Statement of Gavin Geis, Common Cause Nebraska Executive Director 

Redistricting is the democratic process meant to deliver free and fair elections and the resources our communities deserve for the next ten years. That’s why every voter deserved to have a say in this process.  

While we appreciate the public had the opportunity to be heard at several community hearings, we believe this process fell short when it came to fairness, transparency, and public participation. These maps will be in place for ten years and the state legislature approved them with little public input. Three hearings, before significant changes are made to draft maps, does not qualify as fair or transparent.  

When redistricting is a community-led process, the outcome will be fair maps that benefit the voters, not the politicians. Sadly, that is not the case in this year’s redistricting cycle.  

These maps have done nothing more than split our state along partisan lines with the goal of helping those in power win their next election. The way these maps have been drawn drowns out the voices of everyday Nebraskans who deserve to have a say in the major decisions that impact their lives.  

We hope our state legislators remember that these maps don’t belong to elected leaders, they belong to the voters of Nebraska.  

We are inspired by the Nebraskans who made their voices loud and clear for fair maps. We remain committed to our collective fight for a fair, transparent, and participatory democracy that invites everyone to have a say in the decisions that impact our daily lives. We look forward to continuing our work alongside voters to secure a government accountable to the people.