Nebraska polling places close at 8 p.m. Central Time or 7 p.m. Mountain Time on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters must use their assigned polling place, and completed mail ballots must arrive before polls close.
By Hola Nebraska
Nebraska voters are casting ballots in the 2026 general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. In Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista and Grand Island, voters planning to cast ballots in person should confirm their assigned polling location before leaving home.
In-person early voting ended Monday, Nov. 2. Election Day follows different procedures, including assigned polling places and special arrangements in 11 Nebraska counties that conduct elections entirely by mail.
Where to vote in Nebraska and when polls close
Registered voters can find their assigned polling location through Nebraska VoterCheck, the state’s official voter information service. The portal also provides registration information and sample ballots.
Nebraska generally requires voters to cast their ballots at their assigned precinct polling place. Voters cannot simply choose any polling location within their county.
Polling hours on Tuesday, Nov. 3, are:
- Central Time: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., including Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista and Grand Island.
- Mountain Time: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., including communities in western Nebraska.
Anyone already in line when polls close is permitted to vote.
Voters who moved within the same county but have not updated their registration should go to the polling place assigned to their new address. They may need to complete registration paperwork and cast a provisional ballot. Moving to another Nebraska county requires registering in the new county.
Which photo IDs are accepted at Nebraska polling places?
Nebraska requires an acceptable photo ID for in-person voting, with limited exceptions. The identification must show the voter’s name and photograph, but it may be expired. An outdated address does not automatically invalidate it.
Accepted identification includes:
- Nebraska driver’s license or state identification card.
- Photo ID issued by a Nebraska state agency or qualifying local government entity, including certain public school districts.
- Photo ID issued by a Nebraska public or private college or university.
- U.S. passport, military identification or identification issued by a federally recognized Native American tribe.
- Qualifying records from hospitals, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and certain other care facilities that contain the voter’s name and photograph.
Out-of-state driver’s licenses and college IDs are not accepted. Neither are birth certificates, utility bills, bank statements or voter registration acknowledgement cards.
Voters must present the original identification when voting in person. A photograph or digital copy displayed on a phone does not meet that requirement.
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s voter ID page provides the complete list and information about obtaining a free state ID from the Nebraska DMV.
Forgot your photo ID? Provisional ballots and the Nov. 10 deadline
Registered voters who forget their photo identification can return to their polling place with an acceptable ID before polls close and cast a regular ballot.
They may also cast a provisional ballot. For that ballot to count, they must present an acceptable original photo ID in person at their county election office by the close of business Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026.
A separate procedure applies to voters who cannot reasonably obtain an acceptable photo ID because of a qualifying impediment. Nebraska recognizes specific circumstances, including disability or illness, substantial difficulty obtaining required documents, or a religious objection to being photographed.
These voters can complete a Reasonable Impediment Certification at the polling place and cast a provisional ballot. Election officials review the certification and compare its signature with the voter’s registration record. This process differs from the requirement to produce a forgotten ID by Nov. 10.
Mail ballots must arrive before polls close Nov. 3
Voters who still have a completed early voting ballot must make sure it reaches their county election office or an authorized ballot drop box by 8 p.m. Central Time or 7 p.m. Mountain Time on Nov. 3.
A Nov. 3 postmark is not enough. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted, even if they were mailed on Election Day.
Nebraska maintains at least one secure ballot drop box in every county. Voters must use a drop box in their own county and place the completed ballot inside its signed, sealed return envelope.
The official Nebraska drop box locator lists available locations.
Voters whose early ballot was lost, damaged or never arrived may cast a provisional ballot at their assigned polling place. Election officials will verify that no other ballot was cast for that voter before counting it. Voters in counties that conduct elections entirely by mail should contact their county election office for instructions.
Ballot receipt and acceptance status can be checked through VoterCheck.
Eleven Nebraska counties conduct elections entirely by mail
The state’s Election Day procedures differ in 11 counties: Boone, Cedar, Cherry, Clay, Dawes, Dixon, Garden, Knox, Merrick, Morrill and Stanton.
Registered voters in these counties automatically receive ballots by mail. Those who prefer to vote in person may do so at their county election official’s office on Election Day.
For ballots automatically mailed to voters, Nebraska’s voter ID rules require the return envelope to include a Nebraska driver’s license or state ID number, or an enclosed copy of another acceptable photo ID or Reasonable Impediment Certification.
2026 Nebraska candidates in Omaha, Lincoln, Sarpy County and Grand Island
The 2026 general election includes federal, statewide and local contests.
For governor, Republican incumbent Jim Pillen and running mate Joe Kelly face Democrat Lynne Walz and Ben Steffen, Rick Beard and Keenya Barnes of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party, and Brett Lindstrom and Michael Picard of the America First Party.
For U.S. Senate, Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts faces Dan Osborn, who qualified by petition, along with Mike Marvin of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party, Robin Richards of the Nebraska Working People Party and Chuck Conboy of the America First Party.
Selected congressional and local contests include:
- Omaha — U.S. House District 2: Republican Brinker Harding, Democrat Denise Powell and Libertarian Eric Michael Foreman. In Douglas County, incumbent Republican Sheriff Aaron Hanson faces Democrat Mark Martinez.
- Lincoln — U.S. House District 1: Republican incumbent Mike Flood, Democrat Chris Backemeyer, Libertarian Nik Sandman and America First candidate Dan Hartong. Nebraska Legislature District 26 features incumbent George Dungan and Tobias Howard.
- Bellevue, Papillion and La Vista — Sarpy County: Nebraska Legislature District 14 features Bill Bowes and SuAnn Witt, while District 36 features incumbent Rick Holdcroft and Darin Tompkins. Sarpy County includes portions of both U.S. House districts 1 and 2.
- Grand Island — U.S. House District 3: Republican incumbent Adrian Smith, Democrat Becky Kelly Stille, David J. Else of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party, Macey Budke of the Nebraska Working People Party and Mark Cohen, who qualified by petition. State Board of Education District 6 features incumbent Sherry Jones and challenger Grady Erickson.
These are selected races rather than a complete statewide ballot. Nebraska Legislature and State Board of Education elections are nonpartisan.
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s certified candidate list provides the names and offices for the November 3 general election.
Voters can check their individual sample ballot, including applicable local races and ballot measures, through Nebraska VoterCheck.
Election office contacts for Omaha, Lincoln, Sarpy County and Grand Island
Voters can contact their local election office about polling locations, provisional ballots or outstanding mail ballots:
- Omaha — Douglas County: 402-444-8683.
- Lincoln — Lancaster County: 402-441-7311.
- Bellevue, Papillion and La Vista — Sarpy County: 402-593-2167.
- Grand Island — Hall County: 308-385-5085.
The statewide county election office directory provides contacts for Nebraska’s other counties.
Voters with difficulty walking or using assistive devices may request curbside assistance at polling places. ExpressVote ballot-marking equipment is also available to help voters with vision or mobility difficulties cast their ballots.
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