NEBRASKA CITY – Running for mayor of Nebraska City takes some planning for the visually impaired Tim Morgan, but voting for himself and securing the vote of his wife Jill could be the toughest hurdle.

Otoe County Clerk Jenny Bassinger says this May’s primary election is the first time that a photo identification is required when applying for early ballots or when voting at the polls in person.

Bassinger: “Voters will need to be prepared to offer photo ID at the polling places.”

 

Morgan and his wife do not have driver’s licenses, or military credentials, or passports or tribal cards. Morgan plans to use the ID he got as a student decades ago at the state school for the blind. In order for his wife to vote, she will need to get a birth certificate from the state and a marriage license to explain her name change. Morgan said t could take weeks, but the duty to vote is worth the effort.

Morgan: “I think it’s a good idea. I mean you don’t have people going in and double voting.”

The Nebraska City couple is reaching out the League of Human Dignity for assistance in getting the paperwork needed for a state ID.

Morgan: “Once you get the ID in your hand you can use it for years to come.”

Others may already have driver’s licenses, but forget to bring them along on election day.

Bassinger: “If there’s time, if you show up early enough in the day – as you show up there they will ask for your name and if you do have an ID there’s time in the day that you could go home and get that ID and come back and present the ID and you could vote normally. If there’s not or you don’t have ID, you could still vote provisionally and vote that way. You have seven days to bring your ID to the election office following the election to have that ballot to count.”

The Nebraska Secretary of State is conducting a statewide information campaign to raise public awareness. A media strategy including television, radio and static billboards is scheduled to begin March 11.

 

The Department of Motor Vehicles has hours in River Country counties:

  • Cass County  Thursday and Friday
  • Otoe County Monday 
  • Nemaha County  Wednesday
  • Richard County Wednesday
  • Johnson County Fridays only March 1, March 29, April 12
  • Pawnee County  Fridays only March 8, March 22, April 5, April 19, May 3