Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved voter ID (Initiative Measure 432) in the November 2022 Nebraska General Election. The Nebraska Legislature's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee advanced LB514 to the full legislature in May 2023. After three rounds of debate, the Nebraska Legislature passed the bill on June 1, 2023. Governor Jim Pillen signed the bill into law on June 1, 2023.
When does voter ID go into effect?
Effective for the May 14, 2024, statewide primary and every election in Nebraska after that.
What ID(s) can Nebraskans use to vote?
A valid photo ID must have the voter's name and photo. The ID can be expired. Valid IDS are:
•NE driver's license/state Id (more than 97% of Nebraskans have a state-issued ID)
•NE college or university ID (public or private)
•Passport, Military ID, Tribal ID
•Hospital, assisted-living facility, nursing home facility record
•NE political subdivision ID (examples: state/county/city/public school employee ID)
What ID(s) will NOT work?
•Out-of-state driver's license
•Out-of-state student ID (example: Kansas State student ID)
•Medicare/Medicaid card
•ªSocial Security card
•Store membership card (example: Costco membership card)
•Utility bill/bank statement
•Voter registration acknowledgement card
How will the voting process work now with voter ID?
•Voting in person: Show a valid photo ID (or reasonable impediment certification)
•Voting early in office: Show a valid photo ID (or reasonable impediment certification)
•Voting early by mail: Write NE driver's license number/state ID on application or enclose a copy of valid photo ID (or reasonable impediment certification)
•Voting early by mail in vote-by-mail precinct/county: Write NE driver's license number/state ID on ballot return envelope or enclose a copy of valid photo ID (or reasonable impediment certification)
What if I can't afford a state ID?
The Nebraska DMV is providing free state IDs to anyone who needs one for voting. If you were born in Nebraska and need your birth certificate to get a free state ID, you can get a free certified copy of your Nebraska birth certificate from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Voters who lack a birth certificate or other documents required to obtain valid photo ID can complete a reasonable impediment certification.
Are there any exceptions What's the "reasonable
impediment" listed in the law?
Active-duty military members, active-duty military spouses and citizens overseas covered by UOCAVA (Uniformed & Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) are exempt from voter ID.
*Note: More than 97% of voters have state-issued IDs. The Nebraska Secretary of State's office is expecting a small amount of reasonable impediment certifications to be used.
Reasonable impediments are:
•A religious objection to being photographed.
•A disability or illness that prevents someone from obtaining a state ID.
•A lack of birth certificate or other required documents to obtain a state Id.
Voters with one of the reasonable impediments listed above can:
•Complete a reasonable impediment certification at their polling place if voting on election day.
•Complete a reasonable impediment certification at their county election office if voting early in-person.
•Print and complete the reasonable impediment certification on the Secretary of State's website and return it to their county election office.
People voting early by mail must enclose the reasonable impediment certification with their early voting ballot request. Voters in by-mail counties/precincts or participating in by-mail special elections must enclose the impediment certification in their early voting ballot return envelope.
The county election office will verify that the signature on the reasonable impediment certification matches the signature on the voter registration record.
What if I lost my ID or forgot to bring it to the polls?
Voters may vote with a provisional voter identification verification (P-VIV) envelope. This is a streamlined version of a provisional ballot.
•Regular ballot is marked by voter.
•Ballot is placed in P-VIV envelope and signed by voter.
•Voters must present their valid photo ID to their county election office on or before the Tuesday after the election for their ballot to be counted.
