Nebraska

Articles about voting issues in Nebraska.

Omaha precinct changes called ‘disaster' | Omaha.com

May 182012

Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps still has a lot of work to do to satisfy north Omaha leaders. He plans to solicit feedback about voting in the primary and draw new precinct maps before the November general election. Phipps said that he heard a normal amount of voter complaints compared with past elections and that people often are confused when polling places change. Black leaders in north Omaha had a different reaction. “This was a disaster,” City Councilman Ben Gray said of Tuesday’s primary election. Gray and others on Thursday called for Phipps’ countywide consolidation of polling places to be rolled back in northeast Omaha. They said some voters decided not to vote because of the confusion about polling places.  Read More »

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Nebraska No Responses » Topics: polling place, primary election, voting rights

Super PAC cash plays big role in Nebraska Senate race | iWatch

May 162012

For the second time in two weeks, super PACs will play a major role in determining the outcome of a U.S. Senate primary contest. Republican Jon Bruning, Nebraska’s attorney general, was expected to win in a cakewalk for the seat, soon to be vacated by retiring Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat. Instead, two underfunded insurgent candidates — Don Stenberg and Deb Fischer — are giving him a run for his money, thanks in large part to a handful of outside groups. Bruning has the fundraising advantage, having raised more than $3.6 million for his campaign. Stenberg has raised about $750,000, while Fischer has raised less than $440,000 for the race, including $35,000 of her own money. But heading into today’s primary, conservative outside groups have spent more than $2 million on advertising, according to Federal Election Commission records, with nearly $1 million going toward ads attacking Bruning. The ads appear to have been effective — Bruning’s numbers have slipped, according to recent polls. Read More »

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Nebraska No Responses » Topics: Deb Fischer, Don Stenberg, Federal Election Commission, Jon Bruning, primary election, Richard Lugar, Super PAC

Redistricting process enters "uncharted territory" | CJOnline.com

May 142012

Throughout the legislative session, Sen. Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, has referred to redistricting as “one of my favorite subjects,” so many times that it has become a running gag. But even Hensley — who scored a major legislative victory 10 years ago when he helped form a coalition to protect Democrats and conservative Republicans against moderates — seemed sick of the current redistricting debate at a media briefing Friday. “It would appear we’re headed to court to resolve this issue,” Hensley said. “I think that’s very unfortunate.” Read More »

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Nebraska No Responses » Topics: Kris Kobach, redistricting

Voter ID bill filibustered to death | McCook Daily Gazette

Mar 302012

State senators have filibustered to death a bill that would have required voters to show government-issued photographic ID at their polling places. State senators debated the bill, LB239, on March 27 and March 28. A motion for cloture, or ending debate, Wednesday failed by three votes on a vote of 30-16. LB239 was introduced by Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont and prioritized by Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala. The bill, which was first debated Feb. 27, would require voters to present a driver’s license or state-issued identification card. With an amendment introduced by the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, voters who lacked the needed ID would be mailed an acknowledgement of registration card to use as identification when voting. Read More »

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Nebraska 1 Response » Topics: Charlie Janssen, filibuster, photo id, voter id

Filibuster kills voter ID measure | Fremont Tribune

Mar 292012

A bill that would have required Nebraska voters to show government identification at the polls was squashed Wednesday by a legislative filibuster, but the senator who introduced the measure said he’ll likely introduce it again next year. Lawmakers who backed the bill fell three votes short of the support they needed to stop debate on the measure. As a result, the matter is essentially dead for this legislative session. The vote to end the eight-hour debate was 30-16. Bill supporters needed 33 votes. The divide in the officially nonpartisan Legislature fell mostly along party lines. ”That was unfortunate,” said the measure’s sponsor, Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen, who wants to bring the bill back next year. “It wasn’t put forward as a partisan issue. It was never intended to be a partisan issue, but in the end I think that’s what happened. I think people closed their ears and didn’t want to compromise, which was evident when we were trying to reach out to them.”  Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Charlie Janssen, right to vote, Steve Lathrop, Tanya Cook, voter id

Lawmakers tangle over Nebraska voter ID proposal | necn.com

Mar 282012

A measure that would require Nebraska voters to show government-issued identification at the polls drew fierce criticism Tuesday from opponents in the Legislature, with one lawmaker calling it a “Jim Crow light” bill. Lawmakers argued over the measure into the evening, but were not expected to reach a vote until Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor, Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen, told lawmakers that his bill seeks to fight the threat of voter fraud. Critics say the problem doesn’t exist and have mounted a filibuster on the bill to delay a vote. Janssen, a former U.S. Navy rescue swimmer, said he cast his first ballot as an absentee voter from a combat zone in the Persian Gulf. ”I took great pride in casting that ballot, and I’d hate to think it was canceled out by somebody voting illegally,” he said. Opponents say the bill disproportionately affects poor and young voters. Between 50,000 and 100,000 Nebraskans do not have identification that would qualify as valid for voting purposes, according to the group Nebraskans for Civic Reform. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Charlie Janssen, right to vote, Tanya Cook, voter id

Supreme Court dismisses Kerrey case, name will be on Nebraska primary ballot | Journal Star

Mar 272012
Kerrey

The Nebraska Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the Republican Party’s case to remove Bob Kerrey’s name from the May 15 primary election ballot. The court ruled it has no authority to consider the GOP’s appeal of a Lancaster County District Court order that rejected the party’s effort to overturn a ruling by Secretary of State John Gale placing Kerrey’s name on the ballot as a Democratic Senate candidate. ”In election cases, this court has no authority to grant relief where the Legislature has established by statute strict deadlines which must be met in order to guarantee that the state’s election process is safeguarded against uncertainty and disruption,” the court stated. The Republican Party has argued that Kerrey did not establish legal residency or qualify as a registered voter in Nebraska prior to his filing as a candidate a day before the March 1 deadline. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: ballot access, Bob Kerrey, John Gale, primary election

Debate begins on voter Nebraska voter ID bill | Journal Star

Feb 282012
Janssen

A lawmaker proposing to require Nebraska voters to show identification before casting ballots laid out his plan Monday to the full Legislature as opponents prepared to filibuster the measure. ”I introduced this legislation in order to further protect the integrity and reliability of our elections,” said Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen.” (LB239) would do so, he said, by deterring and detecting voter fraud, and ensuring confidence in the voting process. … But opponents said that his plan would disenfranchise some voters – particularly the poor, the elderly and minorities – who do not have driver’s licenses, because they would have to pay $26.50 to get state-issued photo IDs. They said requiring people to buy a state ID in order to vote would amount to an illegal poll tax. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Charlie Janssen, photo id, poll tax, voter id

Voter ID bill, LB 239, taken off legislative agenda | Daily Nebraskan

Jan 142012

Nebraska’s proposed voter ID bill, LB 239, has been removed from the legislature’s agenda, according to Associated Press reports Thursday evening.
The bill would have required voters to present a valid, current photo ID, or qualify for one of several exceptions, before receiving a ballot on election day. It had been introduced last session by State Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont and carried over to the session that began this month. The bill was one of dozens around the country that have recently been introduced or enacted, mostly by Republican controlled state legislatures. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Charlie Janssen, photo id, voter id

Supporters, opponents debate effectiveness of Nebraska voter ID law proposal | Daily Nebraskan

Jan 132012

State Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont, Neb., has found himself yet again in the middle of a passionate legislative battle. Last year, it was over an immigration bill, one of the most controversial of that legislative session. This time around, political conflict is brewing over his voter ID bill, a requirement that Nebraska voters present official identification, most often a photo ID such as a driver’s license, before they mark the ballot. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Charlie Janssen, photo id, student voters, voter id

Opponents say voter ID bill unneeded, costly | Journal Star

Jan 122012
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As lawmakers prepare to a debate a measure to require voters to show some sort of identification before casting ballots, Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen says he has amended the bill to make it less onerous to opponents. ”This is much ado about nothing,” Janssen said before dozens of opponents gathered Wednesday in the Rotunda to assail the measure. And they begged to differ with his “much ado” characterization. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Charlie Janssen, photo id, poll tax, voter id

Voter ID Bill Creates Heavy Debate | KPTM FOX

Jan 062012

Wednesday was the first session of the 2012 Nebraska Legislature and already there is heavy debate. LB 239 would require voters to show an identification before casting a ballot in an election. Some groups in Omaha think this bill will make it difficult for youth, elderly, minority and the poor to vote.

Bubba McCrimon has been voting for more than 30 years and he has never had to show his ID. He is against this proposed bill. ”To say it’s racism is harsh, to say it’s targeted its harsh, to say it’s going to take away lot of opportunities that is easy to say,” McCrimon said. He and others at a news conference this morning want to stop this bill from ever becoming a law. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: Bubba McCrimon, Charlie Janssen, voter id

Proposed Nebraska Voter ID Bill Meets Opposition | WOWT.com

Jan 052012

It’s one of the most important rights we have in a democracy, the right to vote. To help protect that right, a Nebraska state senator wants to set up what he believes is a simple process, but opponents of a voter ID bill are already up in arms.

The bill’s language is simple. Anyone who wants to vote must provide a state or government issued ID that shows a current address. A group of community members, elected officials and representative from area organizations met Wednesday morning in Omaha. They said not only is the idea unnecessary, it would create a burden for anyone without an ID or who would need to update their old ID at a cost of $26.50.

“It unfairly targets citizens with low income, seniors, youth and citizens with disabilities,” said Linda Duckworth with the League of Women Voters of Nebraska. “It points us in a direction that Nebraskans should be ashamed to take.” Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: league of women voters, poll tax, seniors, voter id

Board opposes voter ID proposal | omaha.com

Nov 192011

The Douglas County Board has unanimously voted to oppose a state lawmaker’s attempt to require stringent photo identification to vote in Nebraska elections. If passed, Legislative Bill 239 would require people to have valid state-issued photo identification to vote. At this week’s meeting, County Board member Mike Boyle cited the unknown costs of the bill, plus the adverse effect it would have on elderly voters and particularly Hispanics if it became law.

A valid state ID, under the proposed legislation, is one that is unexpired and provides a current address. State Sen. Charlie Janssen of Fremont introduced the bill. Adam Morfeld, executive director of Nebraskans for Civic Reform, said the County Board’s bipartisan opposition should signal that Janssen’s bill is a costly attempt to solve a problem that does not exist. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: elderly voters, election costs, id card, minority voters, photo id, voter id

Lawmakers Might Spar Again Over Voter ID Bills - KPTM FOX 42

Oct 112011

Nebraska lawmakers might spar again over Voter ID bills during this coming legislative session, say some political players and experts. ”It’s never a good thing. The more roadblocks you put up to voting the less participation you have,” said UNO Political Science Professor Paul Landow.

Fourteen states passed voter ID laws this year, some of them go into effect in 2012. Nebraska and Iowa shot down bills requiring photo IDs at the polls. The fight is divided along party lines. Republicans believe the system needs safeguards to prevent fraud. Democrats think these measures are aimed at suppressing young people and minorities from voting. Read More »

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Nebraska Comments Off Topics: voter id
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