2024 Nebraska Elections FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the May 14, 2024, statewide primary elections and the November 5, 2024, statewide general election.
Election Dates
When is Primary Election Day in Nebraska?
Nebraska will hold its statewide primary elections on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
When is General Election Day in Nebraska?
Election Day is November 5, 2024. In the general election, ballots will include:
President, all three Congressional seats, and both U.S. Senate seats;
Members of the Nebraska Legislature;
Local and county races;
Several ballot initiatives.
Registering to vote
By what date(s) do I have to register?
Register to vote
If you are already registered to vote in Nebraska, you do not have to re-register for the 2024 elections. If you register for the primary, you do not need to re-register for the general election.
Primary election (May 14, 2024)
Register ONLINE by 11:59 pm CDT on April 29, 2024. The in-person registration deadline will be announced in November.
General election (November 5, 2024)
Register ONLINE by 11:59 pm CDT on Oct. 18, 2024. Register IN PERSON at your county election office by 6 pm CDT on Oct. 25, 2024.
Can I check my registration status?
Go here to check — and then double-check. It takes 30 seconds.
When you register, you’ll receive a confirmation card in the U.S. Mail from your county’s election commissioner. This card has your personal information and the location of your polling place on it. If you receive this card and this information is not included on it, please contact your county’s election commission.
Are college students required to vote in the city where they attend school, or the city where they are originally from?
As a student, you are not required to re-register at your college address if you wish not to. Temporary leaves from your home city do not require a change in voter registration. That said, it’s up to you! If you wish to re-register to vote in the city where you go to college, that’s your right and you can certainly do so.
Voting by mail
Do I need to request a mail-in ballot for each election?
Yes. If you wish to vote early by mail – and any registered voter in our state can do so for any reason – you must first fill out a request for that ballot.
Voters must complete and sign the application portion of the mailing and return it to their election commission office to receive a ballot by mail.
Do I need to give a reason to get a mail-in ballot? How soon can I request it?
You do not need to provide a reason to get a mail-in ballot. Nebraska is a “no excuse” state, meaning we place no unnecessary burdens on showing why you want to request an early ballot.
The Secretary of State’s Office will release full election dates, including vote-by-mail deadlines and registration guidance, in November 2023. We will update this section as soon as we receive that information.
What happens if I submit more than one request to vote by mail?
Only your first request will be processed. Anything else will be discarded. Our election systems have guardrails against sending out multiple ballots to the same person – you can’t, for example, send in three requests for a mail-in ballot, and then get three ballots. If you send in three requests for a mail-in ballot, only the first one counts. You will only get one ballot.
What can I do to make sure my mail-in ballot is counted?
If you want to be absolutely sure that your ballot is received as quickly as possible, you can always take it to your county dropbox anytime before 8 pm CDT on Election Day. You can track the status of your ballot here.
In-person voting
How do I vote early in person?
All Nebraska counties offer in-person early voting, usually starting a month before Election Day and going up to the Monday before the election.
Where do I go to vote on Election Day?
If you choose to vote in person in 2024, you can head to your polling station from 8 am to 8 pm CDT on May 14 to vote in the primary election, and again from 8 am to 8 pm CDT on November 5 to vote in the general election. Find your polling place here.
I have to work all day on Election Day. Can I get time off to vote?
Yes. Nebraska law allows workers time off to vote in certain circumstances. If you are scheduled to work the 12 hours when the polls are open, you can take up to two consecutive hours off to vote. If you apply for this time off before or even on Election Day, your employer can’t punish you or subtract wages on account of your absence. Under the law, your employer is also entitled to specify the hours when you can be gone from work to vote. Work in advance with your employer to ensure you are given time to get to the polls. It’s your right.
If I’m in line to vote when polls close, can I still vote?
Yes, yes — by all means, yes! Stay in line. As long as you are in line by 8 p.m. CDT, you must be allowed to vote.
Ballot access
What happens if I’m denied a ballot on Election Day?
This is serious business, and we should know about it right away. If you have been denied a ballot for any reason, we encourage you to contact Civic Nebraska’s Election Protection Line at 402.890.5291, via email at info@civicnebraska.org; or via Facebook or X.
Do I have to show an ID on Election Day to vote?
Yes. As of April 1, 2024, valid photographic identification will be required to vote in Nebraska. Visit our Voter ID in Nebraska page for the types of IDs that are accepted in order to vote, as well as information on how to obtain a valid ID.