NATE JENKINS / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Sunday, June 4, 2006 7:00 pm
A combination of factors in the May primary made the election appear ripe for possible snafus.
New optical-scanning voting machines were put to the test statewide, and turnout was especially high because of hotly contested races including the gubernatorial showdown between Gov. Dave Heineman and Third District Rep. Tom Osborne.
Despite the potential for problems, the election was the smoothest in more than a decade, elections officials reported when they certified results of the May 9 primary.
“Considering all the changes, the election went very well with few problems,” said Secretary of State John Gale. Along with Heineman and three others, Gale is a member of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, which met Monday at the Capitol.
The board certified results of the primary election, including results from the governor’s race. Heineman beat the former football coach by about 16,600 votes.
The only election results not certified were those from the District 44 state legislative race in southwest Nebraska.
The margin between second-place finisher Frank Shoemaker and third-place finisher Jeff Tidyman was just six votes, close enough to trigger an automatic recount under state law. The canvassing board is scheduled to meet June 12 to certify the recount’s results.
During the meeting, the governor touted the record Republican turnout during the primary.
“This year we had the largest Republican turnout in the history of this state,” said Heineman, referring to the 275,851 Republicans who voted in May. “When voters are given choices, they do turn out.”
Overall turnout was among the highest ever for a primary election in the state. A total of 400,687 ballots were cast, the most since the 1988 primary. The third-highest vote total ever was garnered that year (1972 is first, 1934 second).
High turnout was expected because of the Osborne-Heineman showdown and many open legislative seats, but it exceeded expectations. Gale predicted 32 percent of the state’s registered voters would vote; more than 35 percent did.
Gale said the turnout was a big leap from previous primary elections, such as 2004 when just 21 percent of registered voters voted.
“This might be an indication that we’re turning the corner on declining voter participation,” he said.
It came at a time marked by a shift to automated optical-scanning equipment in all 93 counties that Gale said may be the most significant change in Nebraska election administration in a century. In previous years, ballots were hand-counted in 42 counties.
That shift and implementation of a statewide voter-registration system were made to comply with a federal law passed in 2002.
Although the election was smooth overall, there were a few problems deemed worthy of reporting to the board of canvassers:
* North Platte Natural Subdistrict 2 was not on the ballot in part of Sioux County. Fifty-three voters did not receive the ballot, but the margin between second and third place in the race was wide enough that it did not affect the outcome.
* In Jefferson County, some ballots were initialed by only one judge, instead of the two required by law. More than 200 voters were affected, but the error didn’t change outcomes of state or local races.
* Pollbooks at two precincts in Omaha were missing half of registered voters in the precincts. About 40 voters were turned away and not allowed to vote with provisional ballots. Also, one precinct in Douglas County opened late.
Reach Nate Jenkins at 473-7223 or njenkins@journalstar.com.