- Video shows community members and advocates at Culxr House voicing concerns about the halt on LB 20.
- This week, the Nebraska Secretary of State announced he would not comply with the new law that allows felons to exercise their right vote immediately after they finish serving their felony convictions.
- This comes after an opinion from Nebraska's Attorney General that the law is unconstitutional.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I'm Melissa Wright in north Omaha where the community is coming together to discuss voting rights related to LB 20.
"It might not happen but if it doesn't happen… it's not going to be by us not trying to make it happen," said TJ King.
Earlier this week the Nebraska Secretary of State announced he would not comply with the new law that allows felons to exercise their right vote immediately after they finish serving their felony convictions. This comes after an opinion from Nebraska's Attorney General that the law is unconstitutional. Now neighbors are doing something about it.
"It's the people that deserve grace, it's the people that deserve second changes, its the people that made a mistake and want to move on," said TJ King.
TJ King a community advocate has his own experience with incarceration.
"Being able to vote is something I think is super important. Y'all are taking my taxes. I'm paying taxes, it's coming out of my paycheck. That's I say for me. Um why not be able to have my voice heard." said King.
The event at Culxr House on Saturday welcomed guest speakers and community members to come out and strategize a game plan.
"You've served your time.. you've done everything you were supposed to do as a person who had violated…and you're not allowed to be a full citizen. And I think it's taking the sentence and spreading it out, and making it a much longer sentence," said King.
Suzanne King a member of the community…volunteers in prisons every week.
"I had spread a lot of hope that this was going to happen. And we had some people that were excited because they were going to get to vote in November…and now they're not going to. So I know this personally impacts, and that makes me really sad," said King.
King says she is not giving up on what's next for this bill.
"I've done.. I've worked with people at my church. That are trying to do different voter rights initiatives to keep people informed and involved. Just community engagement in different ways,"
Right now for the community and Nebraskans who are system-impacted there is confusion on if they will be able to vote this upcoming election.
Organizers tell me today is all about encouraging neighbors to use their voices and express their concerns to elected officials.
