The clock is ticking for candidates to make their final cases to voters as people prepare to head to the polls in less than one week in an election that has already garnered much local interest.
Box Butte County Clerk Judy Messersmith said that more than 2,300 ballots have already been cast by people voting early in person or by mail in Box Butte County, nearing the turnout seen in May’s primary election.
“The numbers are up,” said Messersmith. “We have had a lot of in person voting and people requesting ballots be mailed. We ca no longer mail any ballots out as that deadline was last Friday. People can still come in and request an early ballot to take home with them, or they can vote in person. There’s a lot of people who just want to go to the polls, which is going to be great.”
Messersmith said that voters may also send an agent to the Box Butte County Clerks Office to pick up a ballot on their behalf, with the number of ballots allowed per agent limited to two for friends or relatives unable to go to the polls.
Volunteers have been stepping up to the plate, Messersmith said, taking action to help at polling locations that were closed in the primary election due to COVID-19. She is grateful for their help. The regular polling sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. The Burkholder Building on Black Hills Avenue will serve all of Alliance’s City Precincts; voters in precincts 11 and 12 may go to the polling location on the first floor of the Box Butte County Courthouse; voters in precinct 15 may vote at the Hemingford St. Bridget’s Parish Hall.
Messersmith advised that the voting booths will be spaced out to allow for social distancing, and disposable pens and masks and gloves will be available for voters, though masks will not be required at the polls. She advised that the lines to the polls could move a bit more slowly, noting that the ballot in the general election is two pages. She encouraged voters to give themselves adequate time at the polls.
“We just ask for everybody’s patience,” said Messersmith. “There’s two pages, front and back, so there’s a lot of things people will vote on. They need to allow time at the polls to adequately vote on both sides.”
People who have questions are encouraged to contact the Box Butte County Clerks Office at 308-762-6565 or 308-762-5450.
Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen issued a statement on Tuesday, encouraging voters to engage in their civic duty and make their voices heard.
“I encourage registered voters who did not ask for early ballots to be sure to go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3,” said Evnen. “Just as in the primary election in May, our voters and poll workers will be kept safe. Elections matter, and your vote counts.”
On the national level, in the presidential race, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, incumbents, appear for the Republican Party; Former Vice President Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris appear for the Democratic Party; Jo Jorgensen and Jeremy Cohen appear for the Libertarian Party.
In the race for Senate, Ben Sasse, incumbent, appears for the Republican Party, Chris Janicek appears for the Democratic Party; Gene Siadek appears for the Libertarian Party.
In the congressional race, Adrian Smith, incumbent, appears for the Republican Party; Mark Elworth Jr. appears for the Democratic Party; Dustin Hobbs appears for the Libertarian Party.
On the state level, in the race for Legislative District 43, Tom Brewer, incumbent, and Tanya Storer appear. In the race for Legislative District 47, Steve Erdman, incumbent, runs unopposed.
On a local level, in Alliance three seats on the Alliance School Board are up for grabs, with voters being asked to pick up to three members to vote for. On the ballot incumbents Shana Brown, Tim Richey and Karen Trussell appear, challenged by Wes Whitwer, Dave Rischling and Jake Sylvester.
In the race for Alliance City Council, incumbent Brian Mischnick appears on the ballot, challenged by Mara Andersen, John McGhehey and Gary Goodell. With two seats up for grabs, voters are asked to vote for up to two people.
In Hemingford, in the race for the District 10 school board, Tricia Schumacher, incumbent, appears on the ballot for Ward A. Messersmith noted that in Ward A, Micki Votruba filed a Write-In Affidavit to be a write-in candidate in that race. Rick Horstman, who represents Ward B, and Brett Cullan, who represents Ward C, run unopposed on the ballot.
On the village ticket for Hemingford, Lynda Novotny, Jake Frost, Richard Wacker and Marcella Thomas appear on the ballot, with voters being asked to vote for up to three people.
In the race for Box Butte County Commissioner, Steve Burke, Republican, runs unopposed after beating incumbent Doug Hashman in May’s primary.
More issues appearing on the ballot may be located on the sample ballot that ran in last week’s edition of the Alliance Times-Herald.