In Nebraska, we are in a unique position as the only state in the nation with a nonpartisan unicameral and one of only two states with a split electoral vote. Nebraska voters have the ability to make powerful changes as the second house, our elections should represent the will of Nebraskans rather than special party interests. Despite Nebraskans’ shared value of fair representation, this very value has been threatened on multiple occasions with proposed legislation like “Winner-Take-All” or unrepresentative redistricting maps. We are proud to have Common Cause Nebraska in our network to fight for voters and hold elected officials accountable to protect what makes Nebraska special.
During the Watergate era when people felt disempowered, Common Cause was formed as a national organization to combat government corruption and act as the people’s lobby. The mission has since expanded to protect everything that touches our democracy on both federal and state levels. Common Cause watches out to make sure our government works for and represents us with affiliates nationwide and right here in our state.
This January, Common Cause Nebraska hired their first state organizer Cheech Sorilla in time for the 2025 legislative session. In just this short time, he has already helped 1,500 Common Cause supporters move from petition signing to use their voices at the legislature through letter writing, online testimony submission, calling their senators, and showing up to testify on the issues they care about.
Nebraskans have shared interests and values, so our elected officials should reflect those values, but that’s not always the case. Cheech is talking with voters across the state about their values and empowering them to let their lawmakers know what matters to them. Cheech says, “Party affiliation doesn’t matter. If you care about our issues, we want you in the room. We want you to be part of the solution.” Take a look at the recent attempts to change the state to a Winner-Take-All model, which flies directly in the face of those shared Nebraska interests. Winner-Take-All would move Nebraska away from our split electoral vote system, an unnecessary power grab that threatens to silence thousands of votes. Voters have been clear: we want to keep Nebraska elections the Nebraska way.
For decades, Common Cause Nebraska has fought for a fair representative democracy. In the 1990s they helped create the Campaign Finance Limitations Act and ensured that redistricting plans were disclosed prior to public hearings. In the late 2000s, they called for transparency in the legislature after exposing multiple conflicts of interests and secret dealings. In the early 2010s, they helped lead the effort to pass online voter registration, and expanded public access and transparency to the redistricting process. In 2024, the Nebraska Voting Rights Restoration Act was passed, overturning the two year waiting period before people who’ve served their sentence can vote. No matter what, Common Cause Nebraska continues to defend the people of Nebraska.
Currently, Nebraska is being threatened by federal government overreach from the Department of Justice, which has asked Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen for access to Nebraska’s entire voter file, including names, addresses, birthdates, and even driver’s license and security numbers. On September 24th, Common Cause Nebraska filed a lawsuit to block the state of Nebraska from giving the DOJ this sensitive voter data arguing that it violates state law.
As of October 10th, following Common Cause Nebraska’s legal action, Nebraska’s Solicitor General has confirmed that no voter data will be released while the lawsuit is pending, and the federal government shutdown may result in a pause to the lawsuit. Voter privacy is safe for now, although Secretary Evnen has indicated he may still comply with the DOJ’s request if the court allows him to. Tell Secretary Evnen to protect your data, not hand it over to federal officials for political purposes.
This isn’t just about the state’s voter file— there’s so much more at risk. If voter data is handed over, it tells the federal government that they are free to break state laws and take control of election administration away from the states. Our sensitive information would be vulnerable to abuse from bad actors to undermine confidence in our elections. Common Cause Nebraska is at the forefront to protect the privacy of Nebraskans, defend the integrity of law, and push back against dangerous power grabs.