In Nebraska, and all across the United States, we elect our representatives to represent the people. Our elected officials function as an extension of our voice in the government. When our elected officials do not uphold the will of the people whom they represent, that means they are not upholding their duty to Nebraskans. This is where accountability comes in. Accountability means holding our elected officials responsible for their actions. This can be done in a number of ways, including contacting elected officials via phone or email, attending events where they appear in public, and asking them questions about the issues you care about. Ensuring that our officials explain their actions and votes is a powerful way to ensure our best interests are met. Even voting is an act of accountability work. When you vote, you vote for the candidates that you think will best represent you. Accountability is one essential way to make sure our voices are heard and stay strong, and is a main pillar of Nebraska Table’s work this year.
When elected officials are not held accountable by their constituents, this can result in them supporting policies that do not serve every day Nebraskans’s interests. Rather, at times these policies serve the interests of large corporations, and sometimes even serve to enrich the elected official themself. When a democracy begins to represent the special interests of those in power rather than of the will of the people, it is not a strong democracy.
Luckily, Nebraskans are taking it upon themselves to ensure that their voices are heard, and that our democracy stays strong, even when it feels like elected officials may be ignoring them. The ballot initiative process in Nebraska is an essential part of the state’s strong democracy. It is the most direct way for Nebraskans to exercise their will and participate in enacting and changing state-wide legislation. In 2024, six citizen-led ballot initiatives made it onto the ballot through the efforts of everyday Nebraskans. People across the state exercised their right to direct participation in our democracy by collecting signatures, signing petitions, and advocating for legislation they believed in. These efforts included an initiative for paid sick leave to be required to be provided by all employers for all employees across the state, and an initiative for legalizing medical cannabis. Both of these ballot initiatives passed with overwhelming support from the majority of Nebraskans, meaning they were to be enshrined as law in the state.
Instead of respecting the will of the people and addressing health access concerns by instituting mandatory paid sick leave and legalizing medical marijuana, the Nebraska State Legislature worked to undermine these bills, introducing oppositionary bills that greatly reduced the rights provided for in the ballot initiatives. In the case of medical marijuana, 71% of Nebraskans voted in favor of the law, but during the legislative session, in an egregious act meant to undermine the will of the people, multiple senators introduced bills that would drastically change the law voted on by Nebraskans. This has led to a slow implementation process, unclear guidelines, and an overall lack of execution of the will of the people. In the case of paid sick leave, a bill passed in the state legislature changed the law passed via ballot initiative, exempting small businesses from the requirement, as well as excluding certain classes of workers, such as agricultural workers, from the requirement. These groups constitute many of the workers who currently lack paid sick leave and would have most benefited most from this new law. Though many Nebraskans now thankfully have access to the lifesaving care outlined in these initiatives, their impact and reach is weakened.
By undermining implementation of laws voted directly on by the people of Nebraska, our state senators are not only undermining the will of the people, but treating Nebraskans with a lack of care. We trust our elected officials to represent us, but they have to earn that trust by representing our interests and our voices. In this case, that trust was broken, and we must hold our legislature accountable for this breach of trust. Nebraskans, you have the power to make your voices heard. Contact your representatives, continue to participate in direct democracy work like ballot initiatives, and remember that your voice matters. You have the power to enact change, especially when you work together with your community.