Nebraska voters will vote to increase minimum wage to $15 by 2026

It’s official: Nebraska voters will vote on whether to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026. Earlier this summer, we reported on the petition drive and the submission of signatures, which have now been certified, placing the issue on the general election ballot for all Nebraska voters in November. Let’s take a look at what this could mean for you.

Push for increase

If Nebraska voters vote yes, the minimum wage would increase from the current $9 per hour to $10.50 per hour on January 1, 2023, and then increase to $12 per hour in 2024. It then would increase to $13.50 per hour in 2025 and to $15 in 2026. After that, the minimum wage would “be adjusted annually to account for increases in the cost of living.”

If the change is approved by Nebraska voters, it’s projected that approximately 20% of employed workers in the state—or approximately 195,000 individuals—would be affected.

It’s hard to predict the outcome of such elections, but we do know the organization behind this initiative, Raise the Wage Nebraska, is made up of a broad base of statewide organizations, including Nebraska Appleseed, the ACLU of Nebraska, the Nebraska State AFL-CIO, and the NAACP Lincoln Branch. Therefore, it’s expected this organization will mount a strong campaign, including a media campaign, to support the measure.

Opposition