A more focused voter ID bill is on track to pass, Nebraska lawmakers say

LINCOLN, Neb (KLKN) – Last November, the majority of Nebraskans voted to require a photo ID at the polls.

Supporters have tried for years to pass a voter ID law in the Legislature, saying it will help to secure our elections, but so far, opponents have blocked it.

Now it looks as though their efforts will come to an end.

Senators say LB 535, introduced by Sen Julie Slama of Dunbar, will serve as the way to implement voter ID into law.

“Voter ID is just common sense,” Slama said. “We see in 35 other states just how simple it is to implement this commonsense election security measure, to prove you are who you say you are before you undertake the most important duty you can as a United States citizen.”

The revised bill does not include previously proposed requirements to have a notary sign mail-in ballots or restrictions on who could vote by mail.

Instead, it allows any witness to verify a voter’s identity.

That means caregivers, significant others, volunteers or even friends could help you to vote by viewing your ID and giving their signature.

Slama said that change will make voter ID more accessible to eligible Nebraskans.

Opponents of voter ID, such as Civic Nebraska, say that our elections are already secure and that requiring a photo ID would suppress certain groups of people.

They said it would be a costly addition to voting that could deter elderly, rural and low-income people from going to the polls or voting by mail.

Despite opposing the concept, they say these new revisions do fall more in line with the language that Nebraskans voted for than some of the proposals in the Legislature this year.

“Some of these things would’ve been like taking a bazooka to an anthill,” Civic Nebraska spokesman Steve Smith said. “So we are really happy that this is becoming a narrower focus and doing something simpler.”

The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee will be meeting within the next few weeks to settle the language of the bill.

Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a member of the committee, said she’s encouraged by the other senators’ willingness to accept criticism about earlier proposals.

She said they’re working on creating a final version of the bill that is more acceptable to everyone to increase the chances of getting it passed.

“With the remaining time available in the legislative session, we’re starting to discuss some overall concepts about how to implement the measure in a way that honors the vote of the people without making major, wholesale changes to the way we vote in Nebraska,” she said.

Conrad said senators are still working to finalize what IDs will be acceptable and how they’ll be presented.

Senators are hopeful that the bill will make it to the finish line before the session over.