Nemaha County voters, as well as thousands across Nebraska, will go to the polls Tuesday, May 11, to narrow down the fields in several races for the Tuesday, Nov. 2, general election ballot. The polls will be open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
There are two contested county races on the May 11 ballot. Jana Smith, Brock and Wendy Hemmer, Auburn, are Democratic candidates for county assessor. Lila Gottula, longtime Nemaha County assessor, is not seeking re-election. Incumbent Bob Hutton, Nemaha, is being challenged by Jim Jarvis, Auburn, for Nemaha County Commissioner, District One, Republican. Primary winners advance to the Nov. 2 general election.
Other Nemaha County races are all unopposed. They are: Brent Lottman, sheriff, Republican; Patricia Holtzman, treasurer, Democrat; Louie Ligouri, attorney, Republican; Amy Hector, clerk of the district court, Republican; and Marvin D. Bohling, Republican and incumbent Randy Rohrs, Democrat, both Johnson, District Three commissioner, all advance to the Nov. 2 general election. No candidates of either party filed for county surveyor.
State Sen. Tony Fulton, Auburn High School graduate, is among three Republican candidates for state treasurer. The others are Don Stenberg, former Nebraska attorney general and Tom Nesbitt, former head of the State Patrol. The primary winner will face Democrat Mark Stoj in November. Shane Osborn, incumbent state treasurer, is not seeking re-election.
Voters in two Nemaha County communities will consider ballot issues.
Peru voters will decide whether to continue a 1 percent sales and use tax. Brownville voters will consider a 1 percent sales and use tax and if approved, whether the issue will sunset in 10 years.
Among area school boards, only Humboldt/Table Rock-Steinauer will have a primary election. There are seven candidates each for four-year and two-year terms.
Seeking four-year terms are: Neal Kanel, Todd Binder, Scott Ogle, Corey Hain, Lynn Fankhauser, Steve Schaardt and Pete Niedzielski.
Seeking two-year terms are: Sandra Stalder, Joe Standerford, Jeremy Leech, James Zentner, Missy Freeman, Bryan Gossman and Terry Vice.
A number of offices will not be on the primary ballot because no more than two candidates for each position up for election filed. Those include: Auburn mayor; Auburn councilperson from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd wards; Peru councilperson from the east and west wards; school boards for Auburn, Johnson-Brock, Falls City, Johnson County Central and Nebraska City; Nebraska Public Power District Subdivision 8; Omaha Public Power District South Subdivision; Southeast Community College District 2; and Nemaha Natural Resources District Subdistricts 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Voting locations are: Multiplex Building, Auburn, 1st Douglas and 4th Douglas precincts; St. Paul Lutheran Church, Auburn, 2nd Douglas and 3rd Douglas precincts; Brownville Village Hall, Brownville Precinct; Brock Community Building, Lafayette Precinct; Nemaha Community Building, Nemaha Precinct; Peru City Hall, Peru Precinct and Johnson American Legion Building, Washington Precinct.
There is one contested race each for state and national office.
Gov. Dave Heineman, seeking a second full term, is challenged by Paul Anderson and Christopher Geary on the Republican ticket. Mark Lakers is unopposed for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry faces Ralph Bodie and David Hunt in his bid for a fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Seeking the Democratic Congressional nomination are: Jessica Lynn Turek, Stanley Krauter, Ivy Harper and Sherman Yates.
John Gale, incumbent secretary of state, is unopposed on the Republican ticket. Janet Stewart is unopposed on the Democratic ticket for secretary of state.
Jon Bruning, incumbent attorney general and Mike Foley, incumbent auditor, are unopposed on the Republican ticket. No Democrats filed for either position.
Patricia Timm is unopposed for State Board of Education, District 5.
There is no election in 2010 for Legislature, 1st District or the U.S. Senate.
Voters will also consider an amendment to authorize the Legislature to permit officials of counties and municipalities to acquire, own, develop, and lease or finance personal property for use by nonprofit enterprises for nonsectarian, nondevotional and nonreligious purposes and to issue revenue bonds for such purpose; will prohibit the use of condemnation for acquiring such property and operation of such property as a business by county or municipal officials and will not authorize county or municipal officials to impose any tax to repay the obligations represented by such revenue bonds.