Nebraska

Nebraska Supreme Court Deliberates on Felon Voting Rights: Potential Impact on the 2024 Electoral Landscape

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Lincoln, Nebraska — The Nebraska Supreme Court is currently deliberating on a critical case that could impact the voting rights of thousands of former felons in the state ahead of the 2024 elections. The issue at hand involves the interpretation of Nebraska’s law regarding the restoration of voting rights post-incarceration, a policy hotly debated across the nation as states grapple with criminal justice reform and electoral integrity. Nebraska’s current statute automatically reinstates voting rights to ex-felons two years after the completion of their sentence, including parole and probation. This law has been in place since … Read more

Heated Debate in Nebraska Supreme Court Over Legislative Authority to Restore Felony Voting Rights

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LINCOLN, Neb. — A recent debate in the Nebraska Supreme Court has thrust into the spotlight the contentious issue of whether the state legislature or the executive branch holds constitutional authority to restore voting rights to convicted felons. The argument has raised fundamental questions about the balance of power between branches of government and the scope of legislative and executive roles in criminal justice reforms. During Wednesday’s oral arguments, justices scrutinized positions presented by the ACLU and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, focusing on whether restoring voting rights should be an exclusive prerogative of the … Read more

ACLU Launches Supreme Court Challenge Against Nebraska Voting Rights Decision for Released Felons

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LINCOLN, Neb. — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska has launched a legal challenge against key state election officials, specifically targeting the refusal by Secretary of State Bob Evnen to enact a new policy designed to grant voting rights to felons immediately after their release from prison. This legal contention stems from Evnen’s decision following a determination by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who declared the new legislation unconstitutional. The law in question—known informally as LB 20—sought to amend previous statutes regarding the post-incarceration rights of convicted felons. The heart of the dissent … Read more

ACLU Sues Nebraska Election Officials for Blocking Ex-Felons’ Voting Rights Ahead of Presidential Poll

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OMAHA, Neb. — In a contentious legal battle with profound implications for voter participation, the ACLU of Nebraska has initiated a lawsuit against the state’s chief election official over rules that would bar many former felons from voting in the upcoming presidential election. The legal challenge, lodged on behalf of three disenfranchised Nebraska residents, targets a controversial directive from Secretary of State Bob Evnen that instructs county election officials not to register individuals with felony convictions for the November polls. T.J. King of Omaha, a key plaintiff in the case, expressed his frustration over the … Read more