Bill would change ballot vacancy provisions

Provisions for filling a general election ballot vacancy would be harmonized under a bill given first-round approval Jan. 17.

Omaha Sen. Pete Pirsch, sponsor of LB503, said the measure would provide consistency in filling ballot vacancies. Nebraska has different provisions when a ballot vacancy occurs due to a candidate declining a nomination and when a candidate exits a race for other reasons, he said.

Under current law, the political party of a candidate who declines a nomination has three days to fill the ballot vacancy.

LB503 would remove the time constraint in cases of declination and would allow a vacancy to be filled by the executive committee of the vacating candidate. If such a committee does not exist or chooses not to replace the candidate, the vacancy may be filled by a mass convention of the political party.

“The bill would treat both situations the same,” Pirsch said.

LB503 advanced to select file on a 34-0 vote.