Nebraska 2024 ballot measures
In 2024, six statewide ballot measures were on the ballot in Nebraska for the election on November 5.
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initiative 434 | Prohibit abortion after the first trimester, except in cases of medical emergencies or if the pregnancy is the result of sexual assault or incest |
|
509,288 (55%) |
417,624 (45%) |
|
| Initiative 436 | Require employers to provide earned paid sick leave for employees |
|
662,348 (75%) |
225,974 (25%) |
|
| Initiative 437 | Legalize the medical use of marijuana in the state |
|
637,126 (71%) |
259,643 (29%) |
|
| Initiative 438 | Establish the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate the state's medical marijuana program |
|
600,481 (67%) |
291,867 (33%) |
|
| Initiative 439 | Provide for a state constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability |
|
455,184 (49%) |
473,652 (51%) |
|
| Referendum 435 | Uphold the law providing for an education scholarship program for students to attend accredited private schools |
|
382,921 (43%) |
508,140 (57%) |
Getting measures on the ballot
Citizens
In Nebraska, citizens have the power to initiate constitutional amendments, state statutes, and veto referendums. Voters approved a constitutional amendment for initiative and referendum powers in 1912.
In Nebraska, the number of required signatures is tied to the number of registered voters in the state as of the deadline for filing signatures. Therefore, petitioners cannot know the number of signatures required until signatures are submitted for verification.[1] The following are the requirements for the types of citizen-initiated measures in Nebraska:
- initiated constitutional amendment (ICA): 10% of registered voters
- initiated state statute (ISS): 7% of registered voters
- veto referendum (VR): 5% of registered voters for a referendum or 10% for a referendum that also suspends the targeted law until voters decide the law's fate
The deadline for submitting signatures to get an initiative or referendum on the ballot for a particular general election is four months before that election. The deadline for the November 2024 ballot was July 3, 2024. The signature submission deadline for veto referendums is 90 days after the final adjournment of the state legislative session at which the targeted bill was passed.
Legislature
The Nebraska State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments, to the ballot. Nebraska requires a 60% vote in the state Senate during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to a general election ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 30 votes in the Nebraska State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. The state Senate can call a special election for a constitutional amendment if 80% of legislators support the amendment.
Historical facts
In Nebraska, a total of 106 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2022. Sixty-five ballot measures were approved, and 41 ballot measures were defeated.
| Nebraska statewide ballot measures, 1985-2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Annual average | Annual minimum | Annual maximum | Approved | Defeated | ||
| # | % | # | % | ||||
Ballot initiative certification rates
The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in Nebraska between 2010 and 2022:
| Nebraska statewide ballot initiatives filed and certified, 2010-2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Ballot initiatives filed | Certified | |
| # | % | ||
| Averages | |||
Not on the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VR | Education Scholarships Tax Credit Referendum | Education | Repeal Legislative Bill 753, which enacted a tax credit for taxpayers who contribute to education scholarships |  |
| CICA | Prohibit All Other Taxes Except Retail Consumption and Excise Taxes Initiative | Taxes | Adds a section to the state constitution prohibiting all other taxes except for retail consumption and excise taxes | |
| CICA | Grocery Items Sales Tax Exemption Initiative | Taxes | Authorizes the legislature to allow government entities in the state to impose sales taxes except on grocery items | |
| CICA | Cannabis Legalization Initiative | Marijuana | Legalize the use of cannabis | |
| CISS | Prohibit Abortion Procedures and Drugs Initiative | Abortion | Prohibits abortion procedures and drugs except in cases to preserve the life of the mother | |
| CICA | Establish Personhood of Preborn Children Amendment | Abortion | Defines a preborn child as a person in the state constitution | |
State profile
| Demographic data for Nebraska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 1,893,765 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 76,824 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 88.1% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 4.7% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 10% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 90.7% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 29.3% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $52,997 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 14.6% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Nebraska. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Nebraska
Nebraska voted Republican in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Nebraska, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[2]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nebraska had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Nebraska coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Nebraska
- United States congressional delegations from Nebraska
- Public policy in Nebraska
- Endorsers in Nebraska
- Nebraska fact checks
- More...
See also
- 2024 ballot measures
- List of Nebraska ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Nebraska
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Nebraska
- Campaign finance requirements for Nebraska ballot measures
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "VR Statistics Count Report," July 1, 2020
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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