Nebraska

100 years ago, a Nebraska Republican fought for democracy reform

Published

2 years ago

October 14, 2024

100 years ago, a Nebraska Republican fought for democracy reform

“The national open primaries movement has been working for years to build this kind of critical mass. It’s a huge accomplishment,” said Jeremy Gruber, senior vice president of the nonpartisan reform group Open Primaries.

The organization’s president, John Opdycke, and former presidential candidate and Forward Party founder Andrew Yang are slated to co-host a Virtual Open Primaries Rally to support the measures that advance reform and protect it where it’s threatened.

The event is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 21, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern. Open Primaries promises attendees “will walk away with a deep appreciation for the incredible work each of these campaigns has done to give voters a powerful way to impact our political system.”

In total, there are eight measures in 2024 that affect primary elections – and in a few cases, voting reform as well:

Alaska: The “No on 2” campaign is fighting a ballot measure that would repeal the nonpartisan top-four primary with ranked-choice voting in the general election reform voters approved in 2020.

Arizona: Proposition 140 ends taxpayer-funded partisan primaries in the state and requires state lawmakers or the secretary of state to adopt a nonpartisan system.

Colorado: Initiative 310 implements a nonpartisan top-four primary system with ranked-choice voting in the general election.

Idaho: Proposition 1 implements a nonpartisan top-four primary system with ranked-choice voting in the general election.

Montana: CI-126 implements a nonpartisan top-four primary system.

Nevada: Question 3 implements a nonpartisan top-five primary system with ranked-choice voting in the general election.

South Dakota: Amendment H implements a nonpartisan top-two primary system.

Washington, D.C.: Initiative 83 opens the city’s partisan primaries to independent voters. Registered party members would still vote in their respective party’s primary. It also implements ranked choice voting for all District elections.

“We have a real opportunity to create meaningful reform across the country this November,” Gruber said. “The success of some or hopefully all of them will mean a serious step forward in democracy reform.”

Registered independent voters outnumber members of both major parties in three of the states with reform on the ballot: Alaska, Colorado, and Nevada. Nationally, polling shows a majority of voters in the US identify as politically independent.

“I don’t think it is a coincidence that the same year Gallup found that 51 percent of Americans are now independent is the same year the largest group of ballot initiatives for open primaries is going to appear on the ballot,” Gruber said.

He added that the growth of independent voters “is forcing reform at every level of government and we are excited to help enforce and grow the movement to make sure every voter gets to vote for anyone they want in every election.”

Combined, the eight ballot measures in 2024 impact the voting rights of more than 4.5 million citizens.

In Arizona, for example, 1.26 million voters are registered unaffiliated. A nonpartisan primary system would create a primary ballot open to all voters and candidates, including independents and 300,000 Arizonans registered third party or “Other.”

Meanwhile, in Alaska, returning to a closed partisan primary system would mean cutting out over 60 percent of the registered electorate from taxpayer-funded elections.

Arizona, Colorado and Montana have partisan primary systems that allow independent voters to participate without changing their registered affiliation, but they limit choice to the candidates of a single party.

Nonpartisan primaries would allow all voters to choose any candidate they want. But it is not just that open primaries are on the ballot in 7 states and DC. Gruber emphasized the diversity in approaches to primary reform.

“Not only are there going to be eight separate ballot initiatives around open primaries for voters to vote on this November, but they comprise 5 separate forms of open primaries. It is an incredibly diverse and rich landscape of activity,” he explained.

He added that there is no “one size fits all” policy.

“Every state is coming to the issue of primary reform and the need to enfranchise the largest group of voters in the country with very different perspectives about what will work in their state and what is the right path forward for their state,” he said.

The campaigns behind each initiative are focused on getting out the vote this election and tout broad support for their proposals. However, they also face their own unique challenges from opposition primarily from the parties and special interest groups in power.

Each campaign will have a spokesperson present at the Virtual Open Primaries Rally to speak to their momentum, their support, and the barriers they’ve overcome ahead of Election Day. Attendees are encouraged to directly engage with them in a live Q&A.

“All of those leaders will be at this rally to explain how they got to where they are and their particular version of reform and why it matters in their state,” Gruber said. Open Primaries has also teased a special guest or two that will make an appearance at the event.

Along with Open Primaries and the Forward Party, the Virtual Open Primaries Rally is sponsored by Unite America, Independent Voting, Independent Voter Network, and Veterans for All Voters.

“Open Primaries has been fighting for primary reform for literally decades, long before it became a reform that people even thought was legitimate,” Gruber remarked.

“To be able to see the movement growing and expanding with new people and organizations entering it every day is incredibly gratifying, because we will have to continue to grow this movement in order to really succeed at changing democracy around the country and enfranchising every independent voter who wants to vote in the primary.”

Representatives from these organizations will also be on hand to engage in the live discussion. Voters can register for the event here, and are encouraged to invite family, friends, and colleagues to show up en masse for primary reform in 2024.

Source link

Related Topics:Featured nebraska nonpartisan nonpartisan primaries open primaries state legislature

Click to comment

Nebraska

Nebraska has two players honored by the Big Ten Conference on Thursday

Published

12 minutes ago

July 11, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska has two players honored by the Big Ten Conference on Thursday

A pair of Nebraska basketball players were honored by the Big Ten Conference on Thursday. Rienk Mast and Callin Hake were chosen as Nebraska’s Outstanding Sportsmanship winners.

The Big Ten honored 36 players with the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award for the 2025-26 year. One member of each varsity sports team is nominated, and two winners are selected from each institution.

Mast averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in 2025-26 and helped Nebraska to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. He is working out with the Indiana Pacers during the NBA Summer League.

Hake averaged 7.2 points, 3.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while drawing a single-season school-record 33 charges. She is also the first Husker to be a two-time Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner across all sports after earning her first award in 2024-25.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

Source link

Nebraska

Beautiful Weather Ahead for Greater Nebraska But Heat Building Later in the Week

Published

10 hours ago

July 11, 2026

Press Room

Beautiful Weather Ahead for Greater Nebraska But Heat Building Later in the Week

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – Get ready for a stretch of absolutely gorgeous weather to kick off your weekend but keep an eye on the heat building as we head into next week.

This Weekend: Perfect Conditions

Saturday and Sunday are shaping up to be nearly identical — sunny skies with highs climbing to around 89 and 90 degrees respectively. A light south southeast breeze at 5 to 10 mph will keep things comfortable, though gusts could reach 20 mph at times. Overnight lows will dip to the low 60s, making for pleasant sleeping weather.

Highs in the 80s and 90s to start the weekend.(Justin Craft)

This is ideal weather for outdoor plans. Whether you’re heading to a summer event, spending time at the lake, or just enjoying time outside, you won’t want to miss it.

Early Next Week: Heat Turns Up

Starting Monday, temperatures begin a steady climb. Highs will reach 91 degrees Monday, then 91 again Tuesday before pushing toward 92 on Wednesday. By Thursday and Friday, we’re looking at highs near 94 to 95 degrees.

Near normal temperature trend coming up through mid-July with 80s and 90s.(Justin Craft)

The good news? Skies remain sunny throughout, and humidity levels should stay relatively manageable. The breeze will be light, so it won’t feel quite as intense as it could.

A stretch of sunny skies and hot temperatures through next Friday.(Justin Craft)

Click here to subscribe to our KNOP News 2 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Source link

Nebraska

Nebraska abortions rose nearly 8% in 2025, mostly due to influx of Iowa patients

Published

21 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska abortions rose nearly 8% in 2025, mostly due to influx of Iowa patients

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – The number of abortions performed in Nebraska rose 7.8% in 2025 as the dust begins to settle on some of the state’s — and neighboring states’ — newer abortion restrictions.

According to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), at least 2,698 abortions were performed in Nebraska in 2025. That’s 197 more than 2024’s total of 2,501 abortions in one year.

Nebraska’s abortion rate has remained relatively consistent over the last two decades, between 1,900 and 2,800 procedures performed each year. However, 2,698 is the highest the state has reached since 2008, and is the third year in a row that the number of abortions performed has increased from the previous year.

The steady increase coincides with increased abortion restrictions being implemented in Nebraska and throughout the nation in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022.

In 2023, the Nebraska Legislature passed legislation restricting access to abortion from the previous 20 weeks, to 12 weeks gestation. The following year, voters approved language added to the state Constitution that bans most abortions after the first trimester.

Andi Curry Grubb, executive director of Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS), said this tracks with what Planned Parenthood officials have been seeing throughout the Midwest. Though she didn’t have exact numbers for the first half of 2026, she said the pace seems to be consistent with what she saw in 2025.

Notably, the number of abortions performed on Nebraska residents actually dropped from 2,054 in 2024 to 1,968 in 2025. The overall increase comes from an influx of out-of-state patients traveling to Nebraska for abortions, most of them from Iowa.

In 2023, the Iowa Legislature approved legislation banning abortion after cardiac activity is detected, around six weeks gestation. The law went into effect in June 2024.

Giselle Barajas, senior communications specialist for PPNCS, said Planned Parenthood has seen a 220% increase in Iowa patients coming to Nebraska between 2023 and 2025. The number nearly doubled between the last year of data, growing from 358 Iowans reported in 2024 to 635 in 2025.

Nate Grasz, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance — a lobbying group that has supported increased abortion restrictions — said the increase in Iowa patients correlates to the state’s stricter abortion laws.

“We haven’t made as much progress,” Grasz said of Nebraska’s abortion policies.

Grasz noted there are fewer places in Iowa for people to seek abortions, saying that Planned Parenthood had closed some of its clinics. Barajas said Planned Parenthood does plan to close its Iowa City Health Center at the end of the month, but noted they still have a facility in Des Moines in operation.

Grasz said there are still serious gaps in Nebraska’s laws regarding abortion. He described the DHHS statistics as a “tragic report,” saying that every one of the 2,698 abortions reported represents a baby that went unprotected and a woman who went unaided.

Grasz highlighted that medication-induced abortions also are on the rise in Nebraska, according to the report. Medication abortions made up 83% of all abortions performed in 2025, compared to about 80% in 2024.

Grasz said Legislative Bill 512, proposed by State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, would have been an important piece of ensuring the safety of medication abortions. The bill would have imposed additional steps before a patient could be prescribed an abortion pill, but the bill did not make it past the first round of floor debate.

Nebraska abortions by year

2008: 2,813

2009: 2,551

2010: 2,464