Dueling measures to expand or limit abortion will be on the ballot in Nebraska

Nebraska voters will see two competing questions about abortion on the ballot in November after activists on both sides of the issue met the signature requirements needed, the state’s top election official said Friday. 

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) said this year is the first time rival initiatives will appear on the same ballot. 

“Barring any legal challenges, this November general election ballot will host two ballot measures that appear in direct conflict with each other, which could be the first time this has happened in Nebraska’s history,” Evnen said. 

One initiative would protect abortion up to fetal viability, and the other would enshrine the state’s current 12-week ban. 

In addition to needing a majority to pass, the total votes for each initiative must represent at least 35 percent of those casting ballots. If both measures receive enough votes to pass, the ballot measure with the highest number of votes in favor will prevail. 

Evnen said his office validated more than 136,000 signatures for both proposals. 

Most Republican-controlled states have implemented abortion bans or restrictions since Roe vs. Wade was overturned more than two years ago. In that time, every state that has put abortion on the ballot voted in favor of protecting access to the procedure in some way. 

Nebraska is the latest of several states that will put an abortion measure on the November ballot, including swing states of Arizona and Nevada, as well as Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana and South Dakota. 

Abortion rights activists were thwarted for the first time this week when a long-shot ballot initiative in Arkansas was blocked by the state Supreme Court, which said the initiative’s backers failed to submit proper paperwork. 

The growing number of ballot initiatives is fueling hope among Democrats that voter turnout will be turbocharged this cycle. 

Nebraska is home to a tightly contested House race this year, where Rep. Don Bacon (R) is facing Democratic state Sen. Tony Vargas in a rematch of 2022. The race is widely regarded as a toss-up.