Kearney, Nebraska sample ballot 2026

Sherry Jones is a retired educator who worked for Grand Island Public Schools for 35 years in special education, language arts and school counseling, per her campaign site. She is a charter member of the Association of American Educators and is seeking re-election to the Nebraska State Board of Education, District 6, per her campaign site.

Erickson is a Grand Island native and a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Vermont Law School who has worked as an attorney for 10 years, including as a Guardian ad Litem for juveniles across Adams, Hall, Merrick, Howard, Greeley, Boone and Buffalo Counties, per his campaign site. He has served on the boards of the Grace Cancer Foundation and the Third City Community Clinic, per his campaign site.

Pete Ricketts is Nebraska's sitting U.S. senator, sworn in on January 23, 2023, per the official Senate biography. He was born in Nebraska City, raised in Omaha, and worked in his family's business that became Ameritrade, per the official Senate biography. He was sworn in as Nebraska's 40th governor on January 8, 2015 and reelected to a second term in November 2018, per the official Senate biography.

• Voted yes on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 tax-and-spending package, which passed the Senate 50-50 in July 2025, with the vice president casting the tie-breaking vote. Supported
• Voted yes on the Laken Riley Act, expanding federal detention of certain immigrants charged with theft or violent crimes, which passed the Senate 64-35 in January 2025. Supported

Dan Osborn is an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Nebraska, listed on the ballot 'By Petition', per the Nebraska Secretary of State's final statewide general election candidate filing list dated September 11, 2026. He served four years in the U.S. Navy and then joined the Nebraska Army National Guard, per the campaign site. He has worked as an industrial mechanic at the Kellogg's plant in Omaha since 2004, was president of his local union and led the 2021 Kellogg's strike, per the campaign site.

Robin Richards grew up in Ralston, Nebraska, serves on the Ralston school board, earned a B.A. in music education and English from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, has worked with the Nebraska Arts Council and Omaha Children's Museum, and has led Little Bird Consulting LLC, per the campaign site. Robin Richards of Ralston is the Nebraska Working People Party's candidate for U.S. Senate, per the Nebraska Secretary of State's final statewide general election candidate filing list dated September 11, 2026. Richards is the party's chair, per the Nebraska Examiner. The Nebraska Supreme Court cleared the party for recognition on August 26, 2026 and the Secretary of State certified it the same day, per the Nebraska Examiner.

Chuck Conboy has been a Nebraska resident all his life, the oldest of seven children, and has worked ordinary jobs for sixty years in management and sales and as vice president of the Local Meatpackers and Butchers union, per the campaign site. Chuck Conboy of Papillion is the America First Party's candidate for U.S. Senate, per the Nebraska Secretary of State's final statewide general election candidate filing list dated September 11, 2026. The Nebraska Supreme Court cleared the party for recognition on August 26, 2026 and the Secretary of State certified it the same day, per the Nebraska Examiner. The Secretary of State's office confirmed valid signatures for the party's five filings, per the Nebraska Examiner and Nebraska Public Media.

Jim Pillen is Nebraska's incumbent governor and the Republican nominee for re-election in 2026, winning his May primary with about 76% of the vote. A veterinarian, hog producer, and former University of Nebraska regent from Columbus, his first term has emphasized property-tax relief, agriculture, water policy, and conservative budgeting.

Lynne Walz is the Democratic nominee for Nebraska governor, a former state senator from Fremont, former school board member, teacher, and realtor. She won the May 2026 Democratic primary with about 91% of the vote and is running a bipartisan-toned campaign focused on good-paying jobs, public schools, and lowering everyday costs for Nebraska families.

Rick Beard is the Legal Marijuana NOW Party nominee for Nebraska governor, a former farmer, former wine shop owner, and longtime marijuana-legalization activist who takes no PAC or party money. His platform centers on a state-operated cannabis business to fund property-tax relief, removing corporate money from Nebraska politics, and upholding voter-approved initiatives like medical cannabis and minimum-wage increases.

Lindstrom was born in Lincoln, raised in Omaha, played quarterback at the University of Nebraska, and earned his degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, per the campaign site. Lindstrom worked nearly two decades in wealth management and served District 18 in the Nebraska Legislature from 2015 to 2023, where he chaired the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, per the campaign site.

Mike Hilgers is Nebraska's incumbent attorney general and the Republican nominee for re-election in 2026, advancing unopposed from the May primary. A former speaker of the Nebraska Legislature and business founder, his office has emphasized consumer protection, public safety, opioid enforcement, and litigation defending Nebraska law.

Jocelyn Brasher is the Democratic nominee for Nebraska attorney general and a former assistant Nebraska attorney general who spent five years in the office's Consumer Protection Bureau. If elected she would be the first woman to serve as Nebraska attorney general. Her campaign emphasizes consumer protection, fraud enforcement, and an office focused on Nebraskans rather than national politics.

Scott Petersen is the Republican nominee for Nebraska secretary of state, an Omaha businessman who won the Republican nomination over two-term incumbent Bob Evnen in May 2026. His campaign emphasizes election security, auditable election systems, ballot chain-of-custody rules, and modernizing state business services.

Sarah Slattery is the Democratic nominee for Nebraska secretary of state, a professional chef and small-business owner from Plattsmouth who serves on the Plattsmouth Bridge Commission and Library Board. If elected she would be Nebraska's first female secretary of state. Her campaign emphasizes defending Nebraska's existing election system, voter access, and practical service for businesses.

Rumbaugh, the Nebraska Working People Party candidate, was raised in Omaha, graduated from Omaha Central High School and earned a B.S. in Security Management from Bellevue University, per the campaign site. Rumbaugh has more than 25 years of business experience in sales, operations and risk management and has worked for Douglas County and the Clerk of the District Court's office since 2023, per the campaign site.

Krist is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel with 21 years of service, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and an Omaha native, per the campaign site. Krist served in the Nebraska Legislature representing District 10 from 2009 to 2019, chaired the Legislature's Executive Board, and was inducted into the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame in 2014, per the campaign site.

Joey Spellerberg is Nebraska's incumbent state treasurer and the Republican nominee for a first full term in 2026. The former mayor of Fremont, he was appointed treasurer in November 2025 after Tom Briese resigned, and has emphasized returning unclaimed property, sound management of state funds, and college-savings programs.