The 2022 Election is a big one for Nebraska. In just a few short weeks, Nebraskans will elect a new Governor and Lieutenant Governor, at least 15 new State Senators, and countless other civil servants to state, regional, county, and local offices. At the national level, control of both the House of Representatives and Senate is at stake, as well as leadership in many other states.

This time of year, there is always much discussion of election security, going all the way back to Florida’s “hanging chads” in the 2000 election and beyond. Nebraska is fortunate to avoid many of the problems we hear about in other states thanks to protections implemented by the Nebraska Secretary of State and the Legislature.

Nebraskans cast their vote on paper ballots. Even voting machines available for those with accessibility issues merely create a paper ballot. Ballots are then counted by machines that are not, and cannot be, connected to the Internet. Every counting machine is tested three times before each election, including a mock election to verify the accuracy of the ballot total. And, even though machine voting is more accurate than hand-counting, Nebraska selects a portion of precincts to have its machine count verified with a hand count. Once ballots are counted and tabulated, only then is election result information transferred to an Internet-enabled device for publication via a secure, encrypted USB device.

Nebraska voters should have peace of mind knowing that their vote will count, every time.

Other Nebraska policies also help ensure election security. Voters may not register on election day. By having Nebraskans register in advance, our election officials have time to verify the accuracy of voter registration information, as well as anticipate the number of voters, ballots, and precinct workers that will be needed. That said, there is still time to register if you would like to vote in the General Election! Mail-in registration must be postmarked by October 21 and in-person registration is open until October 28.

Once registered, it is time to cast your ballot. Many people still like to vote in person on election day. Polls are open for 12 hours starting at 8:00 a.m. Central or 7:00 a.m. Mountain Time. However, early and mail-in voting is also available for those who cannot make it to the polls on November 8. You can cast your vote in-person at your county election office now through November 7. Ballots can also be submitted via mail. In most Nebraska counties, ballots are not mailed to all registered voters. Instead, you must request a ballot be sent to you. October 28 is the last day a request for a mail-in ballot can be received. All early ballots must be submitted by the close of polls on November 8.

Who you elect really does affect you. Local officials set your property tax rates, including funding for schools, roads, emergency services, and levies for entities like natural resources districts. State officials determine income and sales tax rates and consider policies to ensure Nebraskans’ health, safety, security, and constitutional rights are protected.

In addition to local initiatives, all Nebraskans will consider two ballot initiatives this year. One would change the Nebraska Constitution to require a voter to show a valid photographic identification prior to casting a ballot. The other initiative would phase-in an increase to the state minimum wage from $9.00 to $15.00 by 2026 and cost-of-living increases in later years.

Finally, I was part of a bi-partisan coalition in the Legislature that proposed an additional change to Nebraska’s Constitution. If approved by the voters, LR283CA would to allow cities, counties, and other political subdivisions who own or operate an airport to use its revenue to develop or expand commercial passenger air service. This change could expand flight offerings at our larger hubs in Omaha and Lincoln, as well as smaller regional airports like the one in North Platte.

More voting information, including sample ballots, is available on the Nebraska Secretary of State’s website at: https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/2022-elections. Thank you to all of my fellow Nebraskans who have put forth their names to serve our great state by seeking elected office.

If you want to discuss election security, this year’s ballot questions, or any other issues impacting you, please feel free to reach out to me at mjacobson@leg.ne.gov or 402-471-2729. My door is always open!