Nebraska Voters to Elect Secretary of State November 3
Nebraska voters will head to the polls on November 3, 2026, to select a new Secretary of State for the state.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Elections
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Nebraska voters will cast ballots for a new Secretary of State on November 3, 2026. The race features major-party candidates Scott Petersen and Sarah Slattery, alongside minor-party contenders.
Why it matters
The candidates hold competing visions for election administration, with Petersen prioritizing changes to voter ID and mail-in ballots while Slattery focuses on enhancing voter registration education.
Nebraska election counting machines undergo three separate tests before each election to ensure accuracy. These machines are not connected to the internet, and the state utilizes paper ballots for all electoral contests.
The players
Scott Petersen
He is a Republican candidate for Secretary of State who has emphasized concerns regarding public confidence in election integrity.
Sarah Slattery
She is the Democratic candidate for Secretary of State who advocates for integrating voter registration education into high school civics.
Bob Evnen
He is the current Secretary of State who did not advance through the primary election process.
Paul Rumbaugh
He is a candidate for Secretary of State representing the Working People Party.
Bob Krist
He is a candidate for Secretary of State running under the America First Party.
The details
Scott Petersen and Sarah Slattery are the primary candidates for the office, while Bob Krist and Paul Rumbaugh are running for the America First Party and Working People Party, respectively. Incumbent Bob Evnen did not advance past the primary stage of the contest.
Timeline
November 3, 2026, is the scheduled Election Day for the Nebraska Secretary of State office.
Political Context
Opponents of the current administration's election policies argue that the state should move away from existing systems to adopt more restrictive voter identification mandates. These groups maintain that further reforms are necessary to address their concerns regarding election security and ballot access.
The outcome of this race will directly determine the leadership responsible for overseeing state election administration and potential changes to registration requirements. Voters may see modifications to voter ID protocols or mail-in ballot procedures depending on the winner of the contest.
The takeaway
Voters should review the specific platforms of all candidates to understand how their proposed changes to registration and balloting might affect their personal voting experience. Awareness of state-mandated machine testing can help residents feel more secure in the integrity of the casting process.
Further reading
For additional information on regional voting procedures, visit the Nebraska elections page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wowt.
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