More provisional ballots could be counted in elections

The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee heard testimony Feb. 24 on a bill that would allow a person who has moved from one residence to another within the state to vote provisionally.

Currently, only voters who have changed residences within the county where they are registered are allowed to vote provisionally.

LB169, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Bill Avery, would allow a person who has moved to a new county after the close of the voter registration period to vote on an entire ballot in the new county of residence.

Avery said the bill would be a step in the right direction toward make voting easier in Nebraska.

Adam Morfeld, executive director of Nebraskans for Civic Reform, testified in support of the bill.

County officials currently must examine all provisional ballots they receive, Morfeld said, and are simply throwing out ballots of registered voters who did not re-register.

Data from the secretary of state’s office appears to show that approximately one-fourth of uncounted ballots are cast by registered voters who failed to re-register in their new jurisdiction, Morfeld said.

“County portability provides registered Nebraska voters to have their votes counted and voices heard,” he said. “And it does so in a cost effective and nonburdensome way.”

Deputy Secretary of State Neal Erickson testified in opposition to the bill.

Currently small counties are able to determine election results quickly, Erickson said, because they have to verify voter registration only within their jurisdiction. LB169 would require counties to verify registration in other jurisdictions as well, he said.

“This would create logistical problems for us,” Erickson said.

Diane Olmer, election commissioner for Platte County, also testified in opposition to the bill.

Allowing more provisional ballots could result in more unlisted voters at polling locations, Olmer said, giving poll workers too much authority to determine which ballots should be counted.

The committee took no immediate action on the bill.