Nebraska committee hears hours of testimony on bills to end split electoral votes; no vote taken

The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee heard more than five hours of public testimony Thursday on two measures that would end Nebraska's congressional‑district allocation of presidential electors and return the state to a statewide, winner‑take‑all system. Sponsors said the change would treat Nebraska like other states and increase fairness; opponents said it would silence large numbers of Nebraskans and reduce civic engagement. The committee did not take a vote at the hearing.

Supporters framed the bills as an effort to treat Nebraska the same as other states and to reduce outside spending and the risk of gerrymandering. Sen. Loring Lippincott, the introducer of LB 3, told the committee that the district method has not delivered the promised benefits and that maintaining winner‑take‑all preserves geographic representation. "We know that Nebraska has 5 electoral votes. We have 2 that are allotted for our US Senate, and then 3 that are allotted for our US Representatives," Lippincott said, arguing the current system dilutes the state's overall voice.

The governor's policy office testified in support of LB 3. Kenny Zoeller, director of the governor's policy research…