000.00, or both."^[9]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.^[10] Eight states — Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming — have laws requiring individuals provide proof of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. Two states, Georgia and Mississippi, require a person provide proof of citizenship if their citizenship status cannot be verified by other means. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration[edit]

The Voter Information Lookup site, run by the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy[edit]

Early voting[edit]

See also: Early voting

Nebraska permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before 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.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.

Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

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.^[11]

The last day to request an absentee ballot to be mailed is 6 p.m. on the second Friday preceding the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials by the close of polls on Election Day.^[11]

All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in voting. Seven states and the District of Columbia had automatic mail-in ballot systems that mandate that all eligible voters receive an absentee/mail ballot by default. An eighth state, Vermont, had such a system for general elections only.

Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. The remaining 14 states required voters to provide an excuse to receive and cast an absentee/mail ballot. Acceptable excuses vary by state.

Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

Absentee/mail-in ballots in Nebraska can be returned by mail, in person, or by an agent designated by the voter. Ballots must arrive at an election office by the time the polls close on Election Day in order to be counted.^[11]

Eighteen states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Ten states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.

Drop box availability[edit]

See also: Ballot drop box laws by state

Nebraska law allows but does not require the use of drop boxes. If a county maintains a drop box, it must be securely fastened to the ground or a concrete slab connected to the ground, secured by a lock that can only be opened by an election commissioner, county clerk, or their designee, and must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.^[12] As of October 2025, all counties in Nebraska had at least one drop box.^[13]

Signature requirements and cure provisions[edit]

See also: Cure period for absentee and mail-in ballots

Absentee/mail-in ballots in Nebraska include a return envelope printed with an oath that must be signed by the voter. Unsigned ballots will not be counted. Nebraska does not have a cure provision, or a law allowing voters an opportunity to correct an issue with the signature on their absentee ballot.^[14]

Thirty-three states have laws that include cure provisions, while 16 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process. Twenty-four states explicitly allow voters to cure their ballots after Election Day, six states require that curing take place on or before Election Day, and three states do not stipulate ballot curing timelines in statute.

Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?[edit]

Nebraska voters can use the Voter Information Lookup tool provided by the Nebraska Secretary of State to check the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot.

Voter identification requirements[edit]

See also: Voter ID in Nebraska

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Nebraska requires voters to present identification while voting.

The following were accepted forms of identification as of October 2025. Click here for the Nebraska Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

To view Nebraska state law pertaining to voter identification, click here.

Voters can get a free state identification card for voting purposes through the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. Voters need to provide documentation confirming their identity and address.^[16] Voters who need a copy of their birth certificate to get a free state ID can get a free copy from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records.^[17]

Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, passports, and military identification cards.

Provisional balloting for voters without ID[edit]

Eligible voters who do not have ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.

Provisional ballot rules[edit]

Voters in Nebraska are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.^[18]

(1) If the voter’s name "does not appear on the precinct list of registered voters at the polling place for the precinct in which he or she resides," the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

(2) If the voter’s "name appears on the precinct list of registered voters at the polling place for the precinct in which he or she resides at a different residence address," the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

(3) If the voter’s "name appears with a notation that he or she received a ballot for early voting," the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

(4) If the voter’s "name appears on the precinct list of registered voters for the polling place with a notation that the voter is required to present identification pursuant to section 32-318.01 but fails to present identification," the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

A provisional ballot is accepted in the following circumstances:^[19]

• If "the voter was properly registered in the county before the deadline for registration for the election";
• If "[t]he voter has resided in the county continuously since registering to vote in the county";
• If "[t]he voter has not voted anywhere else in the county or has not otherwise voted early using a ballot for early voting";
• If the voter has completed a registration application prior to voting and the voter’s residence is located within the precinct in which the person voted; and
• If "[t]he certification on the front of the envelope or form attached to the envelope is in the proper form and signed by the voter."

A provisional ballot is rejected in the following circumstances:^[19]

• If "the voter was not properly registered in the county before the deadline for registration for the election";
• If "the voter has resided, registered, or voted in any other county or state since registering to vote in the county in which he or she cast the provisional ballot";
• If "the voter has voted elsewhere or has otherwise voted early";
• If "[t]he voter failed to complete and sign a registration application";
• If the voter voted in the wrong precinct;
• "If the voter is voting in a primary election, the party affiliation on the registration application completed prior to voting the provisional ballot is different than the party affiliation that appears on the voter's voter registration record based on his or her previous registration application"; or
• "The voter failed to complete and sign the certification on the envelope or form attached to the envelope."

Was your provisional ballot counted?[edit]

Visit Nebraska’s Voter Information Lookup tool to check the status of your provisional ballot.

Primary election type[edit]

See also: Primary elections in Nebraska

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Nebraska, participation rules for primaries vary by the office up for election. State legislative primaries use a nonpartisan top-two primary system in which any voter can participate. Congressional primaries are partisan, but an unaffiliated voter may vote in the congressional primary of their choice. For all other statewide offices, a state party can determine whether it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote in its primary.^[20]

As of October 2025, the Democratic Party held a semi-closed primary in which registered party members and unaffiliated voters could participate, and the Republican Party held a closed primary in which only registered party members could participate.^[21][22]

Time off work for voting[edit]

See also: Time off work for voting

In Nebraska, employers must grant employee requests for paid time off to vote, which, when combined with a non-work period, amounts to two hours. Employers may specify when employees take time off:

Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.

Electioneering[edit]

Nebraska law says "no judge or clerk of election or precinct or district inspector shall do any electioneering or disseminate information or materials advertising or advocating for or against any ballot measure while acting as an election official."^[24]

Nebraska also prohibits certain activities within any polling place or within 200 feet of any ballot drop-box. State law says:

Individuals may display yard signs on private property within 200 feet of a polling place if "the property is not under common ownership with the property on which the polling place, building, or secure ballot drop-box is located."^[24]

Electioneering is a class V misdemeanor.^[24]

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

As of October 2025, people convicted of a felony in Nebraska regained the right to vote after the completion of their sentence, including prison time, parole, and probation.^[25] 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.^[26]

Voter list maintenance[edit]

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls, or check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).^[27] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to a change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.^[28]

When names can be removed from the voter list[edit]

Nebraska law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:^[29][30][31]

• dies
• is found mentally incompetent by a court
• is convicted of a felony
• requests in writing to be removed
• does not respond to a confirmation notice and fails to vote in two consecutive federal general elections after the mailing of the notice.
• registers to vote or voted in another territory or state
• surrenders their Nebraska motor vehicle operator's license or state identification card to another state

Inactive voter list rules[edit]

Nebraska law requires the Secretary of State’s office and county election officials to conduct voter registration maintenance programs biennially, using National Change of Address data and other address and registration verification resources. If an individual is determined to have moved, county election officials are to send them a forwardable confirmation notice. Election officials are to remove the voter from the registration list if they fail to respond and do not vote in the following two federal general elections. In addition, if county election officials receive mail returned from a voter as undeliverable during a biennial mailing to all registered voters, a forwardable confirmation is to be sent. Election officials are to remove the voter from the registration list if they fail to respond and do not vote in the following two federal general elections.^[31]

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)[edit]

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."^[32]

Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.^[33]

As of October 2025, Nebraska was not participating in the ERIC program.^[34]

Post-election auditing[edit]

Nebraska state law does not require post-election audits. However, the secretary of state can choose to conduct an audit. The secretary must randomly select a minimum of 2 percent of precincts and audit one federal race, one statewide race, and one local race. Discrepancies are detailed in a report given to the secretary of state’s office.^[35]

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.^[36][37]

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while seven states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and seven states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.^[38][36]

Election administration authorities[edit]

State election officials[edit]

In Nebraska, the secretary of state is the state's chief election official. There is no state board of elections or equivalent authority. The secretary of state is elected by popular vote every four years.^[39]

Click here to access the secretary of state's elections page.

Local election officials[edit]

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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.

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Election policy ballot measures[edit]

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Nebraska ballot measures

Recent legislation related to election administration in Nebraska[edit]

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Nebraska. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

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Ballot access[edit]

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Nebraska

In order to get on the ballot in Nebraska, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Nebraska. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

The Nebraska Legislature is the only state legislature in the United States that operates as a unicameral body. Consequently, the legislature is often referred to as "the unicameral" or "the uni" by state residents (see "State legislature" below for more information). It is also the only legislature that specifically requires candidates to run on nonpartisan ballots.

Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Nebraska

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Nebraska's three United States Representatives and 49 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.^{[40][41][42][43]}

Nebraska was apportioned 3 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census.

State process[edit]

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

In Nebraska, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority is required to approve a redistricting plan, which is subject to veto by the governor.^[44]

The Nebraska Constitution requires that state legislative districts "be contiguous and compact, and they keep to county boundaries 'whenever practicable.'"^[44][45]

On April 8, 2011, the state legislature approved the following redistricting guidelines:^[44]

1. Congressional districts should be held to the same aforementioned constitutional requirements as state legislative districts.
2. Both congressional and state legislative districts should be "understandable to voters, preserve the cores of prior districts, and keep to boundaries of cities and villages when feasible."
3. District boundaries "should not be established with the intention of favoring a political party, other group or any person."

The legislature is entitled to amend these guidelines at its discretion.^[44]

Contact information[edit]

Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Nebraska can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Nebraska Election Officials

Click here for a list

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 coverage[edit]

U.S. Congress special elections

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State legislatures

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See also[edit]

• Election laws and legislation in Nebraska
• State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
• Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
• Voting in Nebraska
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Nebraska
• Redistricting in Nebraska

Elections in Nebraska[edit]

External links[edit]

• Nebraska Secretary of State - Elections
• Nebraska Voter Information Lookup

Footnotes[edit]

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