The 2024 General Election is just five days away, but many people have been working behind the scenes for months in preparation for the day.

The Secretary of State serves as Nebraska’s chief election officer. Working with election officials in the state’s 93 counties, the Elections Division oversees election law, the conduct of elections in the state, election tabulation equipment, and the state voter registration system. The division accepts candidate filings and compiles results for statewide, legislative, judicial retention, and certain district elections.

Though Tuesday, Nov. 5, is the date for going to the polls to cast your ballots, many voters have taken advantage of the opportunity to vote early either by mail or in-person. Last Friday, Oct. 25, was the last day for in-person voter registration, and the first day the Early Voting Counting Board could convene to check envelopes with signatures and prepare ballots for counting.

Monday, Nov. 4, is the last day for in-person early voting at the county clerk or election commissioner's office, and the first day the Early Voting Counting Board may convene to begin counting early voting ballots. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, polls will open at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

As of Oct. 1, 2024, there are 1,249,508 active voter registrations in Nebraska. This will be the state’s first general election requiring voters to present a photo ID prior to receiving a ballot. Acceptable forms of ID include a Nebraska driver’s license, Nebraska state ID, Nebraska college ID, military ID, tribal ID, U.S. passport, Nebraska political subdivision ID, and hospital, intermediate care facility, assisted living facility, or nursing home record. Nebraskans who do not have a driver’s license or state ID may obtain a free state ID from the Nebraska DMV.

Registered voters who arrive to vote without an acceptable form of photo ID may go home to retrieve their photo ID, without signing in, and return with their ID prior to the close of polls to cast a regular ballot. Alternatively, the voter will be offered a provisional ballot. The voter will still be able to cast their vote, but their ballot will only count if the voter presents an acceptable form of ID to their county election office, in person, on or before the Tuesday following the election.

Along with the list of candidates on the national, state, and local levels, the 2024 ballots contain several initiatives that have received a great deal of attention and can be very confusing. Those include abortion initiatives 434 and 439. Initiative 434, titled the “Protect Women and Children” initiative, would, if approved, place the state’s current policy on abortion, which allows the procedure only during the first 12 weeks of gestation, into the State Constitution.

A “yes” vote for Initiative 434 would ban abortion in the second and third trimester, except in cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger.

A “no” vote would reject that policy proposal. Initiative 439, if approved, would place in the State Constitution a right to an abortion until the fetus is viable – when the fetus would survive outside the womb – which is around the 23rd or 24th week, as determined by a doctor.

A “yes” vote for Initiative 439 would enshrine a right to abortion in the State Constitution.

A “no” vote would oppose that constitutional measure. According to the Nebraska Secretary of State, because there are two, competing ballot measures on abortion, if both are approved, the one with the largest number of votes would become the state’s policy on abortion.

Initiative 436, or the Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, seeks to enact a state law allowing eligible workers the opportunity to earn paid sick leave. Workers at businesses with fewer than 20 employees could earn up to 40 hours of paid sick leave a year if voters approved the Act, while workers at companies with 20 or more employees could earn up to 56 hours of paid sick leave a year. An employee would accrue a minimum of 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Ballot issue No. 435, the Private Education Scholarship Partial Referendum, asks voters to repeal or retain LB 1402. A “repeal” vote would stop state funding of private school scholarships. A “retain” vote would retain LB 1402, and allow the private school scholarship program to continue.

Initiatives 437 and 438 would legalize the use of cannabis as medicine, if prescribed by a licensed physician, and set up a state regulation framework for the sale and possession of such products. If both measures were approved, the Nebraska Legislature would adopt the exact regulations on who could obtain medical cannabis, in what form and in what quantity. A five-member commission composed of the three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Board and two members appointed by the governor would administer the distribution of medical marijuana.

A vote “no” on the two initiatives would block such legalization.

LOCALLY CONTESTED RACES

A handful of local races are being contested, while most have the same number or fewer of candidates as open seats. Contested races include Legislative District 43 where Tanya Storer and Tony Tangwall will be competing for the seat to represent Custer County in the legislature.

Three candidates are vying for the two open seats on the Callaway Village Board. Clark Griffith and TJ Elliott are challenging incumbent Dan Lewandowski.

Dawson Public Power District Director for the Dawson Subdivision has four candidates who will appear on the ballot for two seats. Those candidates are Don Batie, Pat Hecox, Kurt M. Karlburg, and Joe Jeffrey. This is a 6-year term.

For Callaway Board of Education three incumbents are running unopposed; Michael Reiff, Jim Phelps, and Rhonda Pandorf. Some voters within Custer County will also have the Gothenburg Board of Education on their ballots, where six candidates are competing for three seats. Those candidates are Kelly Keiser-Terrell, Kyle Fornoff, Becky Jobman, Cadyn G. Smith, Noe Mendez, and Danette Anderson.

Arnold school district has four candidates for three seats on the board. Those candidates are Justin Strasburg, Duane Bowers, Bryce Nansel, and Kenneth L. Goodenow, Jr.

As we will have gone to press prior to the closing of the polls, the Courier will share unofficial results on our social media sites as soon as those become available and will have complete election results in the Nov. 14 issue.