Nebraska’s laws around voting rights and voting rights restoration can be confusing. Being detained in jail at election time makes exercising your right to vote even more confusing. This guide is meant to help. Even if you are detained in a Nebraska jail, you MAY be eligible to vote. Your vote matters because you get to vote for candidates who make decisions about your life and ballot initiatives addressing key issues. Simply put, voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Nebraska primary elections will be held on May 14, 2024. This guide is meant to help you determine if you are eligible to vote and how you may exercise your right to vote whether you are currently or formerly incarcerated
To be eligible to vote in Nebraska:
- You must be a U.S. Citizen.
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You must live in Nebraska. This includes self-supporting students who regard the location of their school as their home and military service members living on a military post who do not intend to return to their former places of residence.
- You must be 18 years old on or before November 5, 2024.
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If you have been convicted of a felony under Nebraska’s laws, another state’s laws, or federal government laws, at least two years must have passed since the completion of your sentence, including any parole or probation term. (This year, Nebraska state senators passed LB 20, which removes the two-year waiting period for those with felony convictions who have completed their sentence including any probation or parole term. This change in the law takes effect on July 18, 2024. The following guide explains the current law while the two-year waiting period is still in effect and applies to voter eligibility for the primary elections on May 14, 2024. Learn more about the change at getmyvoteback.org.)
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If you have been convicted of treason under Nebraska law or federal law, you cannot vote unless your right to vote has been restored by the pardon process.
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You cannot be currently subject to a court order of mental incompetency. An adult under a guardianship order can still vote unless there is a court order stating otherwise.
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You must present an acceptable form of photo ID, which must have your name and photo. The photo ID can be expired and still be used for the purposes of voting. You may complete a Reasonable Impediment Certification if you have a reasonable impediment to presenting a valid photo ID. This form will guide you through the new voter ID requirement.
Learn how to vote and find key resources in the PDFs below.