VOTING RESOURCES
Here are the answers to your voting questions.
Voter Registration FAQ
Yes. Voter registration is required in Nebraska. The only exception is for a Presidential election. Those who have recently moved to Nebraska or who have moved to another state after that state’s registration deadline may vote a Presidential-only ballot by contacting the county election official.
To register to vote in Nebraska you must:
- Live in the State of Nebraska
- Be at least 18 years of age on or before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Have not been convicted of a felony, or if convicted, at least two years have passed since the completion of your sentence for the felony including any parole term
- Have not been officially found to be mentally incompetent
No, you may register to vote the same day you become a resident of the State of Nebraska.
- you may register online or change your current registration at the NEReg2Vote website https://www.nebraska.gov/apps-sos-voter-registration/
- You may register in person at the local County Clerk/Election Commissioner’s office during normal business hours.
- You may also register by mail. Voter Registration Applications are available at several locations throughout the state, including banks, post offices and libraries. A voter registration application can be printed off this web site for your use. If registering for the first time in Nebraska by mail, please provide a copy of a current and valid photo ID, or a copy of a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document which is dated within 60 days immediately prior to the date of presentation showing the same name and residence address provided on the voter registration application to avoid delays with your registration.
- You may also register to vote through the state Department of Motor Vehicles when applying for or renewing your driver’s license.
- You may also register through the state Department of Health and Human Services and State Department of Education at the time of application, review or change of address in connection with public programs.
- Mail-in voter registrations must be mailed and postmarked on or before the third Friday just before an election.
- Individuals may register in person at the County Clerk/Election Commissioner’s office prior to 6 p.m. on the second Friday before an election.
- No, you may choose to not affiliate with a particular party by checking the non-partisan box on the application. However, if voters choose to designate a specific party they may choose from one of the four statewide parties currently recognized in Nebraska: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian and Legal Marijuana NOW.
- If voters wish to vote in the primary elections, where parties choose their nominees for state and county offices, they must declare their party affiliation.
You must re-register whenever you change
- Your name
- Your address
- Your political party affiliation
- Failure to vote in a previous election does not require re-registration
- Yes, you will receive an acknowledgment from the election official that you have properly registered.
- If you have questions on your registration, call your County Election Commissioner.
- By law, a 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 missions work need not result in a change of residence for voting purposes.
- However, any permanent change in your residence or address will require you to re-register to vote.
Early/Absentee Voting & Vote By Mail
Registered voters can request that an early-voting ballot be mailed directly to them prior to each election, or they can visit the Election Commission and vote early in person. They can also have someone pick up a ballot for them prior to the election.
No, since 1999, Nebraska law has not required a person disclose a reason for their request on the early-voting application.
You can apply for an early-voting ballot by contacting your County Clerk or Election Commissioner in person at the election office, by personal agent, by mail or by fax.
Print and complete the online early-voting application. Mail, fax, or take a picture and email it to your Election Commission office.
Yes, Nebraska participates in the Federal Voting Assistance Program for their military personnel and overseas citizens. For information, go to military/overseas assistance.
- All county election offices will accept Early Voting applications up to 120 days prior to a statewide Primary or General election.
- The last day to request an Early Voting ballot to be mailed is the Wednesday prior to Election Day at 4 p.m.
- 35 days before the Election is the first day Early Voting ballots are available to vote at the county office. Contact your County Clerk or Election Commissioner for information on office hours
- 35 days before the Election is also the first day ballots are sent to non-military stateside applicants.
- Should your ballots not arrive, contact your County Clerk or Election Commissioner to confirm the date and address the ballots were mailed out.
- Make arrangements with the county election official to receive a replacement ballot if it is determined your ballots were lost, destroyed, spoiled or never received.
- The Monday before Election Day is the last day to cast an early voting ballot at the County Election Office.
- Ballots received via the postal service will be accompanied by instructions on how to cast a vote and a return envelope.
- If assistance is needed marking the ballot a friend or voter-designated person may provide assistance.
- The voted ballot must be placed in the return envelope. The envelope must be sealed and signed (or their mark made) by the voter and if assistance was provided by the person providing assistance.
- The return envelope containing the ballots may be mailed back to the County Election Office, returned by personal delivery, an agent, or courier service.
All Early Voting ballots, whether personally delivered, delivered by agent, delivered by mail or other carriers must arrive by the closing of the polls on Election Day. (8:00 p.m. Central Time / 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time.)
Election Day
Each voter must cast his/her ballot at his/her assigned polling place. If you do not know the location of your polling place, contact your county clerk/election commissioner, or go to https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/. Whenever you register or re-register to vote, your county clerk/election commissioner will inform you of your polling place location. Your voting card informs you not only of your polling place, but also your voting districts.
The polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Central Time Zone and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Mountain Time Zone.
No, the card is for information only and does not need to be presented to election officials in order to vote. The only time voters are asked for their ID is if they were a first time Nebraska registrant who mailed in their registration application and didn’t provide ID at that time.
Registered voters who moved from one residence to another in the same county, or who changed their name and remained in the same county will be allowed to vote at the polling place designated for their new residence. These voters may be asked to cast a Provisional Ballot upon completing a certification and new registration form. Persons casting Provisional ballots may check to see if their ballot was counted starting the second Wednesday after the election by visiting https://www.votercheck.necvr.ne.gov/ or calling toll free 1-888-727-0007. Provisional ballots are counted only if the information the voter provided on their certification forms was verified. Persons moving from one county in Nebraska to another county in Nebraska must re-register in their new county in order to be eligible to vote.
Registered voters go to their assigned polling place where there will be three or more poll workers at a table checking voters in. Voters will be asked for their name and the residence address they are living at. In primary elections voters will also be asked to name their party. Upon verifying the information, the election workers will provide the voter with ballots assigned to persons living in their district and instructions on how to cast a ballot. In Nebraska all counties use optical scan ballots; so voters are instructed to darken the oval completely, not to erase or cross out and return to the table if they have spoiled their ballot and need a new one. Ballots are tabulated at the precinct level using M100’s in 1/3 of our counties and centrally counted in larger counties using a M650 that can count over 300 ballots a minute.
Voters who cannot read, are blind or have a physical disability may request assistance in marking their ballots. The voter may have a friend or relative assist them or the voter may request the assistance of two election board workers – one each of a different party. In addition, an AutoMARK, a ballot-marking device, available to assist voters at every polling place allows the voter to have all contests and candidates read to them. The the voter can also choose to enlarge the print making it easier to view. In addition, it provides a touch screen voters may use if desired which will then electronically darken the ovals left of the choices the voter has designated on the paper ballot that was issued to them by the Receiving Board.
No one may campaign or hand out political literature within 200 feet of a polling place. Wearing political badges or any political insignia into the polling place on Election Day is against the law.
All information provided here obtained from the Nebraska Secretary of State website located at:
http://www.sos.ne.gov/elec/voter_info.html