Nebraska removes two-year waiting period for felons to vote

Nebraska reinstated the voting rights of approximately 7,000 individuals who had completed their felony sentences last week after legislation abolishing the nation's only two-year waiting period became law.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic state Senator Justin Wayne of Omaha, passed with broad bipartisan support and will allow formerly incarcerated voters to cast a ballot in the upcoming general election on Nov. 5.

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Starting July 18, Nebraskans who have completed a felony sentence can register to vote without delay after they've ended their incarceration and probation, satisfied any other court requirements, and remained conviction-free.

"Today was a good step in the way of restorative justice," Wayne told USA Today after the bill passed. "When people complete their sentence, they should be able to participate in society. When their sentence is done, their sentence is done."

Republican Governor Jim Pillen neither signed nor vetoed the bill, allowing it to become law after passage by the Legislature, as allowed by the Nebraska Constitution. But the law might face a legal challenge based on Pillen's letter to the Legislature signaling that the state's Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Secretary of State Bob Evnen "identified significant potential infirmities" regarding the bill.

Jasmine Harris, the director of public policy and advocacy for RISE, a Cornhusker State nonprofit that provides re-entry support to people post-sentence, says lifting the ban will allow more Nebraskans to become civic-minded.

"I think it gives them the opportunity to say, 'I want to engage. I want to be able to pick who represents me,'" Harris said. "We've talked a lot about people who have children in school districts, and they can't even pick who the school board members are. So I think that just gives people an opportunity to be able to voice things that impact their daily lives."

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RISE is among the 31 member groups that make up the Nebraska Voting Rights Restoration Coalition, which counts Common Cause Nebraska among its members. Gavin Geis, the Executive Director, says restoring voting rights helps reduce recidivism by creating stronger community ties.

"It's a way of engaging people in their communities that was cut off before," Geis said. "So beyond getting to vote on who represents you, I think this helps tie people back into their neighbors and their community in a way that will hopefully reduce the reasons why one ends up back in prison."

More: Millions of people with felonies can now vote after widespread reform. Most don’t know it.

Harris and Geis say the coalition is actively working on education and outreach efforts to explain to Nebraska residents who've been incarcerated about the voting registration process. This includes how to check eligibility status with the Clerk of the District Court where the sentence was given, register to vote online (the registration deadline for the Nov. 5, 2024 election is Oct. 25), and then vote early by mail, early in person at the local county election commission office, or in person at a polling site on Election Day.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska restores felon voting rights, removes two year waiting period