Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

During this past session, the Nebraska Legislature made a significant change to the state’s process for restoring voting rights by removing the unnecessary two-year waiting period that qualified individuals had to endure before regaining their rights. Therefore, Nebraska received an A- on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Nebraska Started at the Beginning of 2024

• Automatic Voter Registration: No
• Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
• Same-Day Registration: No
• Restoration of Rights: Parole and/or Probation Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: No
• Early Voting Opportunities: Regular Ballot Early Voting
• ID Requirements: No Document Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Nebraska as of 2024, we considered the state a middle tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other middle tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2024): 26th
• EPI Score (2022): 5th
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 7/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2024): FAIR

2024: This Past Year

Legislative Action

This past year, the Nebraska Legislature passed important pro-voter legislation aimed at ensuring eligible returning citizens have their voting rights restored without unnecessary delay.

• LB 20 removes the two-year waiting period to restore voting rights once an individual completes their sentence for a felony conviction. This past summer the attorney general and secretary of state argued that the law was unconstitutional and halted any new voter registrations under the law while a lawsuit proceeded. However, just before the voter registration deadline for the 2024 election was set to close, the Nebraska Supreme Court issued a ruling blocking the secretary’s directive and ordering the state to comply with LB 20.