Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

More Nebraskans Voted Early In November Election

Of the 804,245 people who voted in Nebraska during the November 6 general election, nearly 26 percent voted early. It’s a number that continues to grow with each election cycle, says Secretary of State John Gale.

“While most Nebraskans still like the tradition of voting on Election Day, there is no question that early in-person or mail-in balloting is gaining favor. It’s a convenience that busy people appreciate.”

The Nebraska State Board of Canvassers met recently to certify the results of the election with the exception of three races currently undergoing a recount. Once those recounts are completed, the board will meet again to certify the results of those races.

In the most recent election, there were 1,163,817 registered voters in Nebraska. Douglas County had the most registered voters (327,095), followed by Lancaster County (181,864) and Sarpy County (99,060).

In the general election of 2008, 1,157,345 people were registered to vote in Nebraska.

Of the 804,245 Nebraskans who cast their ballots in the most recent presidential election, 595,284 did so at the polls on Election Day. There were 207,741 early voters.

Gale said 69.1 percent of Nebraskans voted in the November general election. That was just shy of his initial prediction of 71 percent.

“Nebraska had a great turnout for our 2012 general election, just shy of our 2008 general election total. We hope the trend of strong voter turnout continues to grow, as this is what makes our system of representative democracy work best.”

In the presidential election of 2008, 70.2 percent of Nebraskans voted.