Some interest seen for early-voting ballots across state
The General Election will be here before we know it and voters can start preparing now for Nov. 3.
Options other than in-person voting are available for those with COVID-19 pandemic concerns.
As a “no-excuse” state, any Nebraska voters may request an early-voting or absentee ballot without a reason. Printable and online registration forms and early voting forms to be turned in to or mailed to Election Clerk Debra Clark at the Chase County Courthouse Clerk’s office are available at sos.nebraska.gov/elections/voter-forms.
Clark said about 12 voters have requested ballots, so far.
The State of Nebraska will be mailing out early voting ballot applications Sept. 8.
If requested by the voter, ballots will be mailed to them by the state Sept. 28.
Early voting, including in-person, begins Oct. 5, 30 days before the general election. The last day to request a ballot to be mailed is Oct. 23.
The last day of early voting, by mail in or in person, is Nov. 2. Voters who chose to do early voting can check the status of their ballot at www.voter check.necvr.ne.gov/voterview.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
Clark said she’d prefer people leave their forms in the drop boxes outside the Chase County Courthouse. Clark can be reached at 882-7500.
In the running
Apart from the Presidential race, battles are ongoing for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives.
For Senate, incumbent Republican Ben Sasse faces Democrat Chris Janicek and Libertarian Gene Siadek.
In the District 3 Congressional race, incumbent Republican Adrian Smith is up against Democrat Mark Elworth, Jr. and Libertarian Dustin Hobbs.
At the county level, Duane Dinnel, a Republican, is running unopposed for the Chase County Commission District 1. Dave Teply had filed on the Democratic ticket, but withdrew from the race.
For Imperial City Council, three candidates are running for two seats, Craig Loeffler, incumbent Doug Gaswick and Duncan Einspahr.
Incumbents Robert Goings and Rick Einspahr have filed for the two positions on the Wauneta Village Board.
Kevin Way has filed for Lamar Village Board. A second seat is open.
Both school districts in the county, Wauneta-Palisade Schools and Chase County Schools, have school board seats to fill.
Five seats are open for CCS and five have filed for board positions — Laura Maddox and incumbents Willy O’Neil, Carrie Terryberry, Josh Fries and Karl Meeske.
Wauneta-Palisade has three openings on its school board and has five candidates, incumbents John Jutten and Jon Anderjaska, as well as, Hondo Fanning, Samantha Sutherland and Aaron McKiney.
Some Chase County residents will be voting for Perkins County School Board members. Jayson Bishop and Larry Pankonin will appear on the ballot. Janet Lagler, Richard Thurin and Aaron Uehling have completed affidavits to be write-in candidates.
Both the Imperial and Southwest Public Power Districts will have candidates on the ballot.
Eric McDaniel is unopposed for the at large seat in the Imperial Public Power District.
Farther east in the Southwest Public Power District, the race in Subdistrict 1 is between Haigler’s Brent Evans and Benkelman’s Troy Wiese. Subdistrict 2 has five in the race, including Wauneta’s Camie Cox, Hayes Center’s Kenneth Korell, Wauneta’s Kenny Ham, Hayes Center’s Kevin Fornoff and Palisade’s Landon Jutten.
The Upper Republican Natural Resource District has four Subdistrict seats to fill.
In Subdistrict 3 David Oxford, Jr. of Imperial is running against Dave Brown of Champion.
Other Chase County subdistricts are uncontested. In Subdistrict 5 is Harry Merrihew of Imperial and Subdistrict 7 is Imperial’s C.J. Swanson.
Running unopposed in Subdistrict 1 is Janice Stroup of Benkelman and in Subdistrict 9 is Grant’s Tom Schroder.
Mid-Plains Community College Board of Governors has District 2 and at large seats up for election. JoEtta Brown has filed for the District 2 seat and Ted Klug, Jr. for the at large seat.
No one filed for the Imperial Airport Authority director’s open seat.