The Nebraska Supreme Court decided that felons who have completed their sentences can vote, despite efforts by the state's chief election official to prevent them from participating in the upcoming Nov. 5 election.
Nebraska has traditionally restored voting rights to former felons two years after they completed their sentences.
Earlier this year, lawmakers voted in a bipartisan effort to remove the waiting period, according to KSNB.
However, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers later argued that only the state's board of pardons had the authority to restore voting rights. Following this, Nebraska Secretary of State Robert Evnen instructed local registrars to stop registering individuals with prior felony convictions, claiming the laws granting them voting rights were unconstitutional.
On Wednesday, Nebraska's Supreme Court ruled against the state's top officials, stating they were not persuaded that the law, known as L.B. 20, was unconstitutional.
"The Secretary is ordered to lift any disqualification on voter registration that is not outlined in L.B. 20 and to fully comply with its provisions," the court wrote in its order.
Nebraskans with felony convictions now have a limited timeframe, according to KSNB, to register to vote. The deadline for online registration is Oct. 18, while in-person registration remains open until Oct. 25.
