Four county election offices accept walk-in early voters through Monday, Nov. 2, with Saturday hours in Omaha and Lincoln. Nebraska’s photo ID rule applies at the counter, and mailed-ballot requests close at 6 p.m. Oct. 23.
By Hola Nebraska
Published Oct. 5, 2026. Updated Oct. 21, 2026.
In-person early voting for the Nov. 3 general election continues at the election offices in Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy and Hall counties, which serve Omaha, Lincoln, Papillion, Bellevue, La Vista and Grand Island. Nebraska does not require an excuse: any registered voter may request a ballot by mail or vote early at the county office. The last day to vote early in person is Monday, Nov. 2.
Registration closed Oct. 16 for applications filed online, by mail, at state agencies or at the DMV. Voter registration in person at a county election office, and requests for a mailed early ballot, both close at 6 p.m. Oct. 23. That is the statewide deadline; each office keeps its own counter hours that day, and only Lancaster and Sarpy stay open until 6 p.m.
Related: Voto anticipado en Nebraska: sedes, horarios y requisitos (Spanish version of this guide)
Mailed ballots must be requested by 6 p.m. Oct. 23
Early voting applications arrive at county offices by mail, fax, email or in person, and the offices began mailing general election ballots Sept. 28. Under state law, an application must reach the county office by 6 p.m. on the second Friday before the election, which this year falls on Oct. 23; applications received after that hour are not processed.
Completed ballots must reach the county office or an official drop box by the close of polls on Nov. 3: 8 p.m. Central Time in Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy and Hall counties, 7 p.m. Mountain Time in the Panhandle. Douglas County recommends mailing a ballot by Oct. 27 to leave delivery time.
Office hours by county
Weekday schedules have not changed since early voting opened Oct. 5. The evening and Saturday hours below are additions each office publishes for the final two weeks.
Douglas County: Saturday voting Oct. 24 and Oct. 31
Douglas County Election Commission, 12220 W Center Road, Omaha (northwest corner of Bel Air Plaza). Phone: 402-444-8683.
- Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Evening hours: open until 6 p.m. Oct. 22, Oct. 27 and Oct. 29.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31.
- Last day: Monday, Nov. 2, until 5 p.m.
- Drop boxes: 13 locations, open 24 hours, no postage required. The Douglas County drop box list includes a photo and electioneering boundary for each site.
Lancaster County: Saturday hours Oct. 31 and a 7 a.m. start Nov. 2
Lancaster County Election Commission, 601 N 46th Street, Lincoln. Phone: 402-441-7311.
- Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Evening hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 23, Oct. 27 and Oct. 29.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 31.
- Last day: Monday, Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sarpy County: extended hours Oct. 23
Sarpy County Election Commission, 1102 E. 1st Street, Suite 1, Papillion. Phone: 402-593-2167.
- Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Extended hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 23.
- Last day: Monday, Nov. 2, during regular weekday hours.
- Drop boxes: locations are listed on the Sarpy County drop box page.
Hall County: weekday hours only through Nov. 2
Hall County Election Commission, 200 S. Sycamore Street, Suite 8, Grand Island. Phone: 308-385-5085.
- Weekdays: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on holidays.
- Special hours: the office has not published evening or Saturday hours for this election.
- Last day: Monday, Nov. 2, during regular weekday hours.
What to bring to the counter
Nebraska requires photo identification for every primary, general and special election. The ID must show the voter’s name and photograph; it may be expired and does not need to list a current address.
Accepted documents:
- Nebraska driver’s license or state identification card from the DMV, including a photo receipt issued while the card is printed.
- Identification from a Nebraska political subdivision: state, county, city, public school or other local government.
- Student or staff ID from a Nebraska college or university, public or private.
- U.S. passport, military ID or tribal ID.
- Record with name and photograph from a Nebraska hospital, nursing home, assisted living facility or hospice.
Birth certificates, Social Security cards, Medicare and Medicaid cards, utility bills, bank statements, voter registration cards, out-of-state driver’s licenses and out-of-state student IDs are not accepted. A Nebraska DMV office issues a free state identification card for voting, and the state provides a free certified Nebraska birth certificate through DHHS when one is needed to obtain that card.
Voters who cannot obtain an ID because of disability or illness, because they lack a birth certificate or other required document, or because of a religious objection to being photographed can sign a reasonable impediment certification at the office and vote provisionally. A provisional ballot counts once a valid ID reaches the county election office, which accepts it through Nov. 10.
Where mailed ballots can be returned
A mailed ballot must be signed on the return envelope, and a drop box must sit inside the county where the voter is registered. Douglas County operates 13 boxes that stay open around the clock, including one at the election office on West Center Road, one at the City/County Building at 1819 Farnam Street and one at the South Omaha Library. Boxes close when polls close on Nov. 3, and ballots that arrive later are not counted.
Voter registration status, sample ballots and ballot tracking are available through the Secretary of State’s VoterCheck portal. The Elections Division answers questions at 402-471-2555.
The last day to vote early in person is Monday, Nov. 2: Douglas and Lancaster close at 5 p.m., Sarpy and Hall at their regular weekday closing times. Polls on Election Day, Nov. 3, are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain Time, under state law.
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