# RNC sues Nebraska over overseas voting law  
**Published:** 2026-06-23T01:32:09.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/22/republican-national-committee-sues-nebraska-over-state-election-law/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/rnc-sues-nebraska-over-overseas-voting-law

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Republican National Committee and two Lancaster County voters filed suit Monday challenging a Nebraska law that allows U.S. citizens who have never lived in the United States to vote if they have a parent registered to vote in the state, according to [reporting by the Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/22/republican-national-committee-sues-nebraska-over-state-election-law/).

The lawsuit, filed in Lancaster District Court, names Secretary of State Bob Evnen as the defendant and argues the provision violates Nebraska's constitutional residency requirement for voters. The provision, enacted in 2010 as part of legislation implementing the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, permits "a person who is the age of an elector and a citizen of the United States residing outside the United States, who has never resided in the United States" to register and vote in a county where a parent is registered.

The law was designed to expand voting access for service members and overseas citizens under a 2009 federal statute signed by former President Barack Obama. However, RNC Chairman Joe Gruters contended the provision goes too far. "Nebraska's Constitution is clear, voters must live in Nebraska," Gruters said in a statement. "This law tries to get around that requirement by allowing people who have never lived in the state to vote."

The plaintiffs — RNC officials, Lancaster County residents Jack Riggins and Pamela Dingman — are asking the court to declare the provision unconstitutional and bar Evnen from issuing ballots under it. They requested an expedited hearing.

The RNC pursued a similar challenge in North Carolina, where a Superior Court judge sided with the party. Evnen declined to comment on the Nebraska lawsuit Monday evening. The case marks another election law dispute as disputes over voting eligibility and procedures intensify across states heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/22/republican-national-committee-sues-nebraska-over-state-election-law/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/22/republican-national-committee-sues-nebraska-over-state-election-law/.