The 2026 Nebraska Primary Election has arrived. If you're still waiting to vote this year but aren't sure who is on the ballot in your area, read on for a full list of the candidates running for federal, state, and local offices in five different Southeast Nebraska counties.

The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, May 12. Polls will open and 8:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Find your local polling place and check your voter registration here. And tune in to News Channel Nebraska for live coverage of Election Night from 9 to 11 PM on Tuesday. We will post and update a page with election results throughout the night Tuesday.

Important note: this is a Primary Election, which is typically contested among candidates of individual parties. The general election will be held later this year. That election is typically what decides who will hold a position, but if only one party has candidates running, the primary election essentially decides who will hold that position.

Only those facing opponent in the same party or the number of candidates filing for office did not exceed twice the number of vacancies will appear on the Primary Election ballot. These candidates are declared nominated and will advance to the General Election.

Here is the complete list of local candidates for the 2026 election for Jefferson, Fillmore, Gage, Thayer and Saline Counties, plus relevant local statewide races. The letter in (parentheses) indicates the candidate’s registered political party, where applicable. Incumbents are listed first, where applicable.

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Federal

U.S. Senator: (R-Incumbent) Pete Ricketts

U.S. Senator: (R) Todd Knobel

U.S. Senator: (R) Eric Mortimore

U.S. Senator: (R) Debb Axtell Schultz

U.S. Senator: (R) Mac Stevens

U.S. Senator: (D) Cindy Burbank

U.S. Senator: (D) William J. Forbes

U.S. Senator: (Legal Marijuana Now) Mike Marvin

U.S. Senator: (Legal Marijuana Now) Earl Starkey

U.S. House - District 3: (R - Incumbent) Adrian Smith

U.S. House - District 3: (R) David P. Huebner

U.S. House - District 3: (D) Becky Kelly Stille

U.S. House - District 3: (LMN) David J. Else

Statewide

Governor: (R - Incumbent) Jim Pillen

Governor: (R) Sal Holguin

Governor: (R) Sheila J. Korth-Focken

Governor: (R) Gary L. Rogge

Governor: (R) Jacy Todd

Governor: (R) John Walz

Governor: (D) Lynne Walz

Governor: (D) Larry Marvin

Governor: (LMN) Rick Beard

Governor: (LMN) James J. Charvat III

Secretary of State: (R - Incumbent) Bob Evnen

Secretary of State: (R) Scott Petersen

Secretary of State: (D) Lee M. Cimfel

Secretary of State: (D) Sarah J. Slattery

Attorney General: (R - Incumbent) Mike Hilgers

Attorney General (D) Jocelyn Brasher

Auditor: (R - Incumbent) Mike Foley

Treasurer: (R) Joey Spellerberg

Treasurer: (D) Daniel Ebers

Nebraska Board of Education - District 5: (N) Michaela Conway

Nebraska Board of Education - District 5: (N) Lana Daws

Nebraska Board of Education - District 5: (N) Angie Eberspacher

Legislature

District 30: Cally Ideus

District 30: Timothy Gary Bentzinger

District 30: Janet M. Bock

District 32: Mark Schoenrock

District 32: Shaylene Smith

Read more about the candidates for District 30 here, and for District 32 here.

Jefferson County

Airport Authority: William Stelling

Airport Authority: Paul Schramm

Fairbury City Council, Ward 1: (Incumbent) Tim Polson

Fairbury City Council, Ward 2: (Incumbent) Brian Schmidt

Fairbury City Council, Ward 2: Dan Helmick

Fairbury City Council, Ward 3: (Incumbent) Rod Coil

Fairbury City Council, Ward 4: Josh Jacobi

County Commissioner, District 1: (R) Bruce Jung

County Commissioner, District 1: (R) Christina Koenig

County Commissioner, District 3: (R-Incumbent) Michael Dux

County Clerk: (R-Incumbent) Kristina Riggle

Clerk of the District Court: (R) Vickie Banahan

Clerk of the District Court: (R) Kara Riggle

Clerk of the District Court: (R) Jennifer Galbraith

County Sheriff: (R-Incumbent) Nicholas Georgi

County Treasurer: (R-Incumbent) Leroy Bast

County Assessor: (R) Kylie E. Rohr

Plvmouth Village Board: Garrett L. Freese

Plymouth Village Board: Jay J. Schroeder 

Fillmore County

County Supervisor, District 7: (R) Brian Mumm

County Supervisor, District 7: (R) Merle Noel

Little Blue Natural Resource District Board Subdistrict 1: (N) Kim Hermann

Little Blue Natural Resource District Board Subdistrict 1: (N) Ty Mangers

Little Blue Natural Resource District Board Subdistrict 1: (N) Marty Stange

Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District Board Subdistrict 4: (N) Cody S. McGowan

Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District Board Subdistrict 4: (N) Andrew Roesler

Upper Big Blue Natural Resource District Board Subdistrict 4: (N) Eugene R. Ulmer

Gage County

County Supervisor, District 1: (R-Incumbent) Eddie Dorn

County Supervisor, District 3: (R-Incumbent) Erich Tiemann

County Supervisor, District 5: (R-Incumbent) Gary Lytle

County Supervisor, District 7: (R-Incumbent) Terry Jurgens

County Supervisor, District 7: (R) Gary Bergmeier

County Clerk: (R-Incumbent) Dawn Hill

Register of Deeds: (R-Incumbent) Donna Remmers Munoz

County Attorney: (R-Incumbent) Amanda Fanning

County Sheriff: (R) Spencer Behrens

County Sheriff: (R) Michael Hager

County Sheriff: (R) Tim Hanson

County Surveyor: (R) Chris Witulski

County Assessor: (R) Max Quattromani

County Treasurer: (R) Lisa Sohl

Clerk of District Court: (D) Kelly D. Bagwell

Grant Township Board: (Incumbent) Jason Siems

Grant Township Board: (Incumbent) Kyle Pohlmann

Grant Township Board: (Incumbent) Wes Cammack

Grant Township Board: (Incumbent) Jason Siems

Barneston Township Board: (Incumbent) David Zimmerman

Barneston Township Board: (Incumbent) Jason Allington

Barneston Township Board: (Incumbent) Keith A. McGuire

Filley Township Board: (Incumbent) Les Blythe

Filley Township Board: Isaac Frerichs

Elm Township Board: (Incumbent) Larry W. Bergmeier

Liberty Village Board: (Incumbent) Thomasena Wiles

Lincoln Township Board: (Incumbent) Dan Crawford

Logan Township Board: Jeff Gronewold

Sicily Township Board: (Incumbent) Fred Wright

Virginia Village Board: (Incumbent) Russell Harms

Virginia Village Board: Chris Bredemeier

Beatrice Mayor: Duane Ruh

Beatrice Mayor: Ted Fairbanks

Beatrice Mayor: Tyson Parks

Blue Springs Mayor: Robert Paul Harrison

Blue Springs City Council: Carol M. Hughes

Blue Springs City Council: Debra P. Dorn

Beatrice City Council Ward 3: (Incumbent) Mike McLain

Wymore City Council Ward 1: (Incumbent) Curt M. Oblinger

Wymore City Council Ward 1: Lisa K. Munstermann

Wymore City Council Ward 2: (Incumbent) Neil VanBoening

Wymore City Council Ward 2: Isaac Bachmann

Wymore Mayor: Jeffrey D. Spier

Wymore Mayor: Paul Borzekofski

Wymore Mayor: Kevin Sturm

Wymore Mayor: Milton Pike

Wymore Mayor: Jacob Harding

Wymore Mayor: Max Manuilov

Thayer County

County Commissioner: (Incumbent) Rich Koch

County Commissioner: Drew Onnen

County Commissioner: Doug Brandt

County Commissioner: Denise K White

County Commissioner: John D Lange

County Clerk: (Incumbent) Maurica Burns

County Treasurer: (Incumbent) Marcy J. Brandt

County Sheriff: (Incumbent) David E. Lee

County Assessor: (Incumbent) Amy C. Peterson

Clerk of District Court: (Incumbent) Stacey L. McLaughlin

County Attorney: (Incumbent) Joseph M. Casson

Hebron Mayor: (Incumbent) Douglas L Modlin

Hebron City Council: (Incumbent) L Kyle J. Timmerman

Hebron City Council: (Incumbent) Robert Dodes

Deshler Mayor: (Incumbent) Julie A Deepe

Deshler Mayor: Scott Finke

Deshler City Council: (Incumbent) Jeanette Fintel

Alexandria Board: Jeremy R. VanWesten

Alexandria Board: Heath Buchanan

Carleton Board: (Incumbent) Allen Voss

Hubbell Board: (Incumbent) Russell Svoboda

Hubbell Board: (Incumbent) Lyle Welch

Saline County

County Commissioner District 1: (Incumbent) Stephanie Krivohlavek

County Commissioner District 1: Chuck McKay

County Commissioner District 2: (Incumbent) D. Scott Kuncl

County Assessor: (Incumbent) Brandi Kelly

County Attorney: (Incumbent) David C. Solheim

County Clerk: (Incumbent) Diann Nettifee

County Clerk of the District Court: (Incumbent) Amber Mulbery

County Treasurer: (Incumbent) Hollie Zurcher

County Sheriff: (Incumbent) Alan J. Moore

Crete Mayor: (Incumbent) David A. Bauer

Crete Mayor: Margo A. Masters

Crete City Council Ward 1: (Incumbent) Dan Papik

Crete City Council Ward 2: (Incumbent) Tom Crisman

Crete City Council Ward 2: Sabrina Renderos Bonilla

Crete City Council Ward 3: (Incumbent) Kyle Frans

Dorchester Board: Bret Cerny

Wilber Mayor: (Incumbent) Roger Chrans

Wilber City Council: (Incumbent) Alen Brozovsky

Wilber City Council: John Hensel

Wilber City Council: Ken Uher

Tobias Board: Alex Hull

Western Board: Carolyn J. Slama

Friend Mayor: Doug Bergman

Warren Memorial Hospital Board: (Incumbent) Jen Stutzman

School Boards

Fairbury School District No. 8: (Incumbent) Jonathan Winter

Fairbury School District No. 8: Kruz Schoenrock

Fairbury School District No. 8: Tyler Doran

Fairbury School District No. 8: Jerold Ebke

Fairbury School District No. 8: Travis Knutson

Tri-County School District, Saline: Brian Quakenbush

Tri-County School District, Saline: Brian Scherling

Tri-County School District, Gage: Aaron Bock

Tri-County School District, Gage: Brandon Esau

Tri-County School District, Jefferson: Brandon Pohlmann

Meridian School District, Thayer/Fillmore: Joy Barton

Meridian School District, Jefferson/Fillmore: Jason Bartels

Meridian School District, Jefferson/Fillmore: Megan E. Haake

Meridian School District, Jefferson/Fillmore: Mark A. Houser

Meridian School District, Saline: Rodd A. Paul

Meridian School District, Saline: Dillon D. Wolfe

Diller-Odell Ward 1: Allen Roelfs

Diller-Odell Ward 1; B.J. Stein

Diller-Odell Ward 1: (Incumbent) Kasey Murphy

Diller-Odell Ward 1: (Incumbent) Adam Engelman

Diller-Odell Ward 1: (Incumbent) Angie Clifford

Diller-Odell Ward 1: Randall Saathoff

Southern School: (Incumbent) Jeff Argo

Southern School: (Incumbent) David A. Zimmerman

Southern School: (Incumbent) Debra Schlake

Southern School: Beverly R. Acton

Freeman School Board: (Incumbent) Shawn E. Mencl

Freeman School Board: (Incumbent) Myron Schoen

Freeman School Board: Jordan N. Freeman

Beatrice: (Incumbent) Charles Riedesel

Beatrice: (Incumbent) Doris J. Martin

Beatrice: Chad Omar

Beatrice: Dee Enevoldsen

Beatrice: Sabrina M. Given

Beatrice: Matt Bogle

Bruning School Board: (Incumbent) Jerry A Baysinger

Bruning School Board: (Incumbent) Tony Norder

Bruning School Board: (Incumbent) Ryne Philippi

Davenport School Board: (Incumbent) Derek Shaner

Deshler School Board: (Incumbent) Andrew Schmidt

Deshler School Board: (Incumbent) Abby Gausmann

Deshler School Board: Scott Befort

Thayer Central School Board: (Incumbent) Nate Casey

Thayer Central School Board: Angie Priefert

Thayer Central School Board: Tyler Van Cleef

Crete School Board: (Incumbent) Greg Hollman

Crete School Board: (Incumbent) Greg Mach

Crete School Board: Marilyn Schacht

Crete School Board: Eric Fahrlander

E-M-F School Board #90: (Incumbent) Tiffany Shonerd

E-M-F School Board #90: (Incumbent) Tyler J. Bartels

E-M-F School Board #90: Troy W. Kallhoff

E-M-F School Board #90: Taylor Kahlandt

Dorchester School Board: (Incumbent) Carol Schnell

Dorchester School Board: (Incumbent) Matt Hansen

Dorchester School Board: (Incumbent) Steve Vyhnalek

Dorchester School Board: Stephanie Cecrle

Wilber-Clatonia School Board: (Incumbent) Laura Niles

Wilber-Clatonia School Board: (Incumbent) Chris Woerner

Wilber-Clatonia School Board: (Incumbent) Tim Riechers

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 1: (N) Michael Schoop

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 2: (N) Brandon Gunther

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 3: (N) Christopher Reid

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 4: (N) David Bruno

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 4: (N) Carina McCormick

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 4: (N) Logan Niedzielski

Southeast Community College Board of Governors District 5: (N) Joann Herrington Pitcher