League of Women Voters Offers Statewide Voter Information

In the spirit of democracy, the League of Women Voters of Nebraska provides a statewide compilation of candidate information via VOTE411 (www.vote411.org).

The online voters’ guide asks impartial questions of candidates running for local, state and federal offices in Nebraska. It is published before the primary and general elections.

VOTE411 requires the LWVNE to obtain email addresses for candidates to invite them to participate. To obtain the names of candidates, office, party, and contact information – including an email address – volunteers contact county election commissioners and clerks in all 93 counties. As Nebraska’s election offices compile this information in a variety of ways, it is often incomplete.

This is one reason why we need legislation like LB861 – introduced by Senator John McCollister – which would require an email address on candidate filing forms. Without this requirement, candidates are often left out of the process or the League’s volunteers must spend hours attempting to contact them via phone or other methods. Currently, 1,443 candidates are in the VOTE411 system statewide and 1,133 of them – 78.5% – have not provided email addresses so that they can be invited to participate.

Nebraskans deserve to be informed about the public officials listed on their ballots. VOTE411 benefits both the candidates, who receive free publicity about their campaigns, and the voters.

Please contact your senator to support LB861 as well as candidates you know to provide their email address to [email protected] to participate in our nonpartisan voters’ guide.

Claudia Stevenson and Walta Sue Dodd

Co-Directors, Voter Services, LWVNE.

Skip Fricke

High Plains Shooters Supply

Genoa, Neb.