Omnibus election bill clears first round

Lawmakers gave first-round approval March 24 to a bill that would make a number of changes to the state’s election laws.

LB874, introduced by Gretna Sen. John Murante, would make the process for filling vacancies on school boards consistent statewide. Currently, the term of an appointee to a school board vacancy varies depending on the class of the school board. Some appointees come up for election at the next primary election, while others serve until the end of the unexpired term.

The bill would apply the current Class V process statewide, in which an appointee fills the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term.

A Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee amendment, adopted 25-4, incorporated provisions of four additional bills.

LB879, originally introduced by Murante, would change the requirement to place a candidate’s name on the partisan general election ballot by petition to at least 10 percent of the registered voters entitled to vote for the office.

LB787, originally introduced by Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld, would allow a voter to voluntarily photograph his or her ballot after it is marked and reveal the photograph.

LB741, originally introduced by Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen, would remove from the list of banned electioneering practices the display of yard signs on private property within 200 feet of a polling place that is not under common ownership with the polling place.

LB682, originally introduced by Omaha Sen. Joni Craighead, would change the deadline for a voter to request a vote-by-mail ballot from 4 p.m. of the Wednesday preceding the election to the close of business on the second Friday preceding the election.

The provisions also would designate the 22nd day before an election as the earliest date that an election commissioner or county clerk may send out vote-by-mail ballots. That date currently is the 20th day before an election.

Columbus Sen. Paul Schumacher expressed concern about allowing a voter to photograph his or her marked ballot and display it. He said that so-called “ballot selfies” could be used by groups to pressure members into voting a certain way, or as a condition of membership for individuals wishing to join.

“I think that is enormous pressure that violates that very, very precious thing of a moment alone with your conscience and that ballot,” Schumacher said.

Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson echoed those concerns. Allowing display of a marked ballot could encourage voter fraud, he said, because it would serve as verification if an individual were being paid to vote in a certain way.

“If we allow this to happen now, what is the point of having a secret ballot box?” he said.

Murante said the concerns were unfounded. He said it would remain illegal to take a picture of someone else’s ballot, demand to see another person’s marked ballot or coerce an individual to vote in a certain way.

The provisions simply would permit a form of free speech that voters may participate in and enjoy, he said.

“This bill says that you can show your ballot to someone else if you want to. It is your ballot,” Murante said.

The bill advanced to select file 29-0.