Village Sales Tax, Keno Pass Easily

By GREG SCELLIN
Signal Editor

Nebraska voters participated in an historic primary election this year. More than 471,000 Nebraskans voted in the May 12 Nebraska Primary Election, breaking a 48-year-old record for ballots cast in a primary election.
“What is even more remarkable is that Nebraska voters broke the record in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and the serious health threat posed by COVID-19,” said Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen.
In Fillmore County, 1,787 voters cast ballots last week. This represents a 45.10 percent voter turnout—the most in recent years. In 2018, this number was 41.18 percent with important party races for two county supervisor positions, Geneva mayor and the county treasurer’s office included. In 2016, voter turn-out was 31.05 percent, while 36.04 voters cast ballots in 2014.
“I was pleased with the turn-out,” said Fillmore County Clerk Amy Nelson, who also serves as the county’s election commissioner.
Nelson noted that 1,524 early-voting (mail-in) ballots were received this year (85.3 percent). A total of 255 in-person ballots were cast last Tuesday with an additional eight provisional ballots counted for a total of 263 (14.7 percent). She said that Liberty/Glengary/Franklin township voters in Milligan (where there was a village sales-tax initiative on the ballot) had the largest in-person attendance last Tuesday with 53 voters voting at the Milligan Fire Hall.
“They had the largest turnout on election day,” Nelson said. “I think everything went good. Of course, we were slow at most polling locations.”
The LB840 sales tax initiative passed in the Village of Milligan, 72-12 (85.7 percent—for). A Keno Lottery initiative in the Village of Grafton passed (30-4) 88.2 percent—for). Gary’s of Grafton owner Gary Kudlacek commented that it will be several months before the game is up and running.