NE – The League of Women Voters of Nebraska’s nonpartisan, online voters’ guide – VOTE411.org – has been launched with information on candidates running in contested races for city, county, district, state, and federal office in the Nov. 3 general election in all 93 Nebraska counties.
“With early absentee voting already underway in Nebraska, our volunteers worked hard to make sure that we had information available to voters in a timely manner,” said Toni Monette, who serves as co-director of Voter Services for the LWVNE with Caryl Guisinger. “In the spirit of empowering voters and defending democracy, the Voter Services team keenly realizes that representation matters, and an informed electorate is paramount when exercising one’s right to vote.”
Candidates in contested races were sent postcards requesting that they opt-in to the VOTE411.org service as free publicity for their campaign and as an opportunity to inform their electorate. As of Oct. 1, approximately 211 races had candidates and 339 candidates had opted in to participate. Of those 339 candidates, 55% have responded thus far.
To receive a ballot and other personalized information, click on the “Find What’s on Your Ballot” icon on the VOTE411.org site and type in your address. Candidates who have responded to the LWVNE’s invitation to participate will be displayed, and their responses to questions can be compared side-by-side for each city, county, district, state, and federal race on the voter’s general election ballot. League volunteers created the questions for candidates on important issues relevant to Nebraska voters.
VOTE411.org may not mirror a voter’s ballot exactly. Only candidates in contested races were contacted to participate. In addition, only races where candidates chose to opt into participating will be displayed.
It is not too late for candidates to participate, as responses will continue to be added to the online platform up until the general election. Candidates can contact the LWVNE Voter Services at NebraskaVotersGuideLWV@gmail.com to be included in.
“The goal of the LWVNE Voter Services to expand VOTE411.org across all 93 counties in Nebraska was successful during the May primary election – with a 51% percent candidate participation rate,” Guisinger said. “Over the course of the last three months, the Voter Services co-directors and volunteers have again been working to produce the voters’ guide for the Nov. 3 general election.”
In addition to the online platform, the voters’ guide will be available in a PDF format that includes candidates who responded by Sept. 29. The VOTE411.org candidate information also is being publicized on the LWVNE’s new website available at https://lwvnebraska.org/
