In a move highlighting the potential tightness of the upcoming presidential race, former President Donald Trump and his supporters are pressuring Nebraska lawmakers to alter the state’s method of allocating electoral college votes. The proposed shift would transition Nebraska from its current system, which divides electoral votes between statewide winners and congressional district victors, to a winner-take-all approach.
The proposal initially struggled to gain traction, but a late push by influential Republicans has drawn national attention. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk initiated the campaign on Tuesday via social media, urging Nebraska Republicans to take action. Shortly after, Republican Governor Jim Pillen expressed his support for the change, despite not prioritizing it during his first 15 months in office. Trump also voiced his support on Truth Social.
The sudden push for the change, which caught Nebraska Republicans by surprise, comes just two weeks before the state legislative session is due to conclude on April 18. However, the speaker of the Legislature, Sen. John Arch, a Republican, appeared to dismiss the possibility of acting on the matter this year.
Despite the pressure, it remains uncertain whether the governor or public opinion can sway Arch’s stance. The issue sparked a heated debate on Wednesday evening in the State Capitol in Lincoln, with lawmakers discussing whether to consider the winner-take-all measure by attaching it to another piece of legislation.
Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that divide their electoral votes by congressional district – a unique system that allowed Biden to win one vote from Nebraska, a red state, and Trump to carry one from Maine, a blue state, in 2020. Despite the last-minute push, it is notoriously challenging to advance legislation at the 11th hour in Nebraska’s unicameral legislature.
Previous attempts by Republicans over the last 30 years to undo Nebraska’s split electoral votes have failed, according to Nebraska Democratic chair Jane Kleeb. “We are proud of our unique electoral vote system and know all too well the economic benefits it generates with a national focus on our state,” Kleeb said.
With only two days left in the session for new bills to be introduced, the proposal’s sponsor, state Sen. Loren Lippincott, had previously suggested the necessary votes weren’t there for his proposal to pass. Republicans have unsuccessfully tried to repeal this law before. A current proposal has been stuck in committee since 2023, without sufficient votes for a full vote, and it was barely discussed this year until Trump’s allies began pushing for the change this week.
For weeks, the Biden campaign has had its eye on Omaha and its one electoral vote. The 2020 census changed the map based on decreasing populations in Pennsylvania and Michigan, so one of Nebraska’s three electoral votes could become critical should there be a 269-269 tie with Trump.
This story has been updated with additional developments.