A Voter Education Project by the Nebraska Catholic Conference
Voting is vitally important as an exercise in Faithful Citizenship and political responsibility. This privilege and responsibility should not be wasted or taken lightly. Registration is required in order to be eligible to vote in Nebraska but it is a very easy process.
What are the requirements for registering to vote?
The conditions for registering to vote are quite basic. You must be a United States citizen, a Nebraska resident and at least 18 years of age on or before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. You must not have been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, at least two years must have passed since completion of the sentence. You must not have been found to be mentally incompetent pursuant to an official process.
The information required to register is also quite basic: name, address, date of birth and either the applicant’s driver’s license number and/or the last four digits of his/her Social Security number. In addition, at the top of the application form there are two questions required by Federal law: are you a U.S. citizen and are you of the age to register? There is space for optional information, including your e-mail address, phone number, previous name and/or previous address. At the bottom of each application is an oath to be signed, that the information provided by the applicant is true and correct. (Election falsification is a Class V felony in Nebraska.)
There is no minimum term of residency in order to register to vote in Nebraska; the first day of residency can be the day for voter registration. For purposes of registration, your residence is that place at which you have established a home, where you are habitually present, and to which, when you depart, you intend to return. Leaving for temporary purposes, such as military service, school attendance, hospital stays or missionary work need not result in a change-of-residence for voting purposes.
Do I have to designate a party affiliation when I register to vote?
Voter registration does not require designation of a political-party affiliation. Nevertheless, registrants may choose from one of the three statewide parties currently recognized in Nebraska: Republican, Democratic and Libertarian, or may choose to not affiliate with any party (by checking the “non-partisan” box on the application). Registering without a political-party affiliation can cause an effect in a Primary Election, but not in a General Election (e.g., upcoming Nov. 4).
Where can I register to vote?
There are varied and numerous opportunities for registering to vote. [Editor's note: Online Voter Registration is available at nebraska.gov.] Applications can be obtained from any county election office, state public-assistance offices and at local offices of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. In some areas, the county election official facilitates voter registration at schools, libraries or other public venues. In some locations, there are trained, deputized registrars, who operate pursuant to rules set forth in Nebraska law. In some instances, interested individuals distribute voter-registration applications. This method is not regulated and should be approached cautiously; some ask for information that is not required by law and then use it for purposes other than voter registration.
Registration can be accomplished by submitting a completed, signed application in person at the local County Clerk/Election Commissioner’s office or by submitting such an application via mail. Using mail for a first-time registration additionally requires inclusion of a copy of a current and valid photo ID, or a copy of government document (issued within the immediately preceding 60 days).
What are the deadlines for registering to vote in the Nov. 4 election?
Pursuant to Nebraska law, mailed-in voter registrations must be postmarked by the third Friday preceding an election. That day is Oct. 17 for the General Election upcoming Nov. 4. That same date, Oct. 17, is also the deadline for registering at any of the offices operated by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles and other state agencies. The last-available deadline applies to in-person registration at a county election office; that deadline is 6 p.m. the second Friday preceding an election. Therefore, for the General Election upcoming Nov. 4, registration can be accomplished at a county election office up until 6 p.m. Oct. 24.
Important Dates
Oct. 4—First day for in-person Early Voting at a County Election Office (CEO)
Oct. 17—Postmark deadline for mailed-in Voter Registration
Oct. 17—Last day for Voter Registration at agencies/offices other than a CEO
Oct. 24—Deadline for in-person Voter Registration at a CEO, 6 p.m.
Oct. 29—Deadline to apply for an Early-Voting Ballot to be mailed out, 4 p.m.
Nov. 3—Last day for Early Voting in person at a CEO, 5 p.m.
Nov. 4—Election Day!
Nov. 4—Deadline for receipt of all Early-Voting Ballots, 8 p.m. CT; 7 p.m. MT
Are there circumstances that would require me to re-register to vote?
Once registration is accomplished for the first time, there is no need to re-register, except in some limited circumstances.
Re-registration becomes necessary only when you change your name or your permanent residence/address, or if you wish to change your political-party affiliation. Failure to vote in a previous election does not trigger a requirement to re-register.
What are my options for voting prior to election day?
Nebraska law allows any registered voter to vote prior to Election Day regardless of the reason for doing so. Formerly, this was known as absentee voting, which typically required disclosure of a reason.
You can apply for an early-voting ballot in person at the county election office (County Clerk or Election Commissioner), by personal agent, by mail or by fax. For mail and fax, an on-line application form is available from the Secretary of State’s website: www.sos.ne.gov/elec/ele_forms.html.
If you want an early-voting ballot mailed to you, you must make such a request by 4 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding an election. So, for the General Election upcoming Nov. 4, that deadline is 4 p.m. Oct. 29. The day before the election, November 3, is the deadline for obtaining an early-voting ballot in person, or by personal agent, at a county election office.
There also is a special process to assist military and overseas citizens in obtaining Early Voting ballots. Nebraska participates in the Federal Voting Assistance Program for these purposes.
The deadline for all early-voting ballots to be returned to the respective county election office is the hour set for the polls to close on Election Day; that’s 8 p.m. Central Time and 7 p.m. Mountain Time.
Where can I find voting and election information for Nebraska or my county?
The Secretary of State serves as Nebraska’s chief election officer. The Elections Division in his office works with election officials in the state’s 93 counties and oversees the conduct of elections, tabulation equipment and the state voter-registration system. County election office contact information is available at www.sos.ne.gov/elec/clerks.html or by calling 888-727-0007 (toll free) or 402-471-2555.
In addition to voter forms, the Secretary of State’s website (www.sos.ne.gov/elec/2014/elections.html) provides detailed information regarding the voting process, addresses and phone numbers for county election officials and a look-up tool that allows would-be voters to verify their registration status.
As the Secretary of State says, “Voting in Nebraska is a very user-friendly process.”
