{"id":33633,"date":"2023-03-02T14:02:09","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T20:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/update.legislature.ne.gov\/?p=33633"},"modified":"2023-03-02T14:02:09","modified_gmt":"2023-03-02T20:02:09","slug":"trio-of-election-bills-considered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/update.legislature.ne.gov\/?p=33633","title":{"rendered":"Trio of election bills considered"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee took combined testimony on three bills March 1 that would make a number of changes to the state\u2019s election laws in the wake of a successful 2022 petition drive to establish a photo ID requirement to vote in Nebraska.<\/p>\n

\"Sen.
Sen. Steve Erdman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LB228, introduced by Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard, would eliminate voting by mail except for military personnel and those living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The bill also would:
\n\u2022 establish primary and general election days as statewide holidays;
\n\u2022 stipulate that all ballots be counted at the precinct level on election day; and
\n\u2022 limit early voting to in-person at either a county election or county clerk\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Erdman said mail-in voting is expensive and doesn\u2019t necessarily increase voter turnout. Requiring votes to be cast and counted at the precinct level on election day would ensure that ballots are secure and not in danger of being \u201cmessed with,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Erdman also introduced LB230, which would define qualifying photographic identification for voting purposes. The bill also would limit the option of early voting to those who are \u201chandicapped\u201d or members of the armed forces or Nebraska National Guard.<\/p>\n

Among other provisions, the bill would make it a criminal offense for an election official to fail to require a voter to show photo ID and would require an agent delivering a ballot to include a color photocopy of the registered voter\u2019s qualifying photo ID.<\/p>\n

Erdman called LB230 a \u201ccomprehensive plan\u201d to determine qualifying photo ID for voting in Nebraska elections. Under the bill, qualifying ID would be one of the following: driver\u2019s license or state issued ID, Nebraska voter ID, U.S. passport or tribal ID issued by a recognized Indian tribe. A qualifying photo ID could not be more than 60 days past its expiration date.<\/p>\n

An American flag symbol would be placed on the front of each driver\u2019s license or state ID card issued to individuals who have verified status as a U.S. citizen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an opportunity to accomplish what the voters required us to do by their vote,\u201d Erdman said. \u201cIt\u2019s not our intent with this bill to [prevent] anyone from voting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Omaha Sen. Jen Day offered LB675, a broad elections bill that would, among other provisions:
\n\u2022 state legislative intent to provide funding to the Nebraska secretary of state\u2019s office to ensure that all Nebraska polling places are ADA compliant;
\n\u2022 require the state Department of Motor Vehicles to expand hours and staffing beginning two months prior to the start of in-person voting;
\n\u2022 require the secretary of state to provide capacity at each election location to print qualifying ID on election day;
\n\u2022 provide additional locations where qualifying ID can be obtained for voting, including libraries and nonprofit organization offices; and
\n\u2022 require increased election office staffing and training.<\/p>\n

\"Sen.
Sen. Jen Day<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LB675 also states legislative intent to appropriate $1 million for a public awareness campaign regarding new photo ID requirements and outlines more than a dozen types of qualifying ID, including student ID cards, Social Security and Medicaid cards \u2014 even if expired.<\/p>\n

Day said the purpose of photo ID for voting is to verify an individual\u2019s identity, which can be done whether an ID is expired or not. The bill was drafted over the interim with input from experts, she said, and would protect voting rights in ways that other bills considered by the committee this session would not.<\/p>\n

\u201cLB675 reflects the will of the voters while protecting the marginalized,\u201d Day said. \u201cElection integrity has two sides \u2014 protections and safeguards of the process, but also accessibility of the election itself. No election has integrity when an eligible voter is turned away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over seven hours of testimony, supporters of LB228 and LB230 argued the proposals would strengthen voter confidence in elections and that mail-in voting is incompatible with the state\u2019s new photo ID requirement. Many also criticized LB675 for allowing qualifying forms of ID that lack photos.<\/p>\n

Cindy Miller of Washington County testified in opposition to LB675. The bill contains \u201cexpensive fluff\u201d that would not do much to ensure election integrity, she said, which is Nebraskans\u2019 primary concern. She spoke in favor of LB228 and LB230.<\/p>\n

Other states are looking at ways to hand count ballots at the precinct level, she said, and Nebraska could do the same. In addition, she said, limiting voting to election day would help ensure confidence in the election process.<\/p>\n

\u201cVoter ID is just the first step in ensuring our elections are secure,\u201d Miller said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of problems with mail-in ballots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dean Kleinschmit of Crofton also testified in support of Erdman\u2019s proposals. Returning to voting on election day and hand counting at the precinct level would encourage civic engagement, he said. All other political issues are irrelevant if the people can\u2019t trust elections, he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all need to do our civic duty,\u201d Klienschmit said. \u201cThe number one issue everybody has is trying to have faith in our election system.\u201d<\/p>\n

George Boll testified in opposition to LB675, saying the successful initiative petition specified that voters must present a photo ID. However, many of the 18 qualifying forms of ID specified in the bill do not include a photo, he said, and the measure does not require early voters to present a qualifying ID.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a stab in the back this bill is to the great Nebraska second house,\u201d Boll said.<\/p>\n

Amy Bennett, executive director of WYCA Grand Island, testified in favor of LB675, specifically the provision requiring the DMV to expand hours and staffing prior to the start of in-person voting.<\/p>\n

\u201cCurrently, rural communities have limited access to their DMV [offices],\u201d she said. \u201cThe DMVs in Hamilton, Howard and Merrick counties are only open one day a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Several election officials testified in opposition to both LB228 and LB230, mostly on logistical grounds.<\/p>\n

Douglas County election commissioner Brian Kruse testified in opposition to both bills. Currently, 11 Nebraska counties conduct elections entirely by mail, he said, and other counties have mail-only precincts or conduct mail-only special elections. In addition, he said, hand counting would require adding precincts and staff, all at additional cost.<\/p>\n

For example, Kruse said, many precincts in Cherry County do not have a location for people to vote in person that is ADA compliant, and some have no physical location other than a private home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis would be a drastic change for them \u2014 if even possible,\u201d Kruse said. \u201cVoters voted last November on voter ID; they did not vote on eliminating [vote] by mail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seward County clerk Sherry Schweitzer also testified against LB228 and LB230, saying both bills \u201cgo way beyond\u201d what voters approved regarding photo ID requirements. May individuals would not qualify as \u201cphysically incapacitated\u201d under LB230, she said, but could have great difficulty voting in person due to illness or family or work circumstances<\/p>\n

The committee took no immediate action on any of the proposals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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