Some Nebraska voters are confused by abortion initiatives. Here’s what you should know

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Dueling abortion ballot measures are causing confusion for some voters.

Nebraska is the only state with competing abortion measures on the ballot, which are Initiatives 434 and 439.

One Lincolnite, Lorraine, said the similar numbers and complicated language of the initiatives might make it difficult for voters to know what they are voting for.

Another Lincoln voter, Nicholas Bushard, agreed.

“They are worded very similarly,” he said. “It might be difficult for people to differentiate because they both mean very different things.”

SEE ALSO: Nebraska Supreme Court rejects challenges to dueling abortion petitions

Initiative 434 will amend the Nebraska Constitution to ban abortion in the second and third trimesters, with exceptions of medical emergencies, incest and sexual assault.

That’s in line with current state law.

But a political science professor at Doane University, Tim Hill, said Initiative 434 opens the door for more abortion restrictions.

“It prevents the Legislature from being able to make any laws allowing abortion after the first 12 weeks, but it does not prevent them from making laws outlawing abortion in the first 12 weeks,” he said.

POLL: Which abortion ballot initiative in Nebraska will you support?

Initiative 439 grants a constitutional right to an abortion until fetal viability or when it’s necessary to protect the health or life of the patient.

“It prohibits the Legislature from making any laws disallowing abortion up until fetal viability,” Hill said. “Now what exactly that means is a little bit unclear, but generally you think of that as about the 20th week.”

One man said it’s nearly impossible for him to ignore the commercials for the initiatives. He said even those are confusing.

SEE ALSO: Dueling abortion petitions heading to November ballot in Nebraska

Hill suggests if voters are confused, they should go to a nonpartisan site that explains the initiatives in plain language.

He said the best thing voters can do is “reaching out to the League of Women Voters, or some of these other nonpartisan groups that don’t have a dog in this fight but just want voters to be informed when they walk into the ballot box.”

Secretary of State Bob Evnen said if both initiatives are approved by a majority, the one with the most “for” votes will become law.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln couple say they were tricked into signing wrong abortion petition