A special message to The Daily Record readers in recognition of Law Day:

After a decades-long women’s suffrage movement, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted, prohibiting the states and federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex.

This year, our nation and state are confronted with a different type of barrier potentially limiting citizens’ ability to participate in the selection of our political leaders: COVID-19.  Although a record number of Nebraskans have requested mail in ballots, there will still be opportunities to vote in your traditional polling locations. Under normal circumstances, most election volunteers are senior citizens – a high risk population for COVID-19. The Secretary of State’s Office is recruiting poll workers for the May primary and is supporting county offices in their efforts to adequately staff each polling location with poll workers and helping to make those locations as safe as possible.

Historically, many lawyers have been called upon to serve as poll workers, particularly to assist sites with addressing the interpretation of eligibility questions as they arise. In an effort to help ensure our counties are able to proceed with the May election, the Secretary of State’s Office has partnered with the Nebraska State Bar Association to put out a call to action to the legal profession: help Nebraskans safely participate in the 2020 elections.

If you are able to serve at your local polling site, please contact your County Clerk or County Election Commissioner and tell them that you are a Nebraska lawyer.

You will receive a free, lawyer-specific election training through the NSBA’s OnDemand platform (www.nebarondemand.com) which qualifies for 1.5 hours of CLE. If you are not able to serve at your local polling site, please support the process by encouraging your friends and coworkers to do so.

Steve Mattoon

President, Nebraska State Bar Association