OTOC leaders have been hard at work for the last seven years to expand Medicaid in Nebraska, believing that expanded Medicaid was a solution for 90,000 Nebraskans who don’t have health insurance. In 2018, after another failed attempt to get a bill passed in the Unicameral, a statewide coalition lead a ballot initiative, raising over 135,000 petition signatures to get Medicaid expansion on the November ballot.

Over 50 OTOC leaders participated, raising at least 3,500 signatures and holding fifteen presentations in congregations across Omaha. With Initiative 427 successfully on the ballot, OTOC leaders continued having information sessions at congregations and community spaces, while also phone banking and canvasing with other volunteers from across the state. OTOC leaders also contributed several Public Pulse letters to the editor to the Omaha World Herald and newspapers across the state.

OTOC’s Work made a Difference!

Stats from how the votes came in on Nov. 6:

Total votes for Initiative 427
Initiative 427 won with 345,827 or 53% of total votes
115,630 Douglas County residents voted FOR 27, 33% of the statewide total

Who supported Initiative 427
8 of 92 Nebraska counties voted FOR and 84 counties voted against 427
Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy counties provided 63% of all Yes votes for 427 
Scotts Bluff, Dakota, Burt, Dawes  and Thurston counties provided 3% of all Yes votes for 427

Margin of Victory
Initiative 427 won by 41,594 votes statewide and by 46,828 votes in Douglas County

Conclusion
Lancaster, Sarpy and 5 other counties made up most of the vote deficit from 85 counties
Douglas County made up the rest of the deficit and provided the 41,594 margin of victory

Our focused work in Douglas and Sarpy counties was critical to the success of 427

What you did in 2018 to help get Medicaid Expansion:

• Collected 3,500 petition signatures
• Held 17 info sessions in congregations and libraries
• Participated in state-wide coalition Insure the Good Life to coordinate efforts
• Submitted and had published numerous Public Pulse letters
• Distributed yard signs
• Called and canvassed through Insure the Good Life Campaign
• Testified at hearings
• Educated and secured support from Congressional and Unicameral Candidates at two Fall 2018 Accountability Sessions 
• Wrote final Op-Ed chosen by World Herald supporting 427, to contrast with opposing Op-Ed by former Governor and Attorney General and Koch Brothers Nebraska organization Click here to see 3 OTOC leaders make the final case in World Herald to pass 427

For a full report of OTOC’s work for Medicaid Expansion, click here

YOUR WORK made a difference in carrying Omaha, and ALL of Nebraska, to Pass Initiative 427 for Medicaid Expansion

Other press coverage: 

The Omaha World-Herald’s editorial endorsing Initiative 427

OWH Front Page Story–Facts about Medicaid Expansion

Institute for Public Leadership Board Chair Public Pulse letter (many OTOC leaders have had Public Pulse letters published- thank you.)