Congratulations, voters — May 9 has finally arrived. You've survived another political season of candidate ads, endorsements, duels, debates and polls. Sure, it's only a primary, but there's plenty at stake, particularly in the GOP gubernatorial race. Here's your five-minute guide to Election Day.

The races

Governor: Gov. Dave Heineman and Rep. Tom Osborne are locked in a tight Republican struggle that has attracted national attention. Omaha businessman Dave Nabity is the third man in the GOP race. The winner will face Democratic candidate David Hahn in the fall.

Senate: Saturation TV advertising by Pete Ricketts has commanded the spotlight in the three-man Republican Senate race. Ricketts, former chief operating officer of Ameritrade, is matched against former Attorney General Don Stenberg and former Republican State Chairman David Kramer.  The winner faces the formidable challenge of trying to unseat Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson.

State Treasurer: The appointed incumbent, Ron Ross, and Shane Osborn, a military hero, are seeking the Republican nomination for state treasurer. The winner will not only advance to the general election, but will have the inside track in November.

Secretary of State: Two Democrats — Jay Stoddard and Don Eret — are vying for the Democratic nomination. Incumbent John Gale is unopposed on the Republican ticket.

Amendment 1: Nebraskans will decide whether to raise the pay of state senators, whose last raise was in 1988. The amendment will increase the salary of the 49 senators to $21,000 a year from $12,000. The measure also would allow senators’ salaries to rise annually by the Cost of Living Index, up to 4 percent.

Legislature: Get ready for new faces. The term limits constitutional amendment voters passed in 2000 means 20 senators are barred from running for re-election. Eighty-two candidates hope to replace them. There are three open seats in Lincoln and four in Southeast Nebraska.

Parks bond: Lincoln residents will decide whether to approve a $2.7 million bond issue to buy land north of the planned South Beltway, a four-lane freeway the state will begin building in 2008. The 130 acres would be developed into parks, trails, picnic areas, natural areas and recreational fields. If approved, it would cost the owner of a $100,000 home in Lincoln an additional $1.60 annually.

Voter turnout: Lancaster County Election Commissioner David Shively predicts 55,000 voters, or about a third of the county’s registered voters, will vote locally. Secretary of State John Gale thinks the same percentage statewide will cast ballots.

Who’s already voted?: 8,253 voters have requested absentee ballots in Lancaster County, almost double the number requested two years ago.

Where do you vote?: To find your polling place, go to: www.ci.lincoln.ne.us/cnty/election/cevpoll.htm or call the Election Office at 441-7311. Polls are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How will the ballot look?: In this partisan primary election, voters receive different ballots depending on their political party registration. Some offices have nonpartisan primaries in which the two candidates receiving the most votes for an office are nominated. In a general election, all voters receive the same ballot and elect the top candidates from the primary election.

It’s all optical: For the first time, every county in the state will count ballots electronically. Using primarily federal funds, the state has bought optical scan vote-counting equipment for the 42 counties that still were counting ballots by hand. In addition, every polling place will have at least one disabled-accessible machine with a touch screen, a kind of joy stick and an audio component that reads the ballot aloud.

Live on the Web: The Lancaster County Election Commissioner and the Nebraska Secretary of State will post live vote total updates after 8 p.m. For continually updating election night stories from around the state, stick with JournalStar.com's Election 2006 center.

Restricted activities: No one may campaign or hand out political literature within 200 feet of a polling place. No one should wear political badges or insignia into the polling place on election day.

When do we get to do it again?: The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

2006 primary by the numbers

$1.60: Amount per year the owner of a $100,000 home in Lincoln would pay if a $2.7 million bond issue to buy green space near the planned South Beltway is approved.

3: Republicans who want the chance to replace Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson in November: David Kramer, Pete Ricketts and Don Stenberg.

4: Political parties recognized in Nebraska: Republican Party, Democratic Party, Nebraska Party and Green Party.

18: Age you must be by Nov. 7, 2006, to vote in this year’s elections.

32: Turnout percentage predicted by Lancaster County election commissioner and secretary of state.

69: Western and central counties in Nebraska’s vast 3rd Congressional District. Five Republicans and one Democrat hope to replace U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne, who wants Gov. Dave Heineman’s job.

42: Counties with new optical scanners to count votes. Previously they counted ballots by hand.

74: Candidates seeking to replace 20 outgoing state senators prevented from running again by term limits.

200: Feet from polling places campaign workers must stand to hand out political literature on election day.

218: Voting precincts in Lancaster County. They will be at 170 polling locations.

1,050-1,100: Poll workers and others helping the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s Office on election day.

1,366: Number of new machines in the state that make every polling place disabled-accessible. The Automark machines have a touch screen, a kind of joy stick and an audio component that reads the ballot aloud.

$21,000: Salary sought for state senators through Amendment 1. They now make $12,000 per year.

8,253: Voters who have requested absentee ballots in Lancaster County, almost double the number requested two years ago.

$4.7 million: Personal loans Pete Ricketts has plugged into his campaign to win the Republican Senate nomination.