Dear friends and supporters,

As we reflect on the past year at Civic Nebraska, we return to three familiar Rs: response, resilience, and renewal. In 2025, we saw these traits rise across our communities and among supporters like you who believe in a modern, robust democracy for all Nebraskans.

Together, we protected Nebraska’s split Electoral College system from partisan attempts to impose a winner-take-all process. In April, thousands spoke out to stop the effort, and we stand ready in 2026 should it return.

Your support also helped us produce and share the Nebraska Civic Health Index. The discussions that followed are already shaping our 2026 State of Civic Life Conference in Lincoln, set for this May.

We were honored to co-lead the successful effort to end source-of-income discrimination in Lincoln housing. Voters overwhelmingly approved the resident-led measure in May, making the city the first in Nebraska to extend these key protections to renters.

This year also brought the joy of launching Nebraska’s Kid Governor®. The election of fifth-grader Charlie Couch of Ralston and her cabinet has infused our youth civic leadership efforts with new energy and optimism.

The coming year will be pivotal. As leaders in the Respect Nebraska Voters coalition, we will work to safeguard Nebraskan-led ballot measures. We will educate and activate voters for the 2026 elections. And we will continue expanding our youth programs to meet this moment.

Thank you for being in this work with us. These extraordinary times demand resistance, resilience, and renewal – qualities essential to democratic progress. We are grateful to be your fellow travelers.

–Nancy Petitto, Executive Director