By Hola Nebraska
NEBRASKA — The 2026 election cycle runs on distinct dates for registration, early voting and the general election, alongside state photo ID requirements and processes administered by each county’s election office.
This guide gathers Nebraska’s official resources and the local contacts for Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy and Hall County so voters can look up information through the rest of the election cycle.
The Nebraska Secretary of State houses the state election calendar, forms and official directories.
Nebraska’s general election is set for November 2026
- Primary election: Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
- General election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain.
- Registration by mail, online or at the DMV: through Friday, October 16, 2026 (postmarked for mail and before midnight for online registration).
- In-person registration at the county election office: until 6 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2026.
- Early voting ballot requests by mail: until 6 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2026.
- First day early voting ballots are mailed: Monday, September 28, 2026.
- In-person early voting at the county office: Monday, October 5 through Monday, November 2, 2026.
- Early voting ballot return: until polls close on November 3, 2026, which is 8 p.m. Central and 7 p.m. Mountain.
- Presenting ID after voting provisionally: no later than Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
The full 2026 schedule is available in Nebraska’s official election calendar.
Nebraska keeps early voting resources in a separate section
State information on early voting is gathered in a dedicated Nebraska Secretary of State resource.
- No excuse required: any registered voter may request an early voting ballot without giving a reason.
- How to apply: by mail, fax or email to the county election office; a scanned or photographed signed application is enough.
- What the application must include: name and residence address; Nebraska driver’s license or state ID number (or a copy of another acceptable photo ID, or a reasonable impediment certification); voting precinct, if known; a phone number; the address where the ballot should be mailed and the voter’s signature.
- When you can request one: up to 120 days before a statewide primary, general or special election.
- Deadline to request by mail: the application must be received before 6 p.m. on the second Friday before the election, which is Friday, October 23, 2026.
- When ballots go out: at least 35 days before a primary or general election, and 15 days before any other election.
- In-person early voting: available at the county office starting 30 days before a primary or general election. The day before the election is the last day to vote early in person.
- How to return it: by mail, in person, through an agent, by courier, at the county office or at a secure drop box. The ballot must go inside the return envelope, sealed and signed by the voter.
- Return deadline: polls close on Election Day.
- If the ballot doesn’t arrive: contact the county election office to confirm the mailing date and address, and arrange a replacement ballot if it was lost, destroyed, spoiled or never arrived.
Forms and related resources are available in the state’s Early Voting section. Nebraska also publishes election forms in Spanish.
Nebraska requires photo identification at the polls
The state maintains a dedicated Voter ID resource covering accepted forms of identification, exceptions and related documents.
- Legal basis: LB514, signed into law on June 1, 2023. The first election with the requirement was the statewide primary of May 14, 2024.
- The basic rule: the ID must show the voter’s name and photo. It can be expired, it does not need an expiration date or address, and it may show an out-of-state address. Poll workers only check the name and photo.
- Accepted IDs: Nebraska driver’s license; Nebraska state ID; ID from a Nebraska college or university, public or private; ID from a Nebraska political subdivision (state, county, city, public school, among others); U.S. passport; military ID; tribal ID; and records from a hospital, assisted-living facility, nursing home, hospice or developmental disabilities services agency that include a name and photo.
- Also accepted: Nebraska DMV receipts with a photograph, and employee credentials from those health and care facilities when they include a name and photo.
- Not accepted: birth certificate, Medicare or Medicaid card, out-of-state driver’s license, out-of-state college ID, Social Security card, store membership card, utility bill, bank statement, voter registration acknowledgement card and private high school ID.
- Free ID: any voter can get a free state ID for voting at the Nebraska DMV and must bring documents confirming identity and address. Voters who need a birth certificate to obtain one can receive a free certified copy of their Nebraska birth certificate from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS, Office of Vital Records).
- Reasonable impediment: voters who cannot obtain an ID can complete a reasonable impediment certification and vote a provisional ballot. Qualifying reasons include a disability or illness that prevents the voter from obtaining an ID, the lack of a birth certificate or other required documents and an inability to obtain them without significant difficulty or expense, and religious objection to being photographed. The ballot counts if the envelope and form are complete and the signature matches the registration record.
- Curing period: voters who vote provisionally for this reason must present an acceptable ID at their county election office no later than the Tuesday after the election, which is November 10, 2026.
- Exemptions: active-duty military members, their spouses and overseas voters covered by the federal UOCAVA law, unless they vote in person at a Nebraska polling site.
Current requirements are gathered in the state’s Voter ID portal.
Nebraska’s 93 election offices operate by county
Local election services are administered at the county level. Nebraska has 93 election offices, each with its own contacts and hours.
The state directory of election officials lets voters find the office that serves their county.
Douglas County serves Omaha and other communities in the county
The Douglas County Election Commission serves residents of Omaha and the other communities within Douglas County.
Office: 12220 W Center Road, Omaha, NE 68144
Phone: (402) 444-8683
Email: [email protected]
- Regular hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fax: (402) 444-4181.
- Election commissioner: Danielle Jensen. Chief deputy commissioner: Chris Carithers.
- In-person early voting: October 5 through November 2, 2026 at the county office; the last day closes at 5 p.m.
- Extended hours: Tuesday, October 20 until 6 p.m.; Thursday, October 22 until 6 p.m.; Friday, October 23 until 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday, October 27 until 6 p.m.; Thursday, October 29 until 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Ballot return: at the county office or a county drop box until 8 p.m. on November 3, 2026.
- Mail ballot requests: until 6 p.m. on October 23, 2026. The county publishes its own list of drop box locations.
County contacts and resources are available at the Douglas County Election Commission.
Lancaster County administers elections for Lincoln and other communities
The Lancaster County Election Commission administers federal, state and local elections within the county, including the city of Lincoln.
Office: 601 N 46th Street, Lincoln, NE 68503-3720
Phone: 402-441-7311
Email: [email protected]
- Regular hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fax: 402-441-6379.
- Election commissioner: Todd Wiltgen. Chief deputy election commissioner: Becki Gaston-Wise.
- Early voting ballots mailed: starting Monday, September 28, 2026.
- In-office voting: October 5 through November 2, 2026, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Mail ballot requests: until 6 p.m. on October 23, 2026, using the county’s early vote request form.
- Extended hours: Friday, October 23 until 6 p.m.; Tuesday, October 27 until 6 p.m.; Thursday, October 29 until 6 p.m.; Saturday, October 31, 9 a.m. to noon; Monday, November 2, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
County information is available at the Lancaster County Election Commission.
Sarpy County serves Bellevue, Papillion and La Vista
Bellevue, Papillion and La Vista belong to Sarpy County, so their election services fall to the Sarpy County Election Commission.
Office: 1102 E. 1st Street, Suite #1, Papillion, NE 68046
Phone: 402-593-2167
- Regular hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., excluding federal holidays. Fax: 402-593-5770.
- Election commissioner: David Jones. Deputy election commissioner: Michelle Boyland.
- In-person early voting: October 5 through November 2, 2026 at the county office.
- Mail ballot requests: the county’s form requires a physical signature; the county asks voters not to submit transcript applications.
- Ballot return: at the county office or a county drop box. The county publishes its list of drop box locations.
- Polling sites: the county publishes its own lookup tool for the 2026 general election.
Local contacts are available at the Sarpy County Election Commission.
Hall County administers election services for Grand Island
Grand Island belongs to Hall County, whose Election Commission administers local election services.
Office: 200 South Sycamore Street, Suite 8, Grand Island, NE 68801
Phone: (308) 385-5085
Email: [email protected]
- Regular hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Fax: (308) 385-5071.
- Election commissioner: Tracy Overstreet.
- Registration by mail, online or at the DMV: through October 16, 2026. In-person registration at the office until 6 p.m. on October 23, 2026.
- Mail ballot requests and in-person early voting: the county posts its date windows on its voter information page.
- Confirming hours: the county recommends calling (308) 385-5085 to confirm extended hours near the election.
Local information can be found at the Hall County Election Commission.
Nebraska keeps its election tools across several state portals
The state maintains separate tools for looking up election information, forms and other resources during the 2026 cycle.
- Drop box locator: the Nebraska Drop Box Locator shows the nearest box. Every Nebraska county keeps at least one secure drop box, and early voting ballots must be dropped in a box inside the voter’s own county, with the envelope sealed and signed. The deadline is polls close on Election Day.
- Ballot lookup and tracking: the Voter Information Lookup (VoterCheck) lets voters verify their registration, find their polling place, review a sample ballot and check the status of an early voting ballot, including when it was sent and returned.
- Online registration: the NEReg2Vote portal is available 24 hours a day from a computer or mobile phone. There is no waiting period to register after moving to Nebraska.
- Spanish-language resources: the voter forms page includes the voter registration, early voting and voter registration cancellation forms in Spanish. The online registration FAQ and the voter ID law brochure are also available in Spanish.
- Election results: unofficial election night results are posted at electionresults.nebraska.gov, and certified results are posted on the Secretary of State’s portal.
- Questions for the Elections Division: the Secretary of State’s Elections Division can be reached at (402) 471-2555.
Hola Nebraska will update this guide during the 2026 election cycle as dates, state resources or local election office information change.
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