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LB 521

Change and eliminate provisions relating to the Election Act and elections in cities of the metropolitan class and in cities of the primary class

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Rita Sanders

Nebraska LB 521 updates the Election Act to modernize procedures, streamline petition and ballot access, tighten verification and counting, and adjust city election and vacancy rul

Provisions/portions of LB19 amended into LB521 by AM1152
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LB 521

LB 521 — Election Act Update (2025) — Summary

Status: Enacted (approved by Governor May 30, 2025). Passed Final Reading 49–0–0 with emergency clause. Committee: Government, Military & Veterans Affairs. Introduced Jan 21, 2025 (Sen. Rita Sanders). AM1152 incorporated portions of LB19, LB243, and LB659; later floor and enrollment amendments (AM1333, ER75, others) made technical and timing adjustments.

Purpose / Intent

Annual omnibus update to the Nebraska Election Act based on Secretary of State recommendations to (1) modernize and clarify election procedures, (2) streamline petition and ballot access processes, (3) tighten and standardize verification and counting procedures, and (4) update city-election provisions for metropolitan and primary-class cities.

Key provisions (high level)

  • Definitions and identification

    • Adds exception to “candidate” definition for party convention delegates (sec. 32-104).
    • Expands “valid photographic identification” to include hospice, providers of home/community-based developmental disability services, and related patient records (sec. 32-123).

  • Petition, filing, and ballot access

    • Prescribes specific forms/contents for petitions (partisan, nonpartisan, presidential, and new-party formation).
    • Filing changes for write-in candidates and withdrawals; changes filing deadline for partisan nominating petitions.
    • Allows filing officers to stop verifying petition signatures once verified signatures exceed 110% of required number (reduces excess verification burden).
    • Requires petitions be submitted “as one instrument” (not in batches); authorizes Secretary of State to purchase/obtain software to assist petition processing.
    • Deadline for a signer to request removal of their name: the day the petition is filed.
    • Clarifies petition signer qualifications.

  • Objections and adjudication

    • Removes Secretary of State authority to rule on certain candidate filing objections; establishes new procedures for objections in special elections and for circumstances when a qualified candidate declines placement on a general ballot.
    • Provides procedure to differentiate candidates with identical first and last names (middle name, initials, or city of residence).

  • Vote counting, canvass, recounts, and observers

    • Requires a zero report from vote-counting devices prior to use; revises procedures for use of counting devices.
    • Directs local officials to implement signature verification for ballot envelopes, ID verification for photographic IDs, provisional ballot verification, and to publish anticipated dates for counting/canvassing boards.
    • Substantially revises recount margins of victory entitlement and specifies who may observe a recount in a candidate's absence.
    • Sets a minimum distance of eight feet for counting watchers/observers from ballots, ballot boxes, sign-in registers, and counting devices.

  • Petition circulation and drop boxes

    • Prohibits petition circulation within 200 feet of a secure ballot drop box.

  • Administrative and procedural changes

    • Moves location of State Board of Canvassers meetings from State Capitol to a Secretary-designated location for flexibility.
    • Cleans up obsolete DMV language and eliminates certain outdated provisions (including outright repeal of sections 32-309 and 32-705).
    • Requires notice to voters when an election commissioner or county clerk cancels a voter’s registration at the voter’s request.
    • Changes timing rules for special elections near legal holidays.

  • Cities and vacancies

    • Makes changes to timing of city elections in metropolitan and primary-class cities (AM1152/AM1333 made certain changes permissive rather than mandatory).
    • Revises vacancy-filling procedures for metropolitan-class cities (appoint from district for remainder of term; changes to various class/city plans included — see sec. 32-568 as amended).

Who is affected

  • Secretary of State (new duties, authority to obtain petition-processing software, notification rules).
  • County clerks, election commissioners, and local election officials (new verification, notification, and procedural requirements).
  • Candidates and circulators (petition rules, filing deadlines, proximity limits near drop boxes).
  • Voters (expanded acceptable photographic ID categories; clearer petition/removal timelines).
  • Counting watchers/observers (new distancing and access rules).
  • Cities of metropolitan and primary class (timing and vacancy-filling options).

Operative dates / procedure

  • The act contains split operative dates:
    • Some sections take effect immediately under the emergency clause.
    • Many sections become operative three calendar months after adjournment of the legislative session.
    • Specific sections (e.g., Sections 72, 73, 84 per ST32) become operative Jan 1, 2026.
  • The bill declares an emergency to make certain provisions effective immediately.

For full statutory text, cross-references, and exact section-by-section amendments (including incorporated LB19/LB243/LB659 provisions), consult the enrolled bill and the Reissue/Revised Statutes citations listed in the bill.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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