Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Cheyenne County voters will make few decisions on the local level in this year’s primary election on May 13.
The big issue for many voters is the almost $17 million Sidney school bond, which would pay for a new K-4 school to replace the three aging schools which currently house those grade levels. During a special election last fall the bond issue was narrowly defeated by a margin of 105 votes.
In February the state legislature passed LB 56, which allows county candidates to advance directly to the general election if running unopposed within their party. This means if there is only one Republican running for any certain county office, his or her name will not be printed on the primary ballot.
“Always before, the county races, the partisan races would always be on the primary whether there was two candidates or not,” said Cheyenne County Clerk Beth Fiegenschuh.
The purpose of this bill was to save money on ballot space in larger counties.
During next week’s election voters in the four rural Cheyenne County fire districts will decide on a levy override. Voters in Potter will make the choice on a cemetery district levy override as well.
Two Cheyenne County commissioners, Ken McMillen and Harold Winkelman, chose not to run for re-election this year. Tom Dorwart and Phil Sanders are running for McMillen’s open seat in district three, the Potter district. Darrel Johnson is running for Winkelman’s empty seat in district two, but because he is running unopposed his name will not be on the primary ballot.
At the state level voters will decide on their candidates for governor, treasurer, attorney general and auditor. Voters will also choose who to send to the general election for a U.S. Senate seat as well as the third district’s seat in the House of Representatives.
Those living in the five Sidney precincts can place their votes in the exhibit building at the Cheyenne County fairgrounds. Those in Gurley, Lodgepole and Potter vote at their village fire halls. Dalton residents vote at Union Valley fire hall.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day.
Anyone in doubt of what precinct in which they reside can call the county clerk’s office for this information. This could save time at the polling place. The county staffs each polling place with four paid workers, all who volunteer to work on election day.
The county spends around $20,000 on the primary election. It is reimbursed for ballot space by sub-divisions like the fire districts, cemetery and the school, but not by the state or federal government for those offices or amendments on the ballot.
The county will post the preliminary election results online on the night of May 13, but won’t have the official results until after the canvass board meeting on the following Thursday. The county will begin counting votes shortly after the polls close, when ballots are brought in from the villages.
“Be sure to get out and vote,” Fiegenschuh said.
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