Nebraska Secretary of State predicts 35% voter turnout

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s Secretary of State is predicting that more voters will participate in Tuesday’s primary election than other recent gubernatorial primaries.

In a news release, Bob Evnen offered a rough prediction of a 35% voter turnout, or about 433,000 people. That exceeds the 24.7% turnout in 2018 and the 28.1% turnout in 2014. The 2006 gubernatorial primary saw a 35.1% turnout. For comparison, the 2020 presidential primary set a record for primary voters and featured a 40.4% turnout.

Evnen says 227,679 people requested early ballots and 122,679 have been returned so far.

Evnen encourages voters to return their ballots to their county elections office. Ballots can be returned up to the close of the polls at 8:00 pm (CT) and 7:00 pm (MT) on May 10.

The polls will be open on May 10 at 8:00 am (CT) 7:00 am (MT) for those who would like to vote at the polls in Nebraska’s primary election. 

Each polling location and onsite voting location is required to have available an accessible voting device for use by voters with disabilities. Nebraska has Express Vote ballot marking devices at every polling place for those who are visual/hearing impaired and with wheelchair accessibility. The Express Vote device prints a paper ballot and is set up and operational for disabled voters to cast their ballot independently, privately, and securely.

For more information, visit the Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.nebraska.gov/