We're Mailing Ballot Applications to Voters

Thousands of registered voters in Lincoln and Omaha will find an early voting ballot application in their mailbox this March, sent by the ACLU of Nebraska. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization is mailing ballot applications to all registered voters in Lincoln and Omaha who have not yet received one.

The mailing is a first-of-its-kind investment for the ACLU of Nebraska. In total, more than 131,000 ballot applications are headed to Lincoln voters and more than 166,000 are going to Omaha voters.

Printing and mailing began the first week of March. Some Lincoln voters have already received the mailing and the remainder of the applications should arrive this week in both cities.

The mailing will be complemented by general education and direct outreach efforts organized by Civic Nebraska and the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table. The organizations will be working this spring to inform voters of election deadlines and encourage them to promptly fill out and return their early ballot application to their county’s election commission.

Through these shared efforts, the organizations seek to encourage turnout while protecting public health.

"We’re treating this election like every vote counts because democracy always works best when more voters make their voices heard,” said Danielle Conrad, executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska. “We’ve seen similar mailings be successful just last year and we hope to see continued strong turnout this spring.”

“It's simple math: The more people who participate in a democracy, the more democratic it becomes,” said Heather Engdahl, get-out-the-vote director for Civic Nebraska. “Thanks to many Nebraskans voting by mail, this added up to massive voter participation in 2020. That's good for democracy. This spring, Omahans and Lincolnites have an opportunity to continue this powerful trend. But first, we must remove all barriers to the ballot for these municipal voters.”

“"Voting by mail is a safe way to cast a ballot during the pandemic, and leads to greater participation from those who haven’t been able to vote in the past,” said Karina Hernandez, voter registration manager at the Nebraska Civic Engagement Table. “Along with our nonprofit member organizations, we look forward to increasing voter turnout this spring as part of our year-round commitment to civic participation.”

The city elections follow 2020’s record-breaking general election, in which almost half of all Nebraska voters chose to vote via early ballot. Election officials made that process easier by mailing ballot applications to all registered voters except in the counties that already conduct all vote-by-mail elections. Both the Douglas County Election Commissioner and Lancaster County Election Commissioner declined to send a similar mailing this year, so the ACLU of Nebraska is stepping in to meet the need.

Officials at both commissions provided feedback on the designs to ensure they included necessary information. Their input helped inform wording and color choice. Lincoln voters will receive green forms from the ACLU of Nebraska while Omaha voters will receive tan forms.

City of Lincoln Election Dates

Lincoln's primary Election Day is April 6 and its general Election Day is May 4. Lincoln will be electing three at-large members to the Lincoln City Council, four members to the Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education, and two members to the Lincoln Airport Authority Board of Directors.

Primary Election

March 19 - LAST DAY
- To mail in a postmarked voter registration
- To register online for the primary election until 11:59 pm
March 22 - FIRST DAY
- Early mail-in ballots will be mailed out to voters for the primary election
- To pick up early mail-in ballots at the Lancaster County Election Office
- To vote early in person at the Lancaster County Election Office
March 26 - LAST DAY
- To register in person for the primary elections (6 pm)
- To receive an application for an early mail-in ballot for the primary elections that would be mailed to your address
April 5 - LAST DAY
- To vote early in person at the Lancaster County Election Office (7 am to 5 pm)
April 6 - PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
- Polls open 8 am to 8 pm
- Find your polling place
- Early mail-in ballots must be submitted by 8 pm in the Lancaster County drop box

General Election

April 16 - LAST DAY
- To mail in a postmarked voter registration for the general election
- To register online for the general election until 11:59 pm
April 19 - FIRST DAY
- Early mail-in ballots for the general election can be mailed out to voters
- To pick up early mail-in ballots for the general election
- To vote early in person at the Lancaster County Election Office
April 23 - LAST DAY
- To register in person for the general election (6 pm)
May 3 - LAST DAY
- To vote early in person at the Lancaster County Election Office (7 am to 5 pm)
May 4 - GENERAL ELECTION DAY
- Polls open 8 am to 8 pm
- Find your polling place
- Early voting ballots must be returned by 8 pm in the Lancaster County drop box

City of Omaha Election Dates

Omaha's primary Election Day is also April 6, and its general Election Day is May 11. Omahans will be electing a mayor and all seven members of the Omaha City Council.

Primary Election

March 19 - LAST DAY
- To mail in a postmarked voter registration
- To register to vote at an Omaha DMV or by deputy registrar
- To deliver a voter registration form to the Douglas County Election Office by someone other than the person registering
- To register online for the primary election until 11:59 pm
March 22 - FIRST DAY
- Early mail-in ballots will be mailed out to voters for the primary election
- To pick up early mail-in ballots at the Douglas County Election Office
- To vote early in person at the Douglas County Election Office
March 26 - LAST DAY
- To register in person for the primary election at the Douglas County Election Office (6 pm)
- To receive an application for an early mail-in ballot for the primary elections that would be mailed to your address
April 5 - LAST DAY
- To vote early in person at the Douglas County Election Office (7 am to 5 pm)
April 6 - PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
- Polls open 8 am to 8 pm
- Find your polling place
- Early mail-in ballots must be submitted by 8 pm in the Douglas County drop box

General Election

April 15 - Deadline for county election officials to verify provisional ballots
April 23 - LAST DAY
- To mail in a postmarked voter registration
- To register to vote at an Omaha DMV or by deputy registrar
- To deliver a voter registration form to the Douglas County Election Office by someone other than the person registering
- To register online for the primary election until 11:59 pm
April 26 - FIRST DAY
- Early mail-in ballots for the general election can be mailed out to voters
- To pick up early mail-in ballots for the general election
- To vote early in person at the Douglas County Election Office
April 30 - LAST DAY
- To register in person for the general election at the Douglas County Election Office (6 pm)
- To get an application for an early mail-in ballot for the general election that would be mailed to your address
May 10 - LAST DAY
- To vote early in person at the Douglas County Election Office (7 am to 5 pm)
May 11 - GENERAL ELECTION DAY
- Polls open 8 am to 8 pm
- Find your polling place
- Early voting ballots must be returned by 8 pm in the Douglas County drop box

Additional Resources

Your right to vote should not be taken away or made inaccessible because of your race, sex, national origin, gender identity, or even upon conviction of a crime. However, too many voters still face barriers to registering to vote or casting a ballot. Knowing the laws and your voting rights can help you avoid or solve problems at the polls. Below are some resources to help you make a plan to vote.

If you're subjected to intimidation or turned away or have any questions about your right to vote, contact the ACLU of Nebraska for assistance.