Seward County voters were among the 547,756 – 43.3% – of Nebraska’s 1,265,162 registered voters casting ballots across the state on Nov. 3.
Rep. Mike Flood and challenger Chris Backemeyer were in a close race with early totals on election night.
But Seward County’s 7,676 voters had a wide margin, with 5,225 Seward County votes cast for incumbent Republican Flood and 1,983 voting for Democrat Backemeyer. Also receiving Seward County votes were AFP Dan Hartong, 155, and LIB Nik Sandman, 148.
In the end, district-wide totals showed Flood getting 124,881 votes – 50% – and Backemeyer getting 114,664 votes – 46%. Hartong received 4,298 votes across the district, with Sandman getting 4,500, about 2% each.
Several of the statewide races had similar margins to the Flood-Backemeyer race. Here are those Nebraska Secretary of State and Seward County Election Commissioners’ results as of 10 a.m. Nov. 4:
U.S. Senate – 4,821 Seward County voters had endorsed incumbent Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts with 2,346 voting for independent challenger Dan Osborn. That race was also closer with statewide totals. Statewide Ricketts had 373,115 votes – about 50%—and Osborn had 322,625 – about 44%. Other candidates on whom Seward County residents voted were: NWP Robin Richards, 140, LMN Mike Marvin, 123, and AFP Chuck Conboy, 99. In total Richards had 19,064 votes, Marvin, 15,974 and Conboy, 8,914.
Governor – 4,832 Seward County voters had voted for Republican Gov. Jim Pillen while 2,145 voted for challenger Democrat Lynne Walz. Statewide, the race shows Pillen with 376,242 votes – about 51% – and Walz with 312,633 – about 42%. Other candidates were AFP Brett Lindstrom, 357 in Seward County and 32,592 across the state, and LMN Rick Beard, 184 in Seward County and 19,682 across the state.
Secretary of State – 5,210 Seward County voters had voted for Republican Scott Petersen, with 1,761 voting for Democrat Sarah J. Slattery. Across the state, Petersen had 393,501 votes compared to Sarah J. Slattery had 293,529, a 54-40% split. Other candidates were NWP Paul Rumbaugh, 196 locally and 22,487 statewide, and AFP Bob Krist, 188 here and 18,749 statewide.
State Treasurer – 5,372 Seward County voters had cast their ballots for Republican incumbent Joey Spellerberg while 1,875 voted for the Democratic challenger Daniel Ebers. Statewide totals showed Spellerberg with 421,626 votes and Ebers with 297,509, approximately 59% to 41%.
State Attorney General – Incumbent Republican Mike Hilgers received 5,320 Seward County votes, compared to Democrat Jocelyn Brasher’s 1,977. At the state level, the race showed 406,330 votes for Hilgers and 314,745 for Brasher, 56% to 44%.
State Auditor – Incumbent Republican Mike Folley received 5,977 Seward County votes compared to AFP candidate John Knight’s 1,046. Statewide Folley had 75% of the votes with 491,546 and Knight had 166,451 for 25%.
Statewide ballot measures
Constitutional Amendment No. 1 – 5,572 Seward County voters opposed the change in legislative term limits, while 1,528 voted in favor. At the state level, opposition totaled 580,934 or 81%, compared to 132,108 or 19% with 829 of 1,322 precincts reporting fully.
Initiative Measure 440 – Seward County voters cast 4,936 ballots opposing the measure to allow online sports wagering while 2,489 voted in favor. At the state level, 400,671 voters had opposed the measure and 329,309 endorsed it, a 55% to 45% split.
Initiative Measure 441, which would provide regulation for online sports wagering, received 4,937 Seward County votes against it and 2,512 for. At the state level, the measure has 332,342 votes in favor, or 46%, and 397,583 votes against, or 54%.
Initiative Measure 442, the Fairness for Girls Constitutional Amendment, received 5,681 votes in favor and 1,685 against in Seward County, received 491,716 votes in favor so far at the state level and 230,919 against, a 68% to 32% split.
