Douglas County officials are voicing strong opposition to LB 541, a proposed bill that would alter Nebraska’s voting system. Currently, 50% of voters in the county choose to vote by mail, with approximately 75% of all ballots being returned through secure drop boxes.
Election Commissioner Brian Kruse informed the Douglas County Board that if the bill passes, it would eliminate online voter registration, restrict registration by mail, and require voters to provide a reason for voting early.
“There are only three states in the nation that require an excuse for early voting: Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire,” Kruse said. “Mississippi is already working on legislation to eliminate that requirement. It’s also important to note that both major presidential candidates have embraced early voting and invested millions to encourage it nationwide.”
Kruse also raised concerns about the financial impact of reducing early voting days.
“If we cut early voting from 35 days to 22, we’d have to complete the same amount of work in far fewer days,” he said. “For last fall’s election, that change would have required hiring 22 additional employees, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Another provision in LB 541 would mandate hand-counting of ballots, aimed at preventing voter fraud. However, Kruse emphasized that voter fraud is not a significant issue in Nebraska.
“The real question is, what problem are we solving with this bill? This legislation takes away voter rights without justification,” he said.
Douglas County Board members agreed that the bill’s changes are unnecessary.
“If given the chance, I could spend eight hours tearing this bill apart,” Commissioner Mike Friend said. “Unless someone can convince me there’s a real problem we’re solving, this is just excessive regulation.”
Other commissioners echoed similar concerns.
“This looks like yet another attempt at voter suppression by people who aren’t interested in maximizing voter turnout,” Commissioner James Cavanaugh said. “That should be our goal—ensuring as many people as possible can vote.”
The board voted unanimously, 7-0, to oppose LB 541.
“The question was asked, ‘Where did this bill come from?’” Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson said. “Look across the country. This is just another case of misinformation and false claims about voter fraud being used to justify restrictions.”
Kruse has urged opposition to LB 541 from the Douglas County Board, the Election Law Committee for Commissioners and Clerks Association, and the Nebraska Association of County Officials. Lancaster County and Hall County commissioners have also taken a stance against the bill.
