Live updates: Harris claims Omaha's 'Blue Dot' electoral vote; Fischer narrowly keeps Senate seat
Nebraska's polls for the 2024 election have now closed.
Live Nebraska results for the 2024 election
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Medical marijuana wins easily, but legal hurdles remain
About 7 in 10 Nebraska voters supported the two medical marijuana measures. But a civil trial challenging signatures on the initiative petitions supporting puts them in jeopardy.
AP declares Fischer slim victor over Osborn
Sen. Deb Fischer prevailed — barely — over independent challenger Dan Osborn in a stunningly close U.S. Senate race.
Bacon, Vargas deliver another 2nd District cliffhanger
Tony Vargas barely led incumbent Rep. Don Bacon in his third try at the 2nd District congressional seat, but thousands of votes remain uncounted.
Fischer, Osborn locked in tight U.S. Senate race
Two-term U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer holds a slim lead against independent challenger Dan Osborn.
Nebraska delivers 'Blue Dot' to Kamala Harris
The Democratic candidate claimed the 2nd Congressional District's single electoral vote for the third time since 2008.
Amendment 439 backer predicts victory for abortion-rights measure
The founder of a nonprofit dedicated to recruiting and training women candidates in Nebraska said she thinks Amendment 439 will become part of the Nebraska Constitution.
In an interview at the Tony Vargas campaign watch party, Denise Blaya-Powell of Women Who Run Nebraska said the initiative — which would give Nebraskans the right to an abortion up to fetal viability — will be approved by voters in Tuesday's election.
The initiative had more "for" votes than the opposing Amendment 434 as of 10:30 Tuesday night, though it was considered to be too close to call. Initiative 434 would make abortion legal only in the first trimester of pregnancy.
During this election cycle, she said, her organization focused on issues that affect a woman's ability to be successful and run for office.
"We were proud to support 439," she said. "The right to control one's body feels like such a fundamental issue."
A spokesperson for Amendment 434 was not readily available at the party.
Dems poised to make gains in non-partisan Legislature
Margo Juarez wins McDonnell's South Omaha seat. Kathleen Kauth, Terrell McKinney, and John Cavanaugh are re-elected.
Voters give thumbs up to paid sick leave
Labor leaders called the passage of a measure guaranteeing paid sick leave a "big win" for Nebraska workers.
Mixed results for OPS incumbents
Nick Thielen, Gini Magnuson hold advantages in school board races.
AP projects Smith winner in U.S. House tilt; Flood-Blood race still close
Rep. Adrian Smith holds big lead as AP projects him the winner in District 3. The District 1 race between Mike Flood and Carol Blood remains uncalled.
At Vargas' party, it's getting loud
As numbers come in from election headquarters, the crowd at the Tony Vargas watch party is getting more and more raucous.
They roared when they saw Kamala Harris was beating Donald Trump by 11% in Nebraska's 2nd District at about 9 p.m., and roared even louder when figures on two big-screen TVs Vargas showed significantly up on U.S. Rep. Don Bacon with about 75% of the votes counted.
Former U.S. Rep. John Cavanaugh, father of Sen. John Cavanaugh of the Nebraska Legislature, was upbeat about the prospect of a win for his son, who was soundly ahead of opponent Julia Palzer, in addition to an upset victory for Vargas.
"It all looks terrific," the senior Cavanaugh said.
'I'm going independent,' says GOP voter who has known Osborn for years
At 8:30 p.m., supporters were continuing to fill into independent U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn's watch party in La Vista as Gretna artist Tyler Anthony sang and played the guitar.
CeCe and Chuck Carlson of Omaha said they've known Osborn almost his whole life as a friend of his parents. CeCe said she's always been an independent, while Chuck is a registered Republican.
"This time I'm going independent," he said.
CeCe said she appreciates that Osborn has focused more on clarifying who he is and responding to attacks from Fischer rather than attacking his opponent.
"He would point out the lies that were said about him," she said. "We knew they were lies, but I was glad he came out and said, 'that's a lie, that's not me.'"
Patrick Morton of Bellevue said Osborn offered for him to work for his campaign after he was injured in a work accident. He said he's seen firsthand how Osborn helps those around him and has been excited to see Osborn's campaign grow.
"It's really taken off," he said. "You know when you started seeing all the commercials against him, you start noticing that he is actually getting somewhere, he's making progress, because they were scared."
AP: Trump wins Nebraska, 'Blue Dot' vote still in limbo
AP Race Call: Donald Trump wins the statewide vote in Nebraska and two electoral votes | AP News
AP calls U.S. Senate race for Ricketts
U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts will be heading back to Washington after winning Nebraska's special two-year Senate election over Democratic challenger Preston Love.
'Family prayers' for GOP at Bellevue watch party
An early arriving crowd trickled into the Beardmore Event Center, at 3750 Raynor Parkway in Bellevue, and scattered across the sea of decorated tables on each side of the room.
Chuck Real, a Cook native residing in Omaha, and his wife were among the first to sit down. They're eager, especially Chuck.
"I'm really looking forward to the outcome," Real, 81, told The World-Herald. "I'm hoping the Republicans have a majority by the time the senate is in. The presidency, we'll take that too."
Real, a registered independent who's voted since the 1960 election, believes there's an enthusiasm about Republicans that wasn't there in 2020. The early crowd proves it, he said.
That confidence comes from somewhere different for Janice Jordan, though. Sitting at a table on the opposite side of the room from Real, it was in the people right in front of her.
"Family prayers," said Jordan, 71, from Bellevue. She pointed at the kids in the seats across the table. "It's a lot of prayers."
Vargas party optimistic, expects 'long night'
People started gathering at the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel near 36th and Harney Streets at about 7:30 p.m. for the Tony Vargas for Congress watch party.
Meg Mandy, senior adviser to the campaign, said she expected a couple hundred Vargas backers to attend. Vargas, a Democrat, is challenging U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in the 2nd District, made up of Omaha and surrounding communities.
The polls hadn't yet closed, but Mandy was optimistic about the night ahead. She said the local election commissioner had reported record turnout in some areas, and thought that was good news for the Vargas campaign.
"We are hopeful and feeling great," she said.
She also predicted that results would not be official until late in the evening, maybe even after midnight. When Vargas and Bacon squared off in the 2022 election, it wasn't called until 1 a.m., she said.
"It will be a long night," she added.
Now it's time for results
Polls have closed and Nebraska election workers have begun the work of reporting the results of the 2024 election.
Check out photos from the Nebraska election watch parties here:
Stay tuned to Omaha.com for the Nebraska election results
Tick, tick, tick ...
Polls set to close in five minutes. First Nebraska results expected soon after.
'Every time we vote, we make history'
Laverne Mack was feeling very good about having voted at King Science & Technology Middle School Tuesday evening.
"We're making history," said Mack, 62. "Every time we vote we make history."
She marked her ballot for Kamala Harris. It's time to have a woman lead the nation, Mack said.
"I want Kamala to win," Mack said. "I want to see some change in this United States."
She was among more than 800 people who had voted in the two-precinct polling place by about 6 p.m.
Cameron Brown, 32, took his young son Cameron Brown Jr. to the polls at King Science.
"It's a good thing for him to see," said the elder Brown, who had just gotten off work.
He said he votes in every election, including City of Omaha elections, because it's important. In this election, he wanted to use his vote to "make sure this area gets the funds and attention we deserve." He also wanted to vote for the ballot measures to legalize medical marijuana.
Brown cast his vote for president for Harris. A nonpartisan, he was open to voting for Trump, he said, but was put off by a lot of what Trump has said and done.
Marita Franklin, who's in her 50s, said too many people don't do what she considers a civic duty and vote.
"We need to speak up and get people in office who are for the people and our issues," Franklin said.
For her, Kamala Harris is such a person.
"She takes to heart what we feel," Franklin said, "She's not just looking at the issues that people just want to make a point about. I feel that he (Trump) is just going to go with what the people with the most money want."
A DJ at the polls
James Buckley Jr., whose DJ name is DJ Big Tate, performed outside the polling place Tuesday night at King Science & Technology Middle School in North Omaha. He was one of several local DJs who performed in Omaha and in other cities with large numbers of underrepresented people as part of an effort by a nonpartisan nationally group called DJs at the Polls. The group is trying to increase voter participation.
"This is more than just another gig," said Buckley, who grew up in the neighborhood. "I'm out here encouraging people to vote. ... It's a very fruitful moment to be out here doing this."
Presidential pick 'most important thing'
Logan Wilson, 21, and her boyfriend, Logan Meyer, 22, said they saw the presidential race as the most important thing on the ballot.
"It's the reason we're both out here today," Wilson said as they left their polling place at Morning Star Lutheran Church, 331 S. 85th Ave.
Both said they voted for Donald Trump because they believed he would make the economy stronger and secure U.S. borders.
They said they came to vote against Initiative 439, which lifts most restrictions on abortion, and for Initiative 434, which broadly bans abortions after the first trimester of pregnancy. Both attributed their position to their Christian faith.
Undecided until the last minute
Barbara Onken waited until the last minute to decide who would get her vote for president.
"It was a gut-churner for me. I'm not sure I decided until I got in there," said Onken, 57, shortly after casting her ballot at Bethany Lutheran Church in Elkhorn.
She said over the years she has been a Democrat, Republican and independent, and often splits her ticket. She voted for Donald Trump in 2016, but not in 2020.
So how did she come down this time?
"I voted for Kamala," Onken said.
There was no wavering, though, in her support for Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon in the 2nd Congressional District race. Her husband served in the Air Force with Bacon, and they know him personally.
"He does help the veterans," she said.
Commissioner: No reports of fraud
One might wonder, in these times, has there been any voter fraud on Election Day in Douglas County?
We posed the question to Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse Tuesday afternoon.
"We haven't had any reports of that," Kruse said.
There was one mysterious incident at a polling place, but it didn't exactly take the detective skills of Miss Marple, or Nancy Drew for that matter, to resolve it.
A poll worker called the election commission office to report something that looked suspicious at first blush. A woman had come in to vote, but when she went to sign her name on the voter rolls, there was already a signature on the line where she was supposed to sign.
"The poll worker said, I think this might be voter fraud," Kruse said. "But in about 30 seconds, we had it figured out."
Another voter with a similar name, who was on the same page of the voter rolls, had signed on the wrong line. So election officials had the second voter sign on the errantly signing first voter's line. A worker drew arrows between the signatures to indicate they were switched.
"We made a note here for our canvass report, for our audit," Kruse said.
So, no, he said, no credible reports of fraud.
A food truck at North Omaha voting spot
Neither Patricia Spears nor Kimberly Bruist have voted in a presidential election since Barack Obama was on the ballot. But this year, the threat of a second Donald Trump presidency brought them both to vote at the Urban League of Nebraska's Family Resource Center at 3040 Lake St.
"We felt strongly enough that we were like, no, we need to vote this year," Bruist said "Us having the rights over our bodies has been called into question."
"Felons can't do anything, so how can a felon be president?" Spears said.
Shavette Giddins, also at the Urban League, said she was driven to vote mostly because of state and local races, including her support of the medical marijuana ballot initiatives. At the presidential level, Giddins said she didn't trust either candidate, but would be supporting Harris over Trump.
"I think she's the safer option," Giddins said.
Joyce Poole took advantage of the food truck parked outside the Urban League.
She votes every time she said as she waited for her order.
The 71-year-old voted for Kamala Harris. She was concerned about some of the things former president Donald Trump has said on the campaign trail.
"With Trump, when he's talking about cutting social security — that's how I'm living," she said. "Taking away women's rights and stuff like that."
LaKenya Haskin wanted to make sure that her voice was heard.
That's why she voted Tuesday afternoon at the Urban League.
The 43-year-old said there is a need for change.
"I'm very for Kamala Harris," she said. "I believe in the things she has to say. Women's rights are very important to me."
As a veteran, Tina St. Cloud says she always makes sure to vote.
St. Cloud, who was in the U.S. Army, voted Tuesday afternoon at the Urban League
The 56-year-old said she voted for former president Donald Trump.
"Kamala has had four years to do her thing and hasn't done anything for us," she said.
Immigration was also a big issue for her.
"I think the influx of people coming here needs to stop," she said. "We need to have better border control."
Theodore Burr voted Tuesday afternoon at the Urban League.
"It's historic a woman may become president of the United States," he said.
The 66-year-old said he voted for vice president Kamala Harris because he liked her campaign.
"Everything she said that she would do," he said.
Nice and unexpected sight at the Elkhorn polling place: A line of early morning voters
Rhonda Pepper saw an unexpected sight when she opened the polling place at West Dodge Station Elementary School in Elkhorn on a dreary Tuesday morning.
A line.
"I don't know that I've ever seen a line, eager and waiting at 7:45 a.m. — especially in the rain," said Pepper, who has been a poll worker for the past 10 years. "It's nice to see."
By noon, 200 voters already had cast ballots at West Dodge Station, on California Street west of 180th Street.
"This has been the busiest, but one of the smoothest," said Susan Goracke, the Douglas County Election Commission inspector at the site. "People were very prepared. They knew their precincts."
The biggest problem, Goracke said, was people spoiling their ballots by misvoting.
The reason? The two abortion-related measures, Initiatives 434 and 439. Initiative 434 would enshrine a 12-week abortion ban in the state constitution. Initiative 439 would add a right to abortion up to the point of fetal viability.
Voters needed to vote yes on one and no on the other, depending upon their views on abortion.
By noon, about 10 people had asked to revote, said Goracke, who has worked polls for more than 20 years. Typically, she only sees one or two in a whole day.
'Big' voter turnout, ballot sleeve shortages
Like raindrops adding up to a stream, anecdotal accounts of voters queuing up Tuesday morning are amounting to what looks like heavier-than-expected turnout at metro Omaha polls.
"We've had big turnouts really all across the county, but it seems like it's been a little heavier out in the western part of the county," Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said early this afternoon. "Millard, Elkhorn, there have been some big numbers out there."
The mid-day reports came from district election supervisors.
"We've seen numbers in the 300s (at some polling places), 350, there were a couple 400s out west," Kruse said. "We've seen some 300s in the east, but mostly in the 200s which is pretty typical."
The large surge of voters at opening time caused a rare problem of several polling places in west Omaha ran short of ballot sleeves, the plastic frames into which voters place their completed ballots before handing them to poll workers to slide into ballot boxes. The sleeves protect voter anonymity. Normally poll workers hand each voter a sleeve with their ballot.
Polling place workers followed county election manual protocol and executed the prescribed work-around. They kept back one or two ballot sleeves for poll workers beside the ballot boxes.
"Then when the voters come up, they put their ballot in the sleeve, and then the poll worker drops it into the ballot box," Kruse said. "So it doesn't prevent anybody from voting, it's just a little out of the norm."
Kruse said voters have the option of waiting until a sleeve is available.
He said the problem had abated as crowds dwindled in late morning, but he anticipated it could recur later in the day.
As he spoke at the election commission office, couriers were headed out to pick up ballots cast between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Kruse expected them to return with full boxes of ballots.
"I think from some of the bigger precincts out west, we could have more than one box, which we never see, except for occasionally in a presidential (election)," he said.
Generally, Election Day voting has gone smoothly, Kruse said.
He had received no reports of voter harassment or intimidation.
"We've had a few calls from one organization of poll watchers thinking maybe another shouldn't be doing certain things," Kruse said.
Polling place inspectors, who are basically on-site election supervisors, talked with the poll watchers involved and "we didn't think anything nefarious was going on," Kruse said.
Could Douglas County turnout exceed his prediction of 73%?
"Let me say I hope so," Kruse said, noting that he heard reports of 60 to 100 people in line to vote first thing in the morning. "It does seem like voter turnout is a little heavier than I thought it'd be, especially this morning."
A Walz not voting for Harris
Brandy Walz of Omaha doesn't want to see her husband's second cousin anywhere near the White House.
Neither she nor her husband has ever met Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' Nebraska-born running mate, but they would be voting against him.
"We're part of the family that's related to him, but we don't share his politics," said Walz, 49, just after she voted early Tuesday afternoon outside St. Andrew's United Methodist Church 15050 West Maple Rd. in northwest Omaha. "We have very, very different views and morals that I would like to uphold."
Politics has divided many American families between red and blue. The Walz family's divisions played out on the national stage, when some of Tim Walz's Nebraska relatives posted a group photo in which they're wearing "Nebraska Walz's for Trump."
Brandy Walz wasn't in the photo, but she agreed with the sentiment.
"We're huge Trump supporters," she said. "We're here to help him win."
Jenna Guynan, a 38-year-old registered nurse, said civic duty prompted her to vote Tuesday afternoon at St. Andrew's United Methodist Church.
And her moral compass, she said, guided her vote for President.
"I really wanted the most moral and ethical person to win – the one that scares me the least," Guynan said. "That's Kamala."
She also voted independent Dan Osborn – a fellow Roncalli Catholic High School graduate – in the U.S. Senate race because she liked what she sees as his pragmatic, centrist politics.
And maybe a bit of Crimson Pride.
Masked kid near polling place causes false alarm
A costume caused a brief scare late Tuesday morning after a juvenile wearing a Halloween mask was seen walking near a polling place. A neighbor living near Reagan Elementary School in western Douglas County called the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to investigate the mask-wearer — who Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said turned out to be a kid "just playing." "The issue was a non-issue, but it's better to be safe than sorry," Kruse said.How votes are counted, when results are released
We're now fewer than six hours from the first batch of 2024 election results. Polls close at 8 p.m. tonight, and, as they do, Nebraskans will begin to see partial results come in.
The counting of votes in Nebraska began Monday. The first batch of results — from ballots submitted in the early voting process — will be released by 8 p.m. tonight.
That 8 p.m. results release, according to Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse, will come from a first batch of early ballots that are put on thumb drives and will be locked in a safe until Tuesday night. That will be about 50% of the Douglas County vote, Kruse said. Subsequent results will be released at 8:45 p.m., 9:45 p.m. and 10:45 p.m., Kruse said he's "99%" confident there will be a 11:45 p.m. release of results, too.
Want to know more? Check out the link. It's interesting!
These Little Italy voters motivated by abortion issues
Laura North, 34, just got engaged and would like to have children, so the abortion issue is important. She voted Tuesday afternoon at Order Sons and Daughters of Italy at 1238 S. 10th St.
"I just think it's my right and other women's rights to be able to say what they do with their body," she said, related Initiatives 434 and 439. Initiative 434 is more restrictive of abortion rights. "I think it's important to be able to have access to health care that's life saving and keeps me in mind instead of other people in government."
North, who lived in the Bay Area for several years, voted for Kamala Harris for president. She said she has family who voted on both sides of the aisle.
"I think she's more equipped. I'm more comfortable with her. I feel more confident about her. I feel like she's just so much more trustworthy," North said. "I couldn't really bring myself to vote for a convicted felon."
Joshua Davis, 32, said he was performing his civic duty by voting Tuesday afternoon at Sons of Italy.
Davis said he would rather not say who he voted for for president, but he did share his stance on abortion rights.
"Personally being a male and not being able to conceive life, I can only imagine the woman's process of going through that," he said. "Who am I to tell what someone else can do with their body? That's how I feel about that."
Issues that matter while 'dissecting' ballot
Here's another World-Herald video asking local voters for their thoughts on what ballot issues mattered most to them, and how to figure out some of the "confusing" ballot initiatives.
'Taxes just kill me'
Austin Shellenberger, 20, voted Tuesday to, he said, support human rights for himself and his friends.
"I am here today representing what I believe is right for the state and the presidential election of course," he said at the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center.
Shellenberger said he felt strongly about legalizing medical marijuana in Nebraska for people who he thinks need it.
"Not every issue can just be solved with a simple medication or anything like that. Some people they need that stuff to be able to survive and they deserve to be able to get their hands on that," he said.
Although he declined to say how he voted, he said women have the right to their own bodies and they deserve to have the choice whether they want to have the child or not.
He said he voted for Kamala Harris for president.
"It's the fact that we not only could have our first female president of the United States but the fact that some of the things she's proposing to do help us as the lower middle class with our income," he said. "I know I'm personally struggling paycheck to paycheck. Taxes just kill me.
"If she is supporting helping the middle class with helping regulate our taxes than that is something I would like to do. I would like to support myself as a 20-year-old but who is to say someone who is 50 or 60 isn't in my same position where they aren't able to retire because they live paycheck to paycheck like I do."
Differing presidential views in Bellevue
Jennifer Ninkovic, who was born in 1986, said it was an important year to get out to vote at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd N in Bellevue.
"It's a right as a citizen to come out and do it and put your input in," she said.
She said the economy was a deciding factor in voting for Donald Trump for president. "I just thought he was a good president."
She said 434 and 439 abortion initiatives were confusing, but she was able to figure them out once in the voting booth.
"I think it's my body my choice," she said. "I feel like I should have a right to an abortion if I want it."
James Erlenbach said there was a lot to think about in voting Tuesday.
"From president right on down to the counties," he said.
The 77-year-old said he voted for Kamala Harris for president.
"I've watched Mr. Trump here for the last several years, and I just felt we didn't want him another four," he said.
Car clock confusion
State Sen. Merv Riepe, who represents the 12th District, was reading the Wall Street Journal and the World-Herald at a McDonald's at 10:30 Tuesday morning. He calls it his country club.
He was wearing a voter sticker but the wrong time on his car clock caused a little confusion. He tried to vote at 7:02 a.m. instead of 8:02 a.m. All the lights were on at Wildewood Elementary 8071 Ralston Ave. in Ralston, part of his district, and it looked ready to go. He tried again successfully, after a meeting.
The 82-year-old, who grew up as a farm kid, had no confusion about who he voted for for president.
The direction of the nation was the most important thing to him.
"I voted for Trump, simply for the fact that I like experience. I sort of look beyond a lot of the media bias I would call it or coverage of it. They were almost over the top on that."
First-time voter in 'very consequential' year
Asia Price dropped three of her four children at their schools before stopping to vote at Benson Park Pavilion, situated near a tranquil pond off bustling Northwest Radial Highway and 72nd Street. Just more than 70 people had voted at the polling place by 8:45 a.m., and a steady trickle of voters continued to line up for their ballots
A regular voter, Price declined to say how she had voted but said she "just wanted to be a part of the history and what the election means to my children in the future."
Connifer Miller, 18, had just voted for the first time. He said the election has been stressful. "It's a very consequential year," he said.
But Miller was determined to vote. "It's one of the most express powers I have," he said. "It's the most decisive say I have in what I want."
Patricia Scott, 43, said not even a real storm would have stopped her from going to the polls. Abortion rights were the main issue that brought her.
"I feel like women should have the rights to their bodies and no one should take that away," she said. "We fought for many years for that."
'Blue Dot' sign creators cast their votes
A line of three dozen people went out the door into the rain as the polls opened at 8 a.m. at Washington Elementary School, a polling place in the Omaha's Dundee-Elmwood Park neighborhood.
The backup was enough for polling workers to decide to ask school officials for a long table that enabled them to increase the number of voting stations from 12 to 16. That helped keep the operation running smoothly, as the length of the line remained consistent in the hour that followed.
"It's moving pretty quick," said Evan Keelan-White, who stood in line with his 2 1⁄2-year-old son Nolan on his shoulders, both of them dressed in rain jackets. When the two got inside, they were greeted by their wife and mother, who was volunteering as a poll worker.
Keelan-White said he was motivated by a number of issues, including abortion, health care access and "keeping the world good and safe" for Nolan. He said he was voting for Kamala Harris for president, though he acknowledged his personal politics are probably to the left of hers.
"I have to prevent Donald Trump from winning," he said. "So here I am."
A voter just behind Keelan White said, conversely, he looking forward to voting for the former president. He declined to give his name, noting he was a longtime Democrat and union man whose vote might upset some of his friends.
"Trump's got some faults, but doggone it, he'll get something done," he said, also calling the Democratic ticket of Harris and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz too liberal for his taste.
Abortion was a strong voting motivator for Buf Reynolds, who came to the school with her husband and adult son. Reynolds volunteers as a client escort at abortion clinics and helped circulate petitions to get Nebraska's 12-week abortion ban on the ballot.
She expressed a mix of hope, anxiety and resolve with the issue directly on Nebraska's ballot this year.
"Even if the things that I want to see happen don't come through, it won't be the end of everything," she said. "We'll start the next battle tomorrow and keep working towards what we think is right."
In line not far behind Reynolds were Jason Brown and Ruth Huebner-Brown. There was really no question who they were voting for for president.
The Dundee residents were the originators of the "Blue Dot" yard sign phenomena that spread across Omaha, having created the first such sign with spray paint in their driveway.
Options for 'good health care'
Providing options for women and their families was an important reason for Chris Cherny to vote Tuesday, despite a long line when she arrived
Cherny, 66, voting at First Lutheran Church in Papillion, said the abortion initiatives were a key issues for her, as well as the presidential election. She voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
She said she voted against Initiative 434 and for Initiative 439.
"I think it's important that women and their families have the options that are needed to have good health care," she said. "Pregnancy can be so complicated and many things can go wrong in a pregnancy. I think a woman needs to have those options to do what is best for her and her family."
'I felt like I needed to get out and vote'
Emily Richter, voting at First Lutheran Church at 420 N Washington St. in Papillion, said the paid sick leave ballot initiative for Nebraska was a big issue for her.
"I'm a mom of two kids, and they get sick a lot," the 28-year-old said. "Not having any sick leave to fall back on when that happens and I have to stay home and take care of them is a big issue."
The presidential race was also big as were the two conflicting abortion issues, she said.
She voted for Initiative 434, she said, which she said was slightly more restrictive than Initiative 439.
Initiative 434, known as the Protect Women and Children campaign, would amend the Nebraska Constitution to ban most abortions after the first trimester but also leave room for lawmakers to increase restrictions in the future. Initiative 439, known as the Protect Our Rights campaign, would amend the state's constitution to establish the right to an abortion up until "fetal viability," which is generally considered to be 23 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
She declined to say who she voted for for president.
"I felt like I needed to get out and vote, especially with all the initiatives we have on the local ballot today," she said.
Four Omaha voters on their 'Priority No. 1'
World-Herald reporters asked a variety of voters around Omaha why they were headed to the polls on Election Day and what issues mattered most to them.
'What makes USA, USA'
Between 50 and 75 voters waited in line at St. Bernard Rectory near 65th Street and Northwest Radial Highway about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, some out on the sidewalk in a light rain. About 75 had already voted.
"It's nice to see this many people," said Matt Jacobs, 63, who has voted at the rectory for 30 or more years, although he usually casts his ballot in the afternoon. "It's what makes USA, USA. I just think it's important to vote."
Abortion rights brought Saundra Swan, 76, to St. Bernard Rectory, although she didn't really want to be out in the rain. She said she lived through the time before Roe v. Wade protected abortion access. Losing it makes her angry.
"I believe people have a right to choose what they want," she said.
Jacobs said there were no specific issues bringing him to the ballot. He's only missed one election since he turned 18. "I just think it's important to vote," he said.
How many Nebraskans will vote?
Nebraska early voting sites have done brisk business since those polls opened in early October but how many people will vote overall?
Election officials made some estimates before Election Day:
'We need some leadership'
Voting at Faith Presbyterian Church at 8100 Giles in LaVista, Mary Jo Gunnels declined to say who she voted for — but she did believe it was important to vote.
"Because our country is a mess and we need some leadership," Gunnels said.
Gunnels said Initiatives 434 and 439 on abortion were important to her, as well.
"Because I'm pro-life except if someone is raped (or a victim of) incest or something is wrong with the baby," Gunnels said.
Initiative 434, known as the Protect Women and Children campaign, would amend the Nebraska Constitution to ban most abortions after the first trimester but also leave room for lawmakers to increase restrictions in the future. Initiative 439, known as the Protect Our Rights campaign, would amend the state's constitution to establish the right to an abortion up until "fetal viability," which is generally considered to be 23 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Confusing ballot language means advance research needed
Tracey Muzzey did her homework to avoid any confusion on how she voted Tuesday.
"I had looked at everything beforehand over the weekend because i know the language is always confusing. I wanted to make sure I knew what was happening. I dissected everything like yesterday and made sure I understood it," she said.
The paid sick leave and abortion rights ballot measures and the presidential race were all important to the 30-year-old, who voted at 9 a.m. at the FIrst Lutheran Church in Papillion.
"I would like to have a good president coming up and more rights for women on abortion," she said.
A hat, a flag and confrontation averted
About 40 people had voted within the first 20 minutes of Sarpy County Precinct 26 opening at Thanksgiving Lutheran Church in Bellevue, which had a line into the church lobby, with coffee available for those waiting. Lines were considerably longer for those with last names A-K, but voters were moving through at a steady clip as spots at tables became available.
At about 8:30 a.m., a poll worker at the adjacent Precinct 24 asked a man wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat to remove it while in line. The man, who was carrying an American flag on a pole and wearing a tactical vest, declined and remained in line, and the poll worker called the election office for guidance.
Electioneering, which includes displaying clothing or symbols of campaigns, is prohibited in Nebraska polling buildings and within 200 feet of the polling places.
The poll worker told a reporter afterwards that he wanted to avoid a confrontation, and the man remained in line. Several minutes later, the poll worker said the man took off the hat, and he said law enforcement was not called.
Polls open across the state
Election Day voting begins across Nebraska. At Bethel Lutheran Church — 1312 S. 45th St. in Omaha — about nine people initially waited in their cars to avoid the rain. One person was standing at the door in the rain. At 7:45 a.m., most got out of their cars and there were 40 people in line when the door opened.
Morning Metro voters may want umbrellas
Polls open at 8, and rain may still be in the Omaha area. The National Weather Service forecast calls for showers "mainly before 11 a.m." with patchy fog. The rain seems likely to clear out by evening as winds die down. Some of the eastern and northeastern part of Nebraska will see rain showers throughout the morning, while Nebraska west of Kearney should not much precipitation.
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