Proposal to let nonresidents vote in Omaha, Lincoln elections advances in auditor oversight bill

LINCOLN — The full Nebraska Legislature will consider letting people outside city limits in Omaha and Lincoln vote in municipal elections as part of a bill that would also give the state auditor more oversight of no-bid state contracts.

The Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 5-3, along ideological lines, to advance an expanded version of Legislative Bill 997 from State Sen. Bob Andersen of Sarpy County related to auditor oversight. The measure now includes a narrowed version of LB 951, from State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, related to city elections for Omaha and Lincoln.

“Not about changing elections, just want to give these individuals a seat at the table,” Ballard said Thursday after the committee vote. “It’s all about transparency and accountability.”

Residents of unincorporated areas within the three-mile “extraterritorial zoning jurisdictions” of the state’s two largest cities would be able to vote in city elections, excluding bonds. State zoning laws give city officials limited planning and regulatory authority over residents in those areas.



https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/03/23/proposal-to-let-nonresidents-vote-in-omaha-lincoln-elections-advances-in-auditor-oversight-bill/