Nebraska legislature hears bill on making Election Day a state holiday

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska lawmakers heard testimony on a bill that proponents say would guarantee all eligible voters in the state would get a chance to cast their ballot.

LB577 calls for vote-by-mail ballots to include a postage-paid return envelope, update voter registration through the DMV. and establish Election Day as a state holiday.

Push for election day holiday

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“For many people, it is difficult to find the time to vote on a workday while the polls are open. According to a Census Bureau survey the primary reason that 14% of people did not vote in the 2016 general election was due to their busy schedule,” State Sen. Eliot Bostar said. “An Election Day holiday is not a partisan issue. A Pew Research Center poll found that Americans on both sides of the aisle support making Election Day a holiday.”

There are several states that have already established Election Day as a holiday. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday he would not sign the measure if it reached his desk.

Gov. Ricketts said he would not support a bill declaring Election Day a holiday, noting that elections have been conducted successfully in the state without it.

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