Nebraska Supreme Court upholds felon voting rights law ahead of election

Oct 16

Karah Rucker Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

Nebraska’s Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s election chief acted beyond his authority in trying to block voting rights for felons who have completed their sentences. The ruling could add over 7,000 new voters to the rolls just weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

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Secretary of State Bob Evnen, supported by the state attorney general, attempted to prevent felons from voting under a 2024 law restoring their rights.

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The law was challenged as unconstitutional, but the court unanimously upheld it, stating that only a supermajority of justices can declare a law unconstitutional.

Nebraska will remain a state that splits its electoral votes in the upcoming presidential election after a state senator blocked a change. — Getty Images

Evnen had ordered local officials to reject voter registrations from felons, a move criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued it could disenfranchise voters in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. This district, centered around Omaha, has swung toward Democrats in past elections, awarding electoral votes to Barack Obama in 2008 and Joe Biden in 2020.

Felon disenfranchisement has been a contentious issue nationwide. While some states have made efforts to restore rights, others, like Florida, have imposed additional restrictions.

In Nebraska, the court’s ruling ensures felons who have completed their sentences can vote in the upcoming election.

[Lauren Taylor]

A MAJOR RULING FROM NEBRASKA’S SUPREME COURT COULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. THE COURT UPHELD A LAW RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO FELONS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR SENTENCES. A DECISION THAT COULD ADD THOUSANDS OF VOTERS TO THE STATE ROLLS JUST WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.

NEBRASKA’S SUPREME COURT RULED THE STATE’S TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL, SECRETARY OF STATE BOB EVNEN, ACTED WITHOUT AUTHORITY WHEN HE TRIED TO BLOCK FELONS FROM VOTING IN THIS YEAR’S ELECTION. THE COURT’S DECISION MEANS MORE THAN 7-THOUSAND NEBRASKANS WHO HAVE COMPLETED FELONY SENTENCES WILL NOW BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.

THE RULING CENTERS ON A LAW PASSED EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHICH IMMEDIATELY RESTORES VOTING RIGHTS TO PEOPLE WITH FELONY CONVICTIONS. THE SECRETARY, BACKED BY THE STATE’S ATTORNEY GENERAL, ARGUED THAT THE LAW WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT THE COURT UNANIMOUSLY DISAGREED.

EVNEN ORDERED LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS TO REJECT VOTER REGISTRATIONS FROM FELONS, A MOVE THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION SAID WOULD DISENFRANCHISE THOUSANDS OF VOTERS, ESPECIALLY IN OMAHA’S CRITICAL 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THIS DISTRICT HAS A HISTORY OF SWINGING TOWARD DEMOCRATS, GIVING ONE ELECTORAL VOTE TO BARACK OBAMA IN 2008 AND JOE BIDEN IN 2020.

NOW, WITH THE RULING, FELONS WHO WERE BLOCKED FROM REGISTERING WILL HAVE THEIR RIGHTS RESTORED JUST IN TIME FOR ELECTION DAY ON NOVEMBER 5TH.

THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE TO VOTE IN NEBRASKA IS OCTOBER 25TH.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

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