LINCOLN – While we were “hunkering down” during COVID-19, every voter in Nebraska received an early ballot request form in early April. With three weeks left before Nebraska’s primary election, early ballot request are being heavily utilized by voters. “We are receiving an unprecedented number of early ballot requests from voters. Statewide totals equal 390,000 requests for early ballots. The number of these early ballot requests already surpasses the 313,000 statewide votes in the 2016 Presidential primary election.” Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen says “That number excludes 11 counties that already vote by mail.”
Nebraskans have begun to return their completed ballots. Thus far, 111,000 completed ballots have been received. Voters can return their ballot by mail, drop it off in the secure voter box located outside their county building, or give it to a trusted friend or family member to put in the mail or drop off.
Secretary Evnen stressed, “If you give your ballot to someone else to put in the mail or deliver to a drop box, only give your ballot to a trusted person, for example, a close friend or close relative.”
Evnen emphasized, “Do not give your ballot to a stranger. Mail or deliver it yourself, or give it to someone who you know and trust to mail or deliver it for you.”
The deadline to request an early ballot is May 1 at 6:00 p.m. Early ballot requests received after that date and time will not be processed.
The deadline for new voters to register is April 24th postmark for a mail-in registrations and April 27th for online voter registration.
Voters have until May 12 when the polls close to return their completed ballot. For more information, visit the Secretary of State website at https://sos.nebraska.gov/