All Roll Calls
Yes: 389 • No: 112
NebraskaLB521109th Legislature 1st and 2nd SessionslegislatureWALLET
Change and eliminate provisions relating to the Election Act and elections in cities of the metropolitan class and in cities of the primary class
Sponsored By: Rita Sanders
Signed by Governor
Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
30 provisions identified: 12 benefits, 2 costs, 16 mixed.
Path and safeguards for private renewables
Private renewable projects can get an exemption from certain reviews by giving the Power Review Board written notice at least 30 days before construction and certifying they meet all listed requirements. The executive director must issue a written acknowledgment within 10 days if the notice complies, and the exemption carries over to future co-owners. Developers must follow local decommissioning rules or file a plan, pay all decommissioning costs, and post a bond or similar security by the sixth year after commercial operation. If a project connects to lines of 60,000 volts or more, the developer and the transmission owner must sign a joint transmission agreement at the same time as the interconnection agreement. Developers must consult the Game and Parks Commission during planning to avoid, reduce, and fix harm to listed species.
Siting, security, and property rules for energy projects
Before approval of a power plant over 10 megawatts, the applicant must hold a public, advertised meeting in the county; at least half of the supplier’s governing body must attend (with one member in person), explain the need and type, take landowner comments, and send minutes and commenter counts to the board. Private developers of projects over 10 megawatts must also hold at least one public meeting in the county and file a report of the meeting. Within 10 miles of a military installation, projects must not use parts from listed foreign adversaries, or they must meet NERC critical infrastructure rules if they connect at 100 kilovolts or higher and meet size thresholds (20 MVA single unit or 75 MVA aggregate), and they must notify the board if they fall out of compliance. Consumer-owned suppliers cannot use eminent domain to take property that is part of a private renewable facility, but they may use eminent domain for needed transmission, which is presumed a public use. Private suppliers are not allowed to sell electricity at retail in Nebraska.
City special elections and fast objections
A metropolitan city council may call a special election by ordinance and put questions on the ballot. Thirty days’ public notice is enough unless the law says otherwise. A simple majority passes a question, and the usual canvassing body certifies it. For special elections, written objections to a candidate filing must be made within three business days after the filing deadline, and a court can overturn the filing officer only by the fourth Friday before the election.
Clearer rules for write-in votes
A write‑in vote counts if the voter writes the last name (or a close spelling) of an authorized write‑in candidate on the write‑in line and marks the square or oval. If two people for the same office share the same or very similar last name, the voter must also write the first name or a generally recognized name, or the vote for that office is rejected and the reason recorded.
Differentiate identical candidate names on ballots
If two or more candidates for the same office have the same first and last name, the filing officer must notify them within five days after the nonincumbent filing deadline. The ballot must show different name forms or a city of residence so voters can tell them apart. If the incumbent does not choose, or there is no incumbent, the filing officer decides the differentiation.
Metro city council size and terms
Metropolitan-class cities elect a mayor and seven council members to four-year terms. One council member comes from each district. Terms start on the fourth Monday after the general city election. The mayor’s term matches the council’s term. A home‑rule city may hold nominations at the statewide primary and the election at the statewide general in presidential years. If a council seat becomes vacant, the council appoints a resident of that district to finish the term.
More notice from local improvement districts
Sanitary and improvement districts must notify the city or county with zoning power at least seven days before board meetings. They must send meeting minutes to that city or county within 30 days after each meeting.
Public meeting notice rules updated
Starting January 1, 2025, public bodies must give reasonable advance notice by publishing in a newspaper of general circulation with the edition finalized before the meeting and posting on the paper’s website and a statewide repository, or by posting on those sites if no edition is finalized. A city of the second class, a village, or a rural or suburban fire protection district may instead post written notices in three public places. These methods count as proper notice under the Open Meetings Act.
Recount rights and timelines clarified
A losing candidate may request a recount when the margin is tiny: 1% or less when more than 500 votes were cast, or 2% or less when 500 or fewer votes were cast. Candidates may waive recounts in writing. County canvassing boards run recounts and local governments pay the costs. For races filed with the Secretary of State, recounts begin at 9 a.m. on the fifth Wednesday after the election.
Stricter conduct rules for poll watchers
No exit polls or voter‑preference interviews are allowed within 20 feet of a polling‑place entrance, or within 100 feet of a voting booth if inside. Watchers cannot electioneer, interfere, or assist a voter unless the voter selects them. Watchers must stay at least eight feet from sign‑in tables, voting booths, ballot boxes, uncast ballots, and counting devices (or a posted minimum if space is tight). Violations are a Class V misdemeanor.
Stronger security and observers for counting
Before counting begins, counties must run at least three independent tests of vote‑counting devices and programs by officials of different roles or parties and by the installer/operator. Counties using a central count must seal, move, and store ballots and media securely; run a zero report before counting; hold reports from ballots picked up on election day until one hour before polls close; and follow rules for write‑ins, damaged or overvoted ballots, and checks of early and provisional ballots. Each county must file a written central‑count plan with the Secretary of State 25 days before the election and certify the test date; the Secretary posts the certification online. Watchers and observers may attend under watcher rules.
Switch at‑large or district voting
A city without a home‑rule charter, village, county, or school district may ask voters to switch between at‑large and district (or ward) elections. Petitions need signatures equal to 25% of votes cast for the top vote‑getter in the prior general election and must be filed at least 70 days before the general election. If approved, districts or wards must be created by October 1 of the year after the election.
Uncontested local races skip primaries
If filed candidates for certain local or district offices do not exceed the number of positions to fill, they are declared nominated without opposition. Their names do not appear on the primary ballot. The abstract will show “Nominated Without Opposition,” and those names go on the general election ballot.
Voters can propose or block ordinances
If signatures equal 15% of votes cast in the last city election, the council must pass the proposed ordinance within 30 days or put it on the next ballot. With 25% and a request, the council must pass it or hold a special election 50 to 70 days after filing. The mayor must notify voters at least 15 days before the vote, and the council must publish notice once 5 to 20 days before. Ballots say “For the ordinance” or “Against the ordinance,” and a majority makes it binding. The council cannot change an approved ordinance for one year, and the same measure cannot be resubmitted more than once every two years. New ordinances take effect after 15 days, but a timely petition equal to 15% of the highest council vote pauses the ordinance and sends it to voters unless repealed.
Candidate filings, petitions, and write-ins
A “candidate” is a registered voter who agrees to be considered, not including presidential tickets or party‑convention delegates. You cannot run for more than one office on the same ballot (except convention delegates). Filing forms must include a sworn oath, your common name, address, phone, office sought, party (if partisan), and other required fields. To appear in the presidential primary by petition, you need at least 100 party voters from each congressional district and must file written consent at least 60 days before the primary; petitions not filed by 60 days before, or by August 1 in a presidential year, are invalid. Write‑ins must file a notarized affidavit no earlier than January 5 and no later than the second Friday before the election; partisan write‑ins must be registered with that party unless the party allows otherwise; a defeated primary write‑in generally cannot run as a write‑in in the general. Nomination petitions are due by August 1 for partisan and September 1 for nonpartisan offices. Signature thresholds vary by office, including 10% (with caps) for many nonpartisan offices, 20% for many Class I–III school boards, 4,000 statewide partisan with at least 750 per district, and other county rules; verification may stop at 110% of the requirement. Nonpartisan presidential tickets need at least 2,500 signatures filed by August 1 of the presidential year.
New schedule to publish sample ballots
Counties, cities, and villages must publish a sample ballot no more than 15 days and no less than 2 days before most elections, in English and any other required language. For elections conducted under section 32‑960, publication must be at least 30 days before the election.
Ballot checks, records, and certification timelines
Counties must verify the signature on each identification envelope against the voter’s registration signature. Officials must investigate provisional ballots and finish within seven business days; a provisional ballot is counted when legal conditions are met. After the canvass, counties must keep election materials at least 22 months for statewide elections that include federal offices and at least 50 days for local‑only elections, with some records closed unless used in court. The state canvassing board meets on the fourth Monday after each statewide primary and general election to perform the ministerial canvass.
Election dates and special election limits
The statewide primary is on the first Tuesday after the second Monday in May of even‑numbered years. Other primaries not otherwise set are on the Tuesday four weeks before the general election. Primary‑class cities hold general city elections on the first Tuesday in May of odd‑numbered years, unless a home‑rule charter aligns them with the statewide general election. Special elections must fall on a set Tuesday and are barred in many months of even‑numbered years unless held with the statewide primary or general, with limited exceptions in law.
Election staffing and city winner rules
The Secretary of State now supervises primary and general elections, trains local officials, and issues uniform forms and guidance. In counties under 400,000 people, election judges, clerks, and inspectors are appointed at least 30 days before the statewide primary and serve two-year terms. In counties with 400,000 or more people, judges and clerks are appointed at least 30 days before the first needed election and serve for at least four elections. Election workers must be of good character, read and write English, live in the precinct unless necessary otherwise, and be registered voters. In metropolitan-class city elections, the candidate with the most votes in each district wins; these elections follow the Election Act unless city law says otherwise.
Forming new parties and late filings
To form a new party, petitions must have signatures equal to at least 1% of the last Governor’s vote statewide and 1% in each of the three congressional districts. File by January 15 to get a primary ballot spot or by July 15 for general‑election‑only status; party names cannot copy existing names or use “independent” or “nonpartisan.” The Secretary of State decides within 20 business days and may stop checking once verified signatures exceed 110% of the requirement; organizers then have 20 days to file the constitution, bylaws, and officers. If a new party forms after the primary, non‑presidential candidates must pay the filing fee, file by September 1, and attach a petition with at least 25 registered voters from the correct area.
How signatures are checked and penalties
Filed petitions must be kept together in the election office with a receipt and are open to inspection, and they may be destroyed 22 months after the related election. Counties verify signatures by checking name, date of birth, and address against voter rolls, remove duplicates so only one counts, may stop once valid signatures exceed 110% of the requirement, and must return pages and certifications within 40 days (plus up to 10 more in extraordinary cases). The Secretary of State removes later‑dated duplicates, counts no more than 20 signatures per sheet, and places valid measures on the general ballot; software may not be used to verify signatures. It is a Class I misdemeanor to sign when not registered (where required) or to sign another person’s name, and a Class IV felony to lie on a circulator affidavit or buy or sell signatures.
Metropolitan city council election rules
To run for city council, you must be a registered voter, live in the district, and have lived in the city and district for six months. The city council primary is on the first Tuesday in April before the city general election. Primary ballots show no party labels, are not alphabetical, and rotate names by precinct. In each district, only the top two primary finishers advance to the general ballot.
Old election-law sections repealed
The law repeals several named sections of Nebraska statutes, removing outdated or replaced election and related provisions. The repeal lists are included in the law text.
Petition format, who can sign, and removals
Petition pages must leave at least 2.5 inches for a signature and 2 inches for the printed name, have lines at least 1/4 inch apart, and have no more than 20 signatures per page. Each page must include the statutory warning, a circulator affidavit, and a red 16‑point statement showing whether the circulator is paid or a volunteer. Signers must be registered Nebraska voters by the filing date, and circulators must be at least 18; do not sign for someone else, sign more than once, lie under oath, or buy or sell signatures. You may remove your name by delivering a signed letter to the correct office by the deadline for that petition type; officials will verify your removal letter. For initiatives and referendums, only people registered by the filing date may sign.
Presidential ballot access: forms and withdrawal
Candidates of newly established parties for President must file an application that lists the exact ballot names, the party name, a written consent from the vice‑presidential pick, and the names, addresses, and written consents of presidential elector candidates. Petitions for nonpartisan presidential candidates must use the required form, and each signer must personally sign, be registered (or will be by the filing date), and give a printed name, date of birth, and address on numbered lines. A presidential candidate may file an affidavit at least 60 days before the general election to decline placement; then the name is not printed on the ballot.
Primary access and party delegate rules
Registered party voters get their party’s ballot and nonpartisan ballots. Unaffiliated voters get nonpartisan ballots unless a party files a rule at least 60 days before the primary to let them vote that party’s primary; any unaffiliated voter may also request one party’s ballot for U.S. Senate or U.S. House. Parties that hold county conventions must register delegates by March 1; in presidential years, the clerk sends a certified delegate roll to the state party chair by March 15, and delegates may fill empty slots from registered party voters. People filing to be delegates or alternates must declare a candidate or uncommitted and pledge support until the candidate gets under 35% of nomination votes, releases them, or after two nominating ballots; the filing must be signed by the candidate.
Rules for public bodies' virtual meetings
Many public agencies may meet by video or phone if they follow the law’s rules. Notice must include a dial-in or link, and at least one public physical site must be open with a member or designee present. No more than half of a body’s meetings each year can be virtual, except certain listed groups that hold at least one in-person meeting. Bodies not on the list may hold a preparatory virtual meeting to discuss items for a later open meeting, but cannot take action. During a Governor-declared emergency, affected bodies may meet virtually with public access and must post complete minutes by the next business day.
Voter control of city franchises and bridges
A city may issue up to $100,000 in park bonds each year without a vote; larger park bonds need voter approval. Any new or majorly changed franchise must be published for two weeks, approved by voters, and must reserve an annuity or share of earnings for the city. Buying, condemning, or building a bridge generally needs voter approval and a stated bond type; the council may skip an election for a bridge over one mile from any non‑rail bridge. The council may also buy or lease an existing bridge without an election, and issue up to $2,000,000 in revenue bonds, if the appraised value is $2,000,000 or less. After purchase, needed repair revenue bonds can cover up to 15% of the bridge’s purchase price. After a final condemnation award, the council must put the question to voters within two 90‑day windows, and residents can force a vote on taking utilities by eminent domain with signatures equal to 15% of prior city votes, filed at least 15 days before the election.
Voter ID, registration, and records rules
You can use a photo ID from the U.S., Nebraska, a Nebraska agency or college, the U.S. Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs, the uniformed services, or a federally recognized tribe to vote. No political materials or alcohol are allowed within 50 feet of a voter‑registration site. The Secretary of State and DMV match records, including citizenship checks. The DMV must offer voter registration with licenses and IDs; to vote in an election, finish by close of business on the third Friday before it. The form must ask about U.S. citizenship, age, name, and a full address or legal land description. Counties must send you a card with your new polling place when you change name or move within the county, and must remove voters who are deceased, move and do not respond over two federal cycles, register or vote in another state, surrender a Nebraska license to another state, or become ineligible. Election workers are reviewed and replaced at least 15 days before an election, and a worker running for an office on that ballot cannot serve.
When these changes take effect
Most listed sections start three months after the legislature adjourns. Sections 72, 73, and 84 start on January 1, 2026. Other parts start on their own dates set in the act. Because an emergency exists, the act otherwise takes effect immediately upon approval unless another start date is stated.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Rita Sanders
legislature
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 41 • No: 0 • Other: 8
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 18 • No: 26 • Other: 5
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 16 • No: 30 • Other: 3
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 4/24/2026
Vote
Yes: 43 • No: 0 • Other: 6
legislature vote • 5/28/2025
Final Reading
Yes: 49 • No: 0
legislature vote • 5/8/2025
Vote
Yes: 43 • No: 0 • Other: 6
legislature vote • 5/8/2025
Vote
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 18
legislature vote • 5/8/2025
Vote
Yes: 16 • No: 30 • Other: 3
legislature vote • 5/8/2025
Vote
Yes: 18 • No: 26 • Other: 5
legislature vote • 5/1/2025
Vote
Yes: 41 • No: 0 • Other: 8
legislature vote • 5/1/2025
Vote
Yes: 42 • No: 0 • Other: 7
Actions Timeline
Provisions/portions of LB19 amended into LB521 by AM1152
6/6/2025legislatureProvisions/portions of LB243 amended into LB521 by AM1152
6/6/2025legislatureProvisions/portions of LB659 amended into LB521 by AM1152
6/6/2025legislatureApproved by Governor on May 30, 2025
6/2/2025legislatureDispensing of reading at large approved
5/28/2025legislaturePassed on Final Reading with Emergency Clause 49-0-0
5/28/2025legislaturePresident/Speaker signed
5/28/2025legislaturePresented to Governor on May 28, 2025
5/28/2025legislaturePlaced on Final Reading with ST32
5/21/2025legislatureEnrollment and Review ST32 filed
5/21/2025legislatureEnrollment and Review ST32 recorded
5/21/2025legislatureEnrollment and Review ER75 adopted
5/8/2025legislatureSanders AM1333 filed
5/8/2025legislatureSanders AM1333 adopted
5/8/2025legislatureBosn FA190 filed
5/8/2025legislatureBosn FA190 adopted
5/8/2025legislatureDungan FA191 to AM1152 filed
5/8/2025legislatureDungan FA191 lost
5/8/2025legislatureDungan MO233 Reconsider the vote taken on FA191 filed
5/8/2025legislatureDungan MO233 failed
5/8/2025legislatureAdvanced to Enrollment and Review for Engrossment
5/8/2025legislaturePlaced on Select File with ER75
5/7/2025legislatureEnrollment and Review ER75 filed
5/7/2025legislatureGovernment, Military and Veterans Affairs AM1152 adopted
5/1/2025legislatureAdvanced to Enrollment and Review Initial
5/1/2025legislature
Bill Text
Introduced
6/6/2025
Enrolled / Slip Law
Final / Enacted