Probably everyone in the nation knows, the year 2024 is an election year. As such, many people express an interest in voter registration numbers before the election date which is rapidly approaching.

A study of voter registration numbers from the Nebraska Secretary of State records to compare what we have as of the end of March 2024 with the last general election date in 2020 was made. The report was somewhat surprising in the fact that across the state, there are close to 41,000 fewer voters registered in 2024 than there were in 2020. The exact figure for April 1, 2024 was 1,227,652 people registered. In 2020, the figure was 1,268,384.

Across Nebraska, the Republicans lost 5,611 registrations as the number in 2020 was 608,175 compared to 602,564 in 2024.

The Democrats across Nebraska saw 39,270 fewer registrations in 2024 as figures in 2020 was 370,382 compared to 331,112 in 2024.

The Libertarian party increased 86 voters from 17,979 in 2020 to 18,065 in 2024.

The number listed as nonpartisan fell 2,174 from 271,848 in 2020 to 269,674 in 2024.

A political party called “Legal Marijuana NOW” was not in existence in 2020. They have 6,237 people registered in 2024.

A brief discussion about the number with Nuckolls County Election Commissioner, Carrie Miller, seemed to indicate the decline (at least in the local area) was a natural decline. She noted the state has not implemented any effort (above the ordinary) to clean up election registrations in the past three years. It was interesting to note that the election commissioner said that some younger voters elected to not register because they felt it was a wasted effort to think voters in rural Nebraska would have an influence in the outcome of any election.

Election registration figures for the local area are as follows:

Nuckolls: 2024 - Republicans: 2,105; Democrats: 498; Libertarian: 26; Legal Marijuana NOW: 10; Nonpartisan: 451; Total: 3,090; a decrease of 147 overall: (Republicans: an increase of 40; Democrats: a decrease of 171; Others: total a decrease of 16.)

Webster: 2024 - Republicans: 1,576; Democrats: 324; Libertarian: 30; Legal Marijuana NOW: 1; Nonpartisan: 330; Total: 2,261; a decrease of 35 overall: (Republicans: an increase of 47; Democrats: a decrease of 77; Others: total a decrease of 5.)

Adams: 2024 Republicans: 11,259; Democrats: 3,768; Libertarian: 248; Legal Marijuana NOW: 89; Nonpartisan: 3,661; Total: 19,025; a decrease of 941 overall: (Republicans: a decrease of 47; Democrats: a decrease of 715; Others: total a decrease of 279.)

Clay: 2024 Republicans: 2,903; Democrats: 581; Libertarian: 44; Legal Marijuana NOW: 12; Nonpartisan: 553; Total: 4,093; a decrease of 176 overall: (Republicans: a decrease of 29; Democrats: a decrease of 118; Others total a decrease of 29.)