The 2020 Journal Star general election Voter's Guide
Your guide to Lincoln-area and statewide races and ballot questions that will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Click on a race name to see the candidates and learn about their views on the issues.
(14) updates to this series since Updated
Nebraska voters will decide whether to cap the maximum annual rates associated with payday loans at 36% following a successful ballot initiative.
Nebraska voters will determine whether to allow casino gambling to enter the state when they consider a three-pronged initiative on the genera…
Republican Sen. Ben Sasse is seeking reelection to a second six-year term and will face Democratic nominee Chris Janicek of Omaha on the ballot.
Nebraska holds three seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Eastern Nebraska's 1st District includes Lincoln; the 2nd District includes O…
Forty-nine women and men serve in Nebraska's unique, one-house Legislature.
Southeast Community College is led by an 11-member board of governors that meets on the third Tuesday of every month.
The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District covers about 1,600 square miles in Southeast Nebraska, including most of Lancaster and Cass …
Only one of the two seats on the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners up for election this year features a contested race.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents consists of eight members elected to serve six-year terms representing districts across the state.
The State Board of Education sets state education policy and regulations, and oversees the Nebraska Department of Education.
Judges in Nebraska are appointed by the governor and then retained by popular vote. It is extremely rare for a sitting judge to be voted out o…
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
IN LINCOLN
View the Voter's Guide as it appeared in the Journal Star print edition.
"I'm the candidate who has your back," the Democratic congressional nominee tells a Lincoln rally.
Mark Gudgel, 39, who has taught English, humanities and world religions at Omaha North Magnet High School for the past six years, said the way the city handled protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death this spring, was a catalyst.
Sen. Ben Sasse said Thursday that "the left's apocalyptic rhetoric will seem extra nutty" once Americans have heard U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett speak at her Senate confirmation hearing.
Sändra Washington marks the fourth candidate to announce for the 2021 at-large council race, an expected entry into the race for one of the three citywide seats.
A final lawsuit against the petition drive was before the state's highest court on Thursday, where attorneys argued whether or not circulators had gathered thousands of signatures properly.
South-central Lincoln's 29th District features two young candidates, a Republican versus a Democrat, in race to succeed Sen. Kate Bolz for a nonpartisan seat.
A startup loan to a political committee from a private cooperative of rural public power districts has raised questions about whether public money is being used to back political campaigns.
There's danger lurking ahead, and only part of it is viral, Don Walton writes.
The Strengthening Local Processing Act would help smaller facilities expand to meet demand and adapt to the coronavirus pandemic, the lawmakers said.
Every dollar in resulting revenue would lead to three or four dollars in social costs, former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne warned, and "once you start it, you're never going to undo it."
Brodey Weber is challenging incumbent Mike Hilgers in District 21.
Mike Hilgers is the incumbent candidate in District 21. He is being challenged by Brodey Weber.
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Public Service Commission approved a cease and desist order against the state GOP for robocalls it placed in the contentious race between Sen. Julie Slama and challenger Janet Palmtag.
"No alleged promises of increased revenue can make up for the devastation casino gambling brings communities," Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt says.
While Democratic nominee Kate Bolz is the most formidable opponent Rep. Jeff Fortenberry has faced since 2006, the 1st District hasn't elected a Democrat to Congress since 1964 — 28 elections ago.
The Republican from Malcolm hopes to sell voters on his ability to wield the skills he sharpened during his career as a restaurateur in Lincoln in addressing Lancaster County's budgetary challenges.
Along with her continued support for the environment, Christa Yoakum's running to advance policies for working families, promote public safety and expand rural broadband.
“This to me was a personal attack on my integrity as an educator,” Tim Royers said of a mailer sent by the Nebraska GOP. His District 31 opponent, Rich Pahls, said he “unequivocally denounces” the mailer.
A long time ago, the biggest problem was the uninformed voter. Now it's the misinformed voter, Don Walton writes.
Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and state Sen. Kate Bolz, his Democratic opponent, each pledged to prioritize access and coverage in the face of current challenges.
"What they're really talking about is the suicide bombing of two branches of government," Sen. Ben Sasse said as hearings began on the Supreme Court nominee.
Anyone who is registering to vote for the first time or who has moved, changed their name or who wants to change their political party affiliation must have the mail-in registration form postmarked no later than Friday.
Republican Rep. Jeff Fortenberry and Democratic challenger Kate Bolz branched out Monday night beyond the health care debate that has been a p…
District 25 legislative candidate Stephany Pleasant is challenging incumbent Suzanne Geist.
Incumbent Suzanne Geist is running for a second term in the Nebraska Legislature.
State regulators on Tuesday unanimously ratified the cease-and-desist order against the NEGOP and its Kansas City, Missouri auto-dialing contractor, Remington Research Group, one week after initially approving it.
The Nebraska Democratic Party does not support the winner of the party's May primary election, Chris Janicek of Omaha, and instead has drafted Preston Love Jr. of Omaha as its designated write-in candidate to oppose Republican Sen. Ben Sasse.
Sen. Ben Sasse said President Donald Trump has mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic, "kisses dictators' butts" and has "flirted with white supremacists."
The court rejected the argument that circulators should be required to read the object statement on the petition verbatim, indicating such a narrow interpretation of the state statute "could unduly restrict the power of initiative."
Let's vote, choose President Donald Trump or Joe Biden, and move ahead. We can, and should, handle this on our own, Don Walton writes.
Incumbent Anna Wishart seeks a second term in the Legislature from District 27.
Brenda Bickford is challenging incumbent Anna Wishart for the District 27 legislative seat.
A 'bare-knuckled' fight to the end: Southeast Nebraska legislative race a surprisingly bitter battle
The race between state Sen. Julie Slama and challenger Janet Palmtag to represent five counties in Southeast Nebraska has had the kind of knock-down-and-drag-out fights one expects to see in a partisan brawl.
The secretary of state's office reviewed 297 records sent by the ACLU and corrected 51 that should have had active voter registration records. Those people were sent voter registration confirmation cards.
Both political parties are making tens of thousands of phone calls and campaign literature drops at tens of thousands of doors.
The senator has argued that potential Democratic efforts to increase the size of the court would be accompanied by action abolishing the Senate's filibuster rule and essentially result in "the suicide bombing of two branches of government."
Joe Biden has a good chance of winning Nebraska's 2nd District, meaning one of the state's five Electoral College votes could go to him. But Maine has a district that could go the opposite way.
John Baylor warned about the impact of spreading casinos across the state, suggesting that "if you live near a casino, you gamble more." Would you gamble more if there was a casino at the Lincoln Race Track?
While Karnes is probably best known publicly for the brief two years he served as a U.S. senator from Nebraska, he carved out a much larger legacy in Omaha.
Those with questions are asked to call the Election Office at 402-441-7311.
Former Vice President Joe Biden said President Donald Trump is “failing” Nebraskans and has “waved the white flag” on the pandemic.
Congressional candidate Kate Bolz said she's grateful for the care she has received and will continue to quarantine while she recovers.
Warren Buffett called an "anti-Native American" campaign mailer sent by a group tied to Gov. Pete Ricketts "inappropriate." A spokesman for the governor said the mailer is not racist.
Lancaster County Election Commissioner Dave Shively and Secretary of State Bob Evnen talk about Tuesday's election and what to expect.
"A straight-forward reading of the plain language of Initiative 430 would restrict all games of chance in Nebraska to racetracks," a keno lottery organization states.
Kara Eastman cited an article by an online publication that detailed how Bacon’s congressional office paid $52,518 to Double Bogey Strategies for printing and advertisements earlier this year.
Through youth-focused messaging, the NE Young Voters project has aimed to educate 18- to 24-year-old Nebraskans about voting and encourage them to participate.
A total of 21,194 students grades 4-12 also elected Kate Bolz to the U.S. House, Ben Sasse to the Senate and approved a casino gambling initiative.
Only one of six seats that will be vacated as a result of term limits is held by a Republican.
Early voters who have not returned their ballots must turn them in no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday.
"Urgent action is needed," the 1st District Democratic congressional nominee says. "Partisanship should not stand in the way."
A spokesman said the campaign had done nothing wrong and called the controversy “contrived and false.”
Voters in Lincoln will be able to ride in style to the polls on Election Day, when downtown scooters and bike vendors will be offering free transportation options.
We didn't used to have to board up windows to prepare for Election Day, Don Walton writes.
Gov. Pete Ricketts' family has spent nearly $1 million this election cycle to elect conservative state lawmakers and fend off approval of casino gambling in Nebraska.
Jacob Olesiak, a jockey from Firth who competed in Sunday's race, said he is hoping the initiatives pass so that jockeys like him can compete in more races in Nebraska.
Get live Election Day updates, photos and video from Nebraska candidates, reporters, party officials and those who live to follow them.
Election Day has arrived and more than 40% of registered Nebraska voters planned to cast their ballots early, but for those who didn't, or those who still need to submit those ballots, here's some questions to answers you may have.
“Clearly, they should not listen to the robocalls,” the assistant secretary of state said Tuesday. “There’s no reason they should stay home and not go vote today.”
Precincts across the Capital City reported long lines on Tuesday, the final day voters could cast ballots for everything from legislative races to the presidential contest.
The threshold has been ridiculed by residents who have complained of dangerous conditions on the roads they need to access the city's prioritized snow routes.