Who is running for Lancaster County Sheriff in 2026?

Lancaster County, Nebraska

Lancaster County Sheriff

Nebraska › Lancaster County › Lancaster County Sheriff

2 candidates are tracked for Lancaster County Sheriff on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Ben T. Houchin and Jay Pitts. Candidate information follows official Lancaster County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

Open seat: incumbent Sheriff Terry Wagner (R) does not appear on the November 2026 candidate list. Republican Ben Houchin faces Democrat Jay Pitts.

Ben T. Houchin

Republican

Ben Houchin has more than 32 years of experience in law enforcement, per his campaign site.

2026 priorities (per the campaign site)

Being responsive to public safety needs
Collaborating with the public and other law enforcement agencies
Listening to the community served

Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-09.

Campaign site →

Jay Pitts

Democratic

Jay Pitts is a 25-year law enforcement veteran who attended Lincoln High School and the University of Nebraska before joining the Lincoln Police Department, per his campaign site.

2026 priorities (per the campaign site)

Demanding integrity, accountability, and professionalism on and off duty
Strengthening transparency in deputy-involved incidents
Prioritizing domestic violence calls and offender accountability

Source: candidate campaign site, roster verified 2026-09-09.

Campaign site →

Verify this race
Candidate roster from official Lancaster County Supervisor of Elections filings, last verified 2026-09-09. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.
Cross-check with the official Nebraska election office, or see the full Lancaster County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.