The Republicans have launched an attack on our voting process in our state at the Unicameral.
As reported by the Omaha World-Herald, state Sen. Julie Slama has introduced bills requiring voters to show ID in order to cast a ballot and another measure to change the way Nebraska allocates its five Electoral College votes — which helped President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris win the White House
“The GOP has tried to pass similar legislation for years, and we — led by our strong Democratic lawmakers and former Independent Sen. Ernie Chambers — have been able to reject those efforts,” said NDP Chair Jane Kleeb. “We plan to do it again.”
Both measures had a public hearing Feb. 17 before the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
You can see coverage of the Voter ID hearing here.
You can see coverage of the Electoral Vote hearing here.
Keep scrolling down to see what you still can do to help fight the measures.
Taking Away the Split Electoral Vote System
Legislative Bill 76 would return Nebraska to the winner-take-all method of allocating Electoral College votes.
Nebraska’s allowing its Electoral Votes to be split among the winners of each congressional district in the presidential race is how we were able to deliver the Omaha area’s Blue Dot to send Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House.
Requiring Voter ID
Legislative Resolution 3CA is a constitutional amendment that, if passed by voters, would require photo identification for voting.
Groups, including the ACLU and Civic Nebraska, have helped defeat Voter ID measures eight years in a row, yet the GOP continues to try to suppress people’s votes. We should be focused on expanding voter registration and Vote By Mail — those two programs increase voter turnout.
Tools for Activists
Look up and track bills in the Legislature
LTE tips and contacts for papers across the state
Tips and some sample emails to a State Senator
Get updates and let us know that you will participate to help stop these bad bills on voting rights
Take Action to Protect Voting Rights
Both wrong-headed measures have been referred to the Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, which will schedule public hearings on them.
- If you could not attend the hearings, then we suggest emailing your state senator as well as the entire committee on why you are opposed to the bills. You should also forward a copy of that message to your own state senator. See tips and some sample emails here.
- Consider writing a LTE (Letter to the Editor) to your local paper on why the bills are not a good direction for our state. You can read tips and some sample LTEs here.
- Post on social media any actions you take. The more people that know about these bad bills the better! Use #NebDems #NEleg.
Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Members
Sen. Tom Brewer, chairperson
District 43, Gordon
tbrewer@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2628
Sen. Carol Blood,
District 3, Bellevue
cblood@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2627
Sen. Steve Halloran,
District 33, Hastings
shalloran@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2712
Sen. Matt Hansen,
District 26, Lincoln
mhansen@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2610
Sen. Megan Hunt,
District 8, Omaha
mhunt@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2722
Sen. John Lowe,
District 37, Kearney
jlowe@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2726
Sen. John McCollister,
District 20, Omaha
jmccollister@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2622
Sen. Rita Sanders,
District 45, Lincoln
rsanders@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2615
