National Guard Assists With Primary Election

Members of the Nebraska National Guard are assisting in running the polls in Tuesday's primary election.

The soldiers are not be in uniform, and are helping to fill the gaps where some poll workers did not feel safe working during COVID-19.

Dave Shively is Election Commissioner for Lancaster County. He said the county was assigned 18 national guard members to help with the election.

“Some are actually serving as poll workers where they’re checking voters in and assisting in that way," Shively said. "If the polling location has more than one location, [others] might be helping to guide people to the correct precinct within the polling location so they get there. They’re helping do some sanitation and cleaning of the polling sites. It just kind of varies between each site what they will be doing.”

Shively expected low in-person turn out due to the high number of mail-in ballots. He said those ballots have already been opened and tabulated and will be ready to report when the polls close.