State officials and civil rights activists gathered in Lincoln Friday to push for voting reform in relation to current and former inmates convicted for felonies. Currently in Nebraska, voting rights are stripped from inmates until two years following the end of their sentence. The rule, however, does not just apply to those currently in prison. It extends to those who are on parole, too.
“In this state, it is potentially possible to remain on parole for life,” said Shakur Abdullah of Omaha’s Community Justice Center. “So, even with the passage of the elimination of a two-year waiting period, citizens on parole for life would still never be able to vote until they were able to complete their sentence.”
Those who are on probation, even if they’ve never set foot in a prison, also lose their right to vote until two years after their sentence is complete. Senator Justin Wayne, who is sponsoring prison reform in the shape of LB20, spoke at the event, saying that someone who is on probation for two years must wait four years before they’re allowed to vote once more.
“We have elections every two years in this state,” said Wayne. “One thing we’ve learned in this process, is that people who are engaged right when they come out are less likely to offend. And so, to me, it’s also about saving the state dollars.”
Wayne had a reform bill pass on the floor several years ago, but it was vetoed by Governor Pete Ricketts.