Nebraska voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved making voters show identification in future elections.
Initiative 432, which amends the state constitution to require voters to "present valid photographic identification†before casting a ballot, passed easily, with more than six in 10 voters supporting it as of 10:45 p.m. Tuesday.
It's unclear yet, however, how the law will affect voters, because the initiative's language leaves most of the details up to the Nebraska Legislature.
Nebraskans for Free and Fair Elections, which opposed the initiative, said in a statement Tuesday that it expects legislators who supported it to "work to impose one of the most restrictive voter ID mandates in the country."
But Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who sponsored the petition drive that gathered more than 172,000 signatures, said she plans to work with senators, election commissioners and others to "craft a bill that we can get across the finish line that fulfills the will of the voters of Nebraska."
Slama, who will introduce the legislation, didn't offer any specifics Tuesday, instead saying she would wait to see how the legislative races shake out.
She called the win a "team effort from beginning to finish."
Another initiative on the ballot also passed, with a surprisingly large margin.
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Voters approved Initiative 433, which will gradually raise Nebraska's minimum wage from the current $9 an hour to $15 an hour by 2026.
The wage will move to $10.50 on Jan. 1, then will increase by $1.50 a year until 2026, after which it will be adjusted annually based on the cost of living.
Supporters, which include hundreds of the state's small businesses, said the higher wage will lift people out of poverty.
"Initiative 433 passed tonight because Nebraskans understand that raising the minimum wage is about respecting and rewarding hard work" said Kate Wolfe, campaign manager for Raise the Wage Nebraska.
The big winner of the night was Amendment 1, which would allow Lincoln and other cities in the state with commercial airports to offer incentives to attract additional passenger service. It got support from nearly 4 of every 5 voters.
Lincoln Airport Executive Director David Haring said passage of the amendment won't guarantee Lincoln or other airports will get more air service, (but) "it removes a crippling obstruction and helps to level the playing field when competing with our neighboring states."
Volunteer Sue Berg places a sign saying that voters will not need ID while helping to get the polling place ready at W. Clarke Swanson Library branch in Omaha on Tuesday. Nebraska voters were deciding on Tuesday whether to amend the state constitution to require valid photo identification in order to vote and authorize the Legislature to pass laws to specify the photo identification requirements.