Nebraska election expert says Presidential executive order unlikely to change November mail voting

LINCOLN, Neb. —

President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting mail-in voting is unlikely to change how the state conducts elections in November, according to a Nebraska elections expert, even as a U.S. Supreme Court decision temporarily gives it the go-ahead.

Gavin Geis, executive director of Common Cause Nebraska, said the executive order, which would create a citizen voter database and allow mail-in voting only for people on that list, does not immediately alter what Nebraska voters should expect in the November election.

“This decision really doesn’t change what Nebraskans can expect in November,” Geis said. “Now, things could happen between now and then. That might change the perspective on that.”

Common Cause Nebraska has previously clashed with Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen over the state’s decision to provide voter data to the federal government.

The group sought to prevent Evnen from turning over voter information, arguing that doing so could increase federal influence over state-run elections.

“Giving over those lists is feeding into this narrative that the federal government should control the system when it’s clearly the state,” Geis said. “It’s the state’s role. The federal government has no role to play in it.”

Evnen turned over the voter data earlier this year, but Common Cause Nebraska continues to seek restrictions on how the federal government can use the information.

Geis said he is concerned about a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that could allow new rules affecting mail-in voting to take effect in the future. But he said Nebraska likely would not have enough time to implement such changes before the November election.

“The rules aren’t ready,” Geis said. “The process is really just — it’s not possible to put it in place in the way they’ve even laid it out.”

Evnen was not available for an in-person interview Tuesday but provided a statement to KETV.

“We are evaluating the decision and its applicability in light of other litigation that’s going on right now across the country,” Evnen said.

Geis said he expects additional court rulings in the coming weeks that could provide more clarity about the future of federal involvement in state election administration and mail voting.

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