Officials must verify, investigate, and process provisional ballots, and count them only if the stated registration and signature conditions are met.
(1) As the ballots are removed from the ballot box pursuant to sections 32-1012 to 32-1018, the receiving board shall separate the envelopes containing the provisional ballots from the rest of the ballots and deliver them to the election commissioner or county clerk. (2) Upon receipt of a provisional ballot, the election commissioner or county clerk shall verify that the certificate on the front of the envelope or the form attached to the envelope is in proper form and that the certification has been signed by the voter. (3) The election commissioner or county clerk shall also (a) verify that such person has not voted anywhere else in the county or been issued a ballot for early voting, (b) investigate whether any credible evidence exists that the person was properly registered to vote in the county before the deadline for registration for the election, (c) investigate whether any information has been received pursuant to section 32-308, 32-310, or 32-324 that the person has resided, registered, or voted in any other county or state since registering to vote in the county, and (d) upon determining that credible evidence exists that the person was properly registered to vote in the county, make the appropriate changes to the voter registration register by entering the information contained in the registration application completed by the voter at the time of voting a provisional ballot. (4) A provisional ballot cast by a voter pursuant to section 32-915 shall be counted if: (a) Credible evidence exists that the voter was properly registered in the county before the deadline for registration for the election; (b) The voter has resided in the county continuously since registering to vote in the county; (c) The voter has not voted anywhere else in the county or has not otherwise voted early using a ballot for early voting; (d) The voter has completed a registration application prior to voting as prescribed in subsection (6) of this section and: (i) The residence address provided on the registration application completed pursuant to subdivision (1)(e) of section 32-915 is located within the precinct in which the person voted; and (ii) If the voter is voting in a primary election, the party affiliation provided on the registration application completed prior to voting the provisional ballot is the same party affiliation that appears on the voter's voter registration record based on his or her previous registration application; and (e) The certification on the front of the envelope or form attached to the envelope is in the proper form and signed by the voter. (5) A provisional ballot cast by a voter pursuant to section 32-915 shall not be counted if: (a) The voter was not properly registered in the county before the deadline for registration for the election; (b) Information has been received pursuant to section 32-308, 32-310, or 32-324 that the voter has resided, registered, or voted in any other county or state since registering to vote in the county in which he or she cast the provisional ballot; (c) Credible evidence exists that the voter has voted elsewhere or has otherwise voted early; (d) The voter failed to complete and sign a registration application pursuant to subsection (6) of this section and subdivision (1)(e) of section 32-915; (e) The residence address provided on the registration application completed pursuant to subdivision (1)(e) of section 32-915 is in a different county or in a different precinct than the county or precinct in which the voter voted; (f) If the voter is voting in a primary election, the party affiliation on the registration application completed prior to voting the provisional ballot is different than the party affiliation that appears on the voter's voter registration record based on his or her previous registration application; or (g) The voter failed to complete and sign the certification on the envelope or form attached to the envelope pursuant to subsection (3) of section 32-915. (6) An error or omission of information on the registration application or the certification required under section 32-915 shall not result in the provisional ballot not being counted if: (a)(i) The errant or omitted information is contained elsewhere on the registration application or certification; or (ii) The information is not necessary to determine the eligibility of the voter to cast a ballot; and (b) Both the registration application and the certification are signed by the voter. (7) Upon determining that the voter's provisional ballot is eligible to be counted, the election commissioner or county clerk shall remove the ballot from the envelope without exposing the marks on the ballot and shall place the ballot with the ballots to be counted by the county canvassing board. (8) The election commissioner or county clerk shall notify the system administrator of the system created pursuant to section 32-202 as to whether the ballot was counted and, if not, the reason the ballot was not counted. (9) The verification and investigation shall be completed within seven business days after the election. History: Laws 1994, LB 76, § 296; Laws 1999, LB 234, § 13; Laws 2002, LB 1054, § 23; Laws 2003, LB 358, § 30; Laws 2005, LB 566, § 53; Laws 2007, LB646, § 10; Laws 2010, LB325, § 7; Laws 2014, LB661, § 15; Laws 2019, LB411, § 51; Laws 2025, LB521, § 65.