2026 Midterms State GuideNebraska
Hold on to your corn husks and cattle drives.
- PrimaryStatewideMay 12This date has passed.
- Election DayGeneralNov. 3
Updated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you, the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your corn husks and cattle drives, and let’s get into it.
Nebraska at a glance
Nebraska votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for governor, U.S. Senate, all 3 U.S. House seats and four statewide ballot measures.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 16: Voter registration deadline (online before midnight, postmarked if by mail)
- Early voting
- Oct. 5: In-person early voting begins
- Governor
- 4 candidates
- U.S. Senate
- 3 candidates
- U.S. House
- 3 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- 4
Your to-do list
0 of 3 doneImportant dates
- May 12Primary This date has passed.
- Oct. 5In-person early voting begins
- Oct. 16Voter registration deadline (online before midnight, postmarked if by mail)
- Oct. 23 (6 p.m.)Last day to register in person, last day for requests for mailed early voting ballots to be received
- Nov. 2In-person early voting ends
- Nov. 3Election Day, polls open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT); early voting ballots must reach county election offices or secure drop boxes before polls close (not just postmarked).
What’s at stake
Nebraska made history this year as the first state since direct Senate elections began (1914) to have two consecutive Senate races without a Democratic candidate. Cindy Burbank (the Democratic candidate who won in the primaries) withdrew in July, and she told voters she was going to do that from the moment she launched her campaign. Her stated goal was to beat the other Democratic candidate (who she claimed was in Pete Ricketts’ pocket), so that she could drop out, making way for Nonpartisan Dan Osborn to have a shot at winning. This Senate race will be a test of whether an independent candidate can stand against one of the two major parties. A 2025 NASIS survey showed Nebraskans’ satisfaction has gone down since 2021: less than half (46%) said they were satisfied or very satisfied financially (down from 61% in 2021), and more Nebraskans reported having difficulty paying their bills.
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
Nebraska is choosing a governor
See whose priorities line up with yours
Here are the top priorities each candidate lists, in their own words. Pick the 3 that matter most to you. Names stay hidden until you see your results.
0 of 3 picked
Jim PillenRepublicanincumbent, seeking 2nd four-year term
Top priorities- Continuing to cut property taxes and reduce government spending
- Protecting kids from social media's harmful effects, including banning phones in schools
- Supporting Nebraskan farmers and ranchers by fighting back against lab-grown meat products and cutting government red tape
- Top priorities
Lynne WalzDemocrat- Lowering taxes while strengthening schools and growing Nebraska's economy
- Respecting voters' decisions on key issues, including medical marijuana, minimum wage, paid sick leave, and school vouchers
- Restoring honesty and transparency in government and ending corrupt behavior by elected leaders
- Top priorities
Brett LindstromAmerica First Party Nebraska- Create opportunity and compete for people using market affordability, safety, schools, community to young families and professionals, and running a deliberate campaign to bring Nebraskans home: reconnecting alumni, former residents, and military families with opportunity here.
- Foster stability by lowering property taxes, relying less on local revenue, and modernizing agricultural land valuation toward productive value.
- Stewarding Nebraska’s resources (fiscal policy, infrastructure, land and water) for the next generation.
- Top priorities
Rick BeardLegal Marijuana Now Party- Enforce sections 33, 37, and 66 of the ImagiNE Nebraska Act to pursue the recapture of tax credits from corporations that fail to meet their agreed-upon job requirements.
- Legalizing cannabis to bring young people and revenue back to the state.
- Eliminate the ability for corporations, PACs, and special interest groups to funnel money into elections and to Nebraskan elected officials.
- Get to know ’em
Dan OsbornNonpartisan - Get to know ’em
Mike MarvinLegal Marijuana Now Party
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s big picture
Nebraska will elect three candidates to represent the Cornhusker State in the U.S. House. Republicans are expected to hold two of those seats.
- Open seats
One: NE-2’s incumbent, Don Bacon (R), is retiring.
- Competitive districts
District NE-2 is considered a little bit competitive, leaning but not solidly Democrat. This is the district with an open seat. NE-1 and NE-3 are considered to be solidly Republican.
Statewide ballot measures
4 to read before you go. Tap one to open it.
This amendment proposes changing term limits in the state constitution for Nebraska State Senators. Right now, state senators aren’t eligible for re-election for four years after serving two consecutive four-year terms. This would raise that to three consecutive four-year terms, meaning a senator could serve from 2020-2032 instead of 2028.
Voting yessupports letting state senators serve three consecutive four-year terms (up from two) before they must sit out for four yearsVoting noopposes this constitutional amendment, keeping the current limit of two consecutive four-year terms before a senator must sit out for four years.Currently, sports betting is only legal at the racetracks, not online. This amendment would authorize the government to enact laws making online sports wagering legal. Think of this like the permission slip, and 441 is the rulebook.
Voting yessupports letting the state pass laws that make online sports betting legal (the permission slip for 441)Voting noopposes this constitutional amendment, keeping sports betting legal only at the racetracks, not onlineThis amendment would allow online sports betting and authorize the state gaming commission to adopt rules and regulations governing the gaming operators. This is the rulebook lawmakers can run with if they get permission from 440.
Voting yessupports allowing online sports betting and letting the state gaming commission adopt rules and regulations for gaming operatorsVoting noopposes this constitutional amendment, keeping online sports betting illegalThis amendment requires schools to categorize each sports team one of the following based on biological sex: male, female, or coed, and prohibit biologically male students from participating on teams or in sports designated for females. The validity of this measure is currently caught up in litigation. It’s expected to stay on the ballot regardless, but the Nebraska Supreme Court will rule on whether the language is legally compliant.
Voting yessupports requiring schools to designate each sports team as male, female, or coed based on biological sex, and barring biologically male students from teams or sports designated for femalesVoting noopposes this constitutional amendment, so schools are not required to designate teams by biological sex or to bar biologically male students from teams designated for females
Also on the ballot
Other races Nebraska voters will decide.
- Lieutenant Governor
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Auditor
- Treasurer
- Public Service Commission
- State Board of Education (4 seats)
- State Board of Regents (3 seats)
- State Senate
- Special state legislative
- State Supreme Court
- Intermediate appellate courts
- School boards
- Municipal government
- Local ballot measures
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
Know someone voting in Nebraska?
Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.
A prayer for Nebraska
Father, we pray for Nebraskans as they enter the ballot box. May they not be overwhelmed by the options on their ballot. Help them to use all available wisdom to make the best decision they can, then help them trust You with the unknowns. In all things, may they seek Your glory and the good of their neighbor.
Draw near to each candidate. As they campaign, may they do so with integrity, not with hate toward their opponents or those who vote against them. If they win, surround them with wise counsel, free them from trivial distractions, and guide them toward the best decisions for their constituents. For those that lose, may they take it with grace; bring comfort to their hearts.
And for each Nebraskan for whom election season brings on a litany of negative emotions: may Your Spirit give peace. Remind them that these earthly authorities are not ultimate, but answer to You and are appointed by You. You remain sovereign, and Your good purposes will be accomplished no matter what.
Amen.