Early voting began on October 7th. There are many more deadlines coming up before the general election in Nebraska. Here are the important dates and deadlines you need to be aware of as we are only three weeks from election day.

• October 18th–Voter registration deadline for online and by mail (postmarked)
• October 25th–Voter registration deadline for in-person. Last day to request ballot by mail
• November 4th–In-person early voting ends
• November 5th–ELECTION DAY. Election offices must receive early ballots by 8 p.m. Postmarks do not matter. Allow seven days if mailing.

The deadline to register to vote online, by mail, or at a state agency–including the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)–is October 18th. You can register to vote through the Nebraska Secretary of State’s online voter registration portal (https://www.nebraska.gov/apps-sos-voter-registration/) or by printing off and mailing in a voter registration form (https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/voter-forms). If you aren’t sure whether you’re registered to vote, you can check your registration status on the state’s VoterCheck website (https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/VoterView/). If you need to update your address or party affiliation, you can do so through the state’s online registration portal through October 18th.

On election day, Nebraska voters will be required to present a photo ID before casting a ballot. Voters must show their ID if they vote early in their county election office or if they cast their ballot at their local precinct on Election Day. Acceptable forms of ID are: Nebraska driver’s license, Nebraska state ID, Nebraska college ID, Military ID, Tribal ID, U. S. Passport, Nebraska political subdivision ID (state, county, city, public school, etc.), Hospital, intermediate care facility, assisted-living facility or nursing home record.

The polls will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on November 5th. Voters must vote at the location for their current address. You can look up your polling location on the Secretary of State’s website or you can call the election office at (402) 441-7311. (Portions taken from Adamson, R. (2024, October 7). “Here are the important dates, deadlines for Nebraska’s 2024 General Election. Lincoln Journal Star. https://shorturl.at/0Q9I5)

2024 Ballot Measures
Over the past several weeks I have been going over the ballot measures included as part of your ballot this year. Due to early voting taking place starting October 7th, I would like to remind you of what you are voting on and my take on each one. Certainly, we will agree to disagree on any one of these measures, but based on bipartisan votes on some of these on the floor and those not making it to the floor, it is important that you are educated on each ballot measure so you can cast an informative vote. Many ballot measures are written in a confusing way and can cause issues at the ballot box.

Protect Women and Children, Initiative Measure 434–Shall the Nebraska Constitution be amended to include a new section which provides: “Except when a woman seeks an abortion necessitated by a medical emergency or when the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest, unborn children shall be protected from abortion in the second and third trimesters.” This initiative is well-defined, common-sense protections in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters with the exceptions outlined above. This preserves the health and safety standards by preventing individuals who are NOT LICENSED physicians from influencing the medical decision of a woman in crisis. This safeguards parental notification requirements, protecting the relationship and responsibility parents have with their daughters. I plan to vote “FOR” as this will keep the protections currently in law and protect women and children.

Private Education Scholarship Partial Repeal (Legislative Bill 1402), Referendum Measure 435–Section 1 of Legislative Bill 1402, enacted by the Nebraska Legislature in 2024, provides for $10 million annually to fund education scholarships to pay all or part of the cost to educate eligible students attending nongovernmental, privately operated elementary and secondary schools in Nebraska. Shall Section 1 of Legislative Bill 1402 be repealed? I plan to vote to “RETAIN” as I voted for this bipartisan bill when it was debated on the floor. There are three private schools in the district which are St. Mary’s in Wayne; St. Augustine’s Indian Mission in Winnebago; and St. Michael’s in South Sioux City. There have been 45 applicants for a scholarship to attend one of these three schools. Thirty-seven of the forty-five students who applied are below 300% poverty. So far 25 students in the district have received a scholarship and the average scholarship is $1,100. This is why I support having school choice. Families and students need to have options.

Paid Sick Leave, Initiative Measure 436–Shall a statute be enacted which: (1) provides eligible employees the right to earn paid sick time for personal or family health needs; (2) entitles employees of employers with fewer than 20 employees to accrue and use up to 40 hours of such time annually and those employed by employers with 20 or more employees to accrue and use up to 56 hours of such time annually; (3) specifies conditions regarding paid sick time; (4) prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising such rights; (5) adopts documentation requirements; and (6) establishes enforcement powers and a civil cause of action for violations? I plan to vote “AGAINST” this measure as this will hurt small and medium-sized businesses as it will drive up costs. This also hurts small businesses located in rural and lower income areas because it does not account for differences in labor availability, cost-of-living, or other variances across the state. Over my time in the Legislature, many bills were introduced to address this issue and heard in the Business and Labor Committee. They were either not voted out of committee or came to the floor for debate and were voted down. There is always a reason many bills don’t make it through the entire legislative process as we, as senators, have to look at each one through the lens of how it would affect Nebraskans all across the state.

Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation, Initiative Measure 437–Shall a statute be enacted that makes penalties inapplicable under state and local law for the use, possession, and acquisition of an allowable amount (up to five ounces) of cannabis for medical purposes by a qualified patient with a written recommendation from a health care practitioner, and for a caregiver to assist a qualified patient with these activities? I plan to vote “AGAINST” this measure because it will open up Nebraska to the marijuana industry and contradicts federal law. In my eyes this is something that should be dealt with at the federal level and across all states for more consistent regulations.

Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection, Initiative Measure 438–Shall a statute be enacted that makes penalties inapplicable under state law for the possession, manufacture, distribution, delivery, and dispensing of cannabis for medical purposes by registered private entities, and that establishes a Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate such activities? I plan to vote “AGAINST” this measure as it will require a change in Nebraska law regarding marijuana. Since my time in the legislature, this issue has been introduced to the Legislature and heard in the Judiciary Committee. Each time it was voted out of committee to General File, but never moved any further forward in the legislative process.

Protect the Right to Abortion, Initiative Measure 439–Shall the Nebraska Constitution be amended to include a new section which provides: “All persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient, without interference from the state or its political subdivisions. Fetal viability means the point in pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of the patient’s treating health care practitioner, there is a significant likelihood of the fetus’ sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures.” I will definitely be voting “AGAINST” this measure as it will jeopardize women’s health and safety as it allows abortionists and individuals who are not licensed physicians to influence the medical decision of a woman in crisis. It will provide abortion against her will. This measure proposes all persons have a right to an abortion which allows men to force a woman into an abortion against her will. It paves the way for taxpayer funding of elective abortions in Nebraska, even against strongly held moral and religious objections. Finally, it will overturn parental notification laws, which allows predators and human traffickers to continue their abuse in the shadows. If this measure passes, it will eliminate all of the laws we have put into place since 2010.

Most of these ballot measures have been through the legislative process. Due to them not making it through the process and into law, the sponsor brought an initiative or referendum petition in order to allow registered voters to vote on these issues. All ballot measures can change the future for businesses, healthcare, families, and so much more as it can affect generations for years to come. It is so important to get out, vote in this election and have your voice heard. You can see sample ballots at sos.nebraska.gov/elections/2024-genear-sample-ballots so you can show up to the polls educated and ready to cast your vote.

As always, I invite you to let me know your thoughts, ideas, concerns, or suggestions by calling my office at (402) 471-2716 or emailing me at jalbrecht@leg.ne.gov.