Primaries:
- State legislature primaries: Nonpartisan, Top Two
- Statewide offices: Closed
- Congressional: Closed
- Presidential primaries: Closed*
*The Democratic party has amended its primary rules to allow independents to participate.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS STATE BY STATE
Nebraska
Registration:
- Voters may or may not choose to affiliate with a political party, however, affiliation with a party is required to vote in certain primary elections.
- 22% of voters in Nebraska are registered as nonpartisan.
Details of Congressional & local primary elections:
- Nebraska has a nonpartisan, unicameral state legislature, so elections for state legislator use a nonpartisan, Top Two system.
- Voters must register with a party to participate in partisan state and local races (eg, Governor, City Council, etc.)
- Voters do not need to be registered with a party to vote in congressional party primaries.
State Partners & Research
Open Primaries released a new report examining the results of Nebraska’s adoption of a single, nonpartisan primary election system.
The Myth of the Red State: Policy Over Party in the Nebraska State Capitol demonstrates that while Congress and many state legislatures have fallen prey to partisanship and dysfunction, the Nebraska political system is working.
