Monday was the first day Nebraskans could vote early in person for the May 12 primary, and some people couldn’t wait to take advantage.
In Lancaster County, a few dozen voters stopped by the Election Commission office during the first hours of the day. Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen said the voters who show up on opening day tend to be a motivated group.
"The voters that came in today are really focused on voting. They are typically frequent voters, and they want to vote as soon as possible. They don't want to vote by mail — they want to vote in person," Wiltgen said.
Wiltgen said primary turnout tends to run lower than in general elections, and he does not expect any single race to dramatically drive turnout this cycle. However, school bond issues for Norris and Waverly school districts appearing on the primary ballot could boost participation in those areas.
"This is the lowest turnout of all statewide elections, just because it's not presidential," Wiltgen said. "You have voters who are frequent voters, and so they're the ones that typically vote in a primary election."
The Lancaster Election Commission has already received over 32,000 early vote by-mail ballot requests ahead of the primary. Wiltgen reminded voters who requested mail ballots to sign their ballot envelopes before returning them, as unsigned ballots will not be counted. He also advised voters not to wait too long to return their ballots by mail.
"On the Tuesday before an election is the last day that I would mail your ballot. After May 5, if you still have your early vote ballot, I would strongly suggest that you drop it in a drop box or bring it to the office," Wiltgen said. "That's why it's beneficial to return your ballots early — if you do make a mistake, you’ve got time. We have time to fix it."
In Douglas County, the scene was quiet on opening day, said Valerie Stoj, the public relations coordinator for the Douglas County Election Commission.
"I've heard it's slow but steady," Stoj said. "We currently have three people in line with us. Probably the most we've had all day."
Douglas County has received about 67,000 mail ballot requests ahead of the primary, with around 2,300 ballots already returned as of Friday. The commission mailed 63,000 ballots on the first day. Stoj said in-person early voting typically picks up as Election Day approaches.
"We trend up — we start a little bit slow, and then the closer it gets to the election, our in-person early voting increases," she said.
Both counties reminded voters to bring a valid photo ID when casting their ballot. Stoj said the most common and widely accepted form is a Nebraska’s driver's license or state ID, though a full acceptable list is available on the Secretary of State’s website.
The May 12 primary is the second statewide primary election under Nebraska's voter ID law. Voters must present a valid photo ID before casting a ballot, whether voting early or on Election Day. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time on May 12.
For those planning to vote on Election Day, Wiltgen advised avoiding peak times like before work, the lunch hour and after work. He suggested mid-morning or mid-afternoon as less busy windows to avoid longer wait times.
Voters who are not yet registered have two upcoming deadlines. April 27 is the last day to register online, by mail, at the DMV or through a deputy registrar. May 1 is the final day to register in person at a county election office.