In November, Nebraska’s Supreme Court to Determine Voting Eligibility for Individuals with Felony Convictions

Nebraska’s top election official, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, declared a state law that restores voting rights to felons as unconstitutional, prompting a lawsuit from the ACLU. The ACLU argued that only the Nebraska Supreme Court has the authority to determine the constitutionality of a law, not Evnen. The order could prevent 7,000 Nebraskans from voting in the upcoming election, affecting the competitiveness of races in the state. Evnen’s directive came after the Legislature passed a law, LB20, that immediately restored voting rights to those who completed their felony sentences. The Attorney General deemed this law unconstitutional due to separation of powers issues. The ACLU is pushing for the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of Evnen’s order and the underlying law. Evnen’s predecessor, John Gale, disagreed with Evnen’s actions and supported the restoration of voting rights to felons. The high court is expected to rule before the voter registration deadline of October 25. Evnen’s decision has raised concerns about disenfranchising thousands of Nebraska voters and not enforcing election laws properly. The lawsuit highlights the importance of upholding constitutional rights and ensuring fair access to voting for all citizens.

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