Ballots are hitting the mail this week

HARTINGTON – The Cedar County Clerk’s Office mailed ballots to registered voters on April 24 for the May 14 primary election.

Voters can expect smaller envelopes this election year with ballots folded inside, said Jessica Schmit, Cedar County clerk.

There are two options for presenting a photo ID when voting by mail. The first option is writing your driver’s license or state ID number under the envelope flap in the voter ID section. The privacy flap will shield ID information and signature and will only be visible to the county election office.

The second option is photocopying an ID and inserting that photocopy into the ballot return envelope with the ballot.

Voters only need to do one or the other – write their ID number or send a photocopy of the ID – not both, Schmit said.

Acceptable IDs include a Nebraska driver’s license; Nebraska state ID; U.S. passport; military ID; tribal ID; hospital, assisted-living facility or nursing home record; Nebraska college ID; or an ID from a political subdivision. IDs must include name and photo. Expired IDs are accepted.

“If identification requirements are not met, our office will contact the voter to let them know what is needed of them and by when,” Schmit said.

Voters needing to fix an issue with their ID have seven days after an election to fix it.

Schmit said the county clerk’s office will be checking the ID portion of the ballots as they come in and she doesn’t expect delays to election results due to ID errors.