The League of Women Voters of Nebraska has taken a position on three of the six issues that are on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Nebraska is the only state with competing constitutional amendments regarding abortion. As a member of the Protect Our Rights coalition, the LWVNE opposes initiative 434 (Protect Women and Children) and supports initiative 439 (Protect the Right to Abortion).

It takes two votes to ensure a constitutional right of Nebraskans to make decisions about abortion with their health care providers. A vote against 434 and a vote for 439 will amend the Constitution to allow for abortion based on “viability” as determined by a patient and their health care practitioner and prohibits the Legislature from enacting additional regulations.

As a member of the Support Our Schools coalition, the LWVNE recommends voting repeal on 435, the Private Education Scholarship Partial Referendum. The LWVNE opposes the publicly funded private school scholarships created by LB1402’s $10 million/year state-run program.

The LWVNE has not voted to take a position on 436, Paid Sick Leave; 437, Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection; and 438, Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation.

With the large number of ballot initiative and referendum efforts this year, the LWVNE board decided to focus its efforts on the two abortion-related amendments and the referendum to repeal the state’s funding of private school scholarships. 

Not taking a stance on paid leave and medical marijuana does not reflect a specific League position, but rather our commitment to fully researching, understanding and endorsing a topic, something that we, as a volunteer organization, simply did not have the capacity to do this year.

Claudia Stevenson & Janelle Stevenson, Co-Presidents, League of Women Voters of Nebraska