Will Nebraska switch to a winner-take-all system for presidential elections?

• Nebraska lawmakers will vote Tuesday, April 8, on a winner-take-all system for allocating electoral votes in presidential elections. The change would align Nebraska with most states, which currently award all electoral votes to the candidate with the most votes in the state.
• Civic Nebraska opposes the bill, calling it a “blatant power grab.” They urge lawmakers to maintain the state’s long-standing tradition of splitting electoral votes.
• Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen supports the bill, but state Sen. Loren Lippincott, who introduced it, says he does not have enough votes to pass it.

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Nebraska lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday, April 8, on whether to switch to a winner-take-all system for allocating electoral college votes in presidential elections. If lawmakers do vote for it, this change would align the state with most of the country.

How does Nebraska vote during presidential elections?

Currently, Nebraska divides its electoral votes. The candidate with the most votes in the state receives the first two electoral college votes. The winners of each of the state’s three congressional districts receive the remaining three votes.

This system, which has been in place since 1992, could change if lawmakers approve LB 3, which would adopt the winner-take-all method.

Under the winner-take-all system, the candidate who wins the most votes in the state takes all of the state’s electoral votes. This approach can impact campaign strategies, particularly where candidates hold rallies and engage with voters.

However, this system can lead to a situation where a candidate wins the electoral vote but does not secure the popular vote. A notable example is the 2016 election, when President Donald Trump won 304 electoral votes compared to Hillary Clinton’s 227, despite Clinton winning the popular vote by nearly three million votes.

Civic Nebraska opposes bill, calls it a power grab

Civic Nebraska, a nonprofit that says it’s focused on upholding democracy, has strongly opposed the bill. The group calls the proposed change a “blatant power grab” fueled by out-of-state interests. They want lawmakers to respect the state’s long-standing tradition of a split vote.

“This is a blatant power grab initiated by out-of-state interests. Nebraskans have been clear that we want to keep the split vote, and we can’t allow them to erase decades of Nebraska’s independent tradition,” said the organization in a statement.

Part of Nebraska’s tradition is in Omaha, the state’s largest city. Due to its high number of Democratic voters, many refer to it as the “blue dot” during presidential elections.

The second congressional district has swung Democratic in recent elections, with Barack Obama, Joe Biden and most recently, Kamala Harris winning the district.

Governor supports change, but lawmakers’ support remains uncertain

As the electoral college debate heats up, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has backed the bill, making it one of his top legislative priorities this session. President Donald Trump also supported the switch during his 2024 campaign, urging Nebraska lawmakers to make the change.

Nebraska state Sen. Loren Lippincott, who introduced the bill on the governor’s behalf, told Nebraska Public Media he does not believe he has the votes to pass it. To do so, he would need 33 lawmakers to support the measure.

Nebraska unicameral

Nebraska’s legislature is nonpartisan, known as a unicameral, meaning lawmakers’ political parties are not listed on the ballot. The unicameral system, established in 1934, was designed to ensure senators focus on local issues rather than national party lines.

Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that do not use the winner-take-all system.