§ 32-329 — Registration list; maintenance; voter registration register; verification; training; procedure; voter registration systems; information exempt from disclosure, when; Secretary of State; report

Nebraska § 32-329

• Jurisdiction: Nebraska
• Ch. 32: Elections

Text

(1) The Secretary of State with the assistance of the election commissioners and county clerks shall perform list maintenance with respect to the computerized statewide voter registration list on a regular basis. The list maintenance shall be conducted in a manner that ensures that:
(a) The name of each registered voter appears in the computerized list;
(b) Only persons who have been entered into the register in error or who are not eligible to vote are removed from the computerized list; and
(c) Duplicate names are eliminated from the computerized list.
(2) The election commissioner or county clerk shall verify the voter registration register by using (a) the National Change of Address program of the United States Postal Service and a confirmation notice pursuant to subsection (3) of this section or (b) the biennial mailing of a nonforwardable notice to each registered voter. The Secretary of State shall provide biennial training for the election commissioners and county clerks responsible for maintaining voter registration lists. No name shall be removed from the voter registration register for the sole reason that such person has not voted for any length of time.
(3) When an election commissioner or county clerk receives information from the National Change of Address program of the United States Postal Service that a registered voter has moved from the address at which he or she is registered to vote, the election commissioner or county clerk shall update the voter registration register to indicate that the voter may have moved and mail a confirmation notice by forwardable first-class mail. If a nonforwardable notice under subdivision (2)(b) of this section is returned as undeliverable, the election commissioner or county clerk shall mail a confirmation notice by forwardable first-class mail. The confirmation notice shall include a confirmation letter and a preaddressed, postage-paid confirmation card. The confirmation letter shall contain statements substantially as follows:
(a) The election commissioner or county clerk has received information that you have moved to a different residence address from that appearing on the voter registration register;
(b) If you have not moved or you have moved to a new residence within this county, you should return the enclosed confirmation card by the regular registration deadline prescribed in section 32-302 . If you fail to return the card by the deadline, you will be required to affirm or confirm your address prior to being allowed to vote. If you are required to affirm or confirm your address, it may result in a delay at your polling place; and
(c) If you have moved out of the county, you must reregister to be eligible to vote. This can be accomplished by mail or in person. For further information, contact your local election commissioner or county clerk.
(4) The election commissioner or county clerk shall maintain for a period of not less than two years a record of each confirmation letter indicating the date it was mailed and the person to whom it was mailed.
(5) If information from the National Change of Address program or the nonforwardable notice under subdivision (2)(b) of this section indicates that the voter has moved outside the jurisdiction and the election commissioner or county clerk receives no response to the confirmation letter and the voter does not offer to vote at any election held prior to and including the second statewide federal general election following the mailing of the confirmation notice, the voter's registration shall be canceled and his or her name shall be deleted from the voter registration register.
(6)(a) In the event that the Secretary of State becomes a member of a nongovernmental entity whose sole purpose is to share and exchange information in order to improve the accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems, information received by the Secretary of State from such nongovernmental entity is exempt from disclosure as a public record pursuant to sections 84-712 to 84-712.09 and any other provision of law, except that the Secretary of State may provide such information to the election commissioners and county clerks to conduct voter registration list maintenance activities.
(b) If the Secretary of State becomes a member of a nongovernmental entity as described in subdivision (6)(a) of this section, the Secretary of State shall submit an annual report electronically to the Clerk of the Legislature by February 1 encompassing the preceding calendar year. The report shall describe the terms of membership in the nongovernmental entity and provide information on the total number of voters removed from the voter registration register as a result of information received by such membership and the reasons for the removal of such voters.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1994, LB 76, § 91; Laws 1997, LB 764, § 44; Laws 1999, LB 234, § 7; Laws 2003, LB 357, § 8; Laws 2005, LB 566, § 29; Laws 2010, LB325, § 2; Laws 2021, LB285, § 5.