State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, standing, talks with State Sen. Jared Storm of David City. March 20, 2026. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
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LINCOLN — The full Nebraska Legislature will consider letting people outside city limits in Omaha and Lincoln vote in municipal elections as part of a bill that would also give the state auditor more oversight of no-bid state contracts.
The Legislature’s Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 5-3, along ideological lines, to advance an expanded version of Legislative Bill 997 from State Sen. Bob Andersen of Sarpy County related to auditor oversight. The measure now includes a narrowed version of LB 951, from State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, related to city elections for Omaha and Lincoln.
“Not about changing elections, just want to give these individuals a seat at the table,” Ballard said Thursday after the committee vote. “It’s all about transparency and accountability.”
Residents of unincorporated areas within the three-mile “extraterritorial zoning jurisdictions” of the state’s two largest cities would be able to vote in city elections, excluding bonds. State zoning laws give city officials limited planning and regulatory authority over residents in those areas.
The elections bill would have originally applied to all cities and villages statewide.
Ballard says the problem is “taxation without representation.” Multiple local officials, including those from Lincoln and Omaha, oppose the measure and say it’s “representation without taxation.”
Lincoln and Omaha would need to redraw city council districts by Jan. 1. Lincoln city elections are every two years, while Omaha’s next city election isn’t until 2029. Both cities are led by Democrats and are served by city councils led by Democratic majorities.
Andersen’s base LB 997, proposed on behalf of State Auditor Mike Foley, received support at its public hearing from the Nebraska Governor’s Office. It would require copies of contracts that go around the state’s normal bidding process to be sent to Foley’s office in addition to the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services, which operates under Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen’s control.
The Foley proposal comes amid controversy over a no-bid emergency contract between the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and a lobbyist Pillen recommended, the specifics of which were the subject of two state audit letters and are now being reviewed by Lincoln police.
LB 997, as originally proposed, had advanced 8-0 from the Government Committee two weeks ago. An effort to attach the elections bill stalled 4-4 in committee, with State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul, a Pillen appointee, breaking from his four fellow Republicans in opposition.
Last week, Meyer flipped.
State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, a registered Democrat on the Government Committee, suggested last Wednesday that if Ballard’s measure moved forward, Omaha and Lincoln should have the option to eliminate their extraterritorial zoning jurisdictions.
State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, committee chair, ruled the committee could not vote on the amendment for at least 24 hours. By then, Cavanaugh and Ballard pledged to work together on some “compromise” related to Cavanaugh’s concerns, and Cavanaugh withdrew his suggestion.
Cavanaugh has noted area that residents have representation on zoning boards already and aren’t subject to as many daily actions — such as the city budget, police pensions, the number of firefighters or a city’s response to potholes — that city elections address.
“It is sort of a sledgehammer when a flyswatter is needed situation,” Cavanaugh said Thursday.
Ballard confirmed he and Cavanaugh will work together and see what happens on the floor. Ballard said he’s “hopeful we’ll get to there” and “excited” for the debate.
Said Cavanaugh: “We don’t have any kind of agreement yet, but we have an agreement to try to get to an agreement.”
This story is provided by States Newsroom, a nonprofit state news network and Blox Digital content partner.
