LINCOLN, Neb. – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nebraska is promising its support for a new legislative bill and constitutional amendment focused on voting rights restoration.
Today, State Sen. Justin Wayne introduced LB 20, which would restore Nebraskans’ right to vote immediately after they complete all terms of a felony sentence rather than the current arbitrary two-year waiting period.
State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh introduced LR 4CA, which would put the question of voting rights restoration on the Nov. 2024 ballot. If passed by state senators and approved by voters, the constitutional amendment would limit the loss of voting rights only to Nebraskans who have been convicted of treason.
Mindy Rush Chipman, legal director at the ACLU of Nebraska, said both proposals deserve state senators’ support.
“Nebraska’s voting laws and confusion around those laws have kept far too many Nebraskans from participating in the democratic process, and because of the racial disparities across our prison system, Nebraskans of color are impacted the most,” Rush Chipman said. “Voting is a fundamental right, and the benefits of voting are well documented. When more people are part of the process, we see more community involvement and safer communities. It is past time to restore the vote.”
