Six months from today, Nebraskans will head to the polls to cast their ballots in the statewide primary, however, with a new voter ID law, Nebraskans should start preparing for the primary now. The Secretary of State’s office reminds voters that voter ID will take effect for the May 14, 2024, statewide primary and will be in effect for every election in Nebraska after that.
“Nebraska’s elections will look a little different for the 2024 statewide primary and going forward,” Secretary of State Bob Evnen said. “Nebraskans should take some time now to prepare a voting plan ahead of the statewide primary. Our election officials are working diligently to implement the state’s new voter ID law. Having prepared voters will help ensure a smooth and successful start.”
Here are some important dates to keep in mind ahead of the statewide primary:
January 5 – Candidate filing begins
January 15 – First day county election offices can accept early voting ballot requests
April 8 – County election offices begin mailing out early voting ballots
April 15 – First day to vote in-person at the county election office
April 29 – Last day to register to vote online, at the DMV, at the Dept. of Education, at DHHS, by deputy registrar or by mail (postmark)
May 3 – Last day to register to vote in-person at the county election office
May 13 – Last day to vote early in-person at the county election office
May 14 – Primary election day (Polls are open 8am – 8pm CT and 7am – 7pm MT)
May 14 – Last day to return an early voting ballot to the county election office (8 pm CT/7 pm MT)
New this year: May 21 – Last day for a voter to present their valid ID to their county election office if they didn’t have their ID at the polls
Under Nebraska’s new voter ID law, registered voters must present a valid photo ID for their vote to count. Nebraskans can use any of the IDs listed below for voting:
-
Nebraska driver’s license or state ID
-
Nebraska college or university ID (public or private)
-
Nebraska political subdivision ID (state/county/city/public school ID)
-
Passport
-
Military ID
-
Tribal ID
-
Hospital, assisted living facility, nursing home or any other skilled care facility record
According to research conducted by the Secretary of State’s office, more than 97% of Nebraskans have either a Nebraska driver’s license or a Nebraska state ID. Either can be used under the voter ID law.
People can get a free state ID for voting purposes from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If the person was born in Nebraska and needs a free certified copy of their Nebraska birth certificate to get a free state ID, they can contact the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). A birth certificate is not a valid form of voter ID.
There is no special “Voter ID card” issued by the Secretary of State’s office. Some states have specific Voter ID cards for their voter ID law; Nebraska does not.
There is preliminary voter ID educational material on our website. There will be more educational resources and events published and advertised in 2024.
The Secretary of State’s office reminds voters to use trusted sources for election information, such as information distributed from the Secretary of State’s office or a Nebraska county election office. We anticipate that misinformation about elections will increase in 2024. It’s important to verify claims that come up in election-related articles and social media posts. Reach out to your county election office or the Secretary of State’s office for your questions and concerns.