Nebraska

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SLAY THE DRAGON follows everyday people, outraged by what they see as an attack on the core democratic principle that every person’s vote should count equally. This election year, we’re joining together with grassroots partners to put an end to gerrymandering. Because this issue impacts each state differently, we’ve created a map to help you navigate how gerrymandering affects your state and community. SLAY THE DRAGON arrives on demand April 3.

 

GET CAUGHT UP

Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.

We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.

Map of the United States of America

Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.

We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.

Slay the Dragon Logo

SLAY THE DRAGON follows everyday people, outraged by what they see as an attack on the core democratic principle that every person’s vote should count equally. This election year, we’re joining together with grassroots partners to put an end to gerrymandering. Because this issue impacts each state differently, we’ve created a map to help you navigate how gerrymandering affects your state and community. SLAY THE DRAGON arrives on demand April 3.

 

GET CAUGHT UP

Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.

We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.

Map of the United States of America

Click on your state in the map above to find out what’s going on and how you can help.

We are partnering with organizations in Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin to support the creation of non-partisan redistricting commissions to protect votes across the country.

Nebraska

Process

Nebraska has a one-chamber Legislature that is nominally nonpartisan, but is in fact Republican. Its state legislative and congressional districts are drawn by the Legislature by ordinary statute, and are subject to the Governor's veto. The Legislature can override vetoes with a three-fifths vote in each chamber.

In addition to the federal requirements of one person, one vote and the Voting Rights Act, Nebraska law requires that state legislative and congressional districts be compact, contiguous, preserve political subdivisions, and preserve the cores of prior districts. There are separate prohibitions for state legislative and congressional districts. State law prohibits state legislative districts from being drawn with the aid of partisan data, or to intentionally favor a party, group, or person. Meanwhile, state law prohibits congressional districts from being drawn with the aid of partisan data or to protect incumbents.

Issues

Nebraska has a ballot initiative process, and in March 2020, Nebraskans for Independent Redistricting filed a ballot initiative to create a redistricting commission to redraw the state's legislative and congressional lines. However, as a result of the current public health crisis, this measure seems unlikely to make it to the ballot before the 2021 redistricting cycle.

  • First, a nine-member screening committee made up with a 5-4 partisan split of legislators would be in charge of selecting a Commission on Redistricting, acting by a vote of at least six committee members. The committee would select nine qualified commissioners (three majority party, three minority, and three unaffiliated with either), randomly selecting two commissioners per subpool and directly voting on a third in each. Any official action of the Commission would require a six-vote majority, including two commissioners from each subpool. Once approved, maps would be sent to the legislature, who cannot redraw them. Instead, rejected maps are sent back to the Commission with any feedback, and the Commission resubmits new maps.

  • The new initiative would codify Nebraska's current criteria, but would place them in rank order. The first three requirements are fairly run-of-the-mill: districts would have to comply with federal law, be contiguous, and be "as nearly equal in population as possible." Fourth, the initiative would create state-level protection for minority communities, prohibiting districts that "deny or abridge the right to vote on the basis of race or language." Finally, the initiative would require the minimization of county, municipal, and neighborhood boundary splits. Outside of this ranking, districts would be prohibits from intentionally favoring an incumbent or party, and on a statewide basis, cannot "unduly favor or disfavor any political party." Additionally, the commission would be prohibited from "considering the political affiliation of voters or previous voting data," except to comply with federal law and other provisions.

  • All legislative proceedings, screening committee meetings, and commission meetings would be "conducted exclusively in public." The Commission would be required to hold at least one public hearing in each of Nebraska's three congressional districts prior to recommending maps to the state legislature. Proposed maps with written explanations and "other data being considered" would also have to be readily available to the public for at least seven days before the first public hearing.

Actions

Support the ballot initiative to establish an independent redistricting commission.

  • The initiative was filed in March 2020 by Nebraskans for Independent Redistricting.

  • In order to be on the ballot in November, the initiative needs almost 121,000 petition signatures by July 2, 2020.

In 2021, use public comment to identify communities of interest.

  • Obtain Nebraska redistricting data from OpenPrecincts.

  • Use software tools such as Dave's Redistricting App and Districtr to draw district maps showing either (a) what a fair map would look like, or (b) where the community you believe should be better represented is located.

Contacts

Princeton Gerrymandering Project Data provided by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project

State Info

Congressional Boundaries: Drawn by legislature
State Boundaries: Drawn by legislature
Legislative Control: Republican
Governor's Political Party: Republican
Last Updated: Jun 18 2020