Keno lottery games will be allowed in Milford after voters said yes to the initiative in a 337 to 114 election by mail.
Official results were released by the Seward County Clerk’s Office following the close of the election on May 9.
County Clerk Sherry Schweitzer said the election yielded 41% voter turnout.
“It’s higher than what I would have expected if it was a polling place election,” Schweitzer said, noting that turnout was just short of the 50% turnout in the bond election for a new city hall in 2018. “We had more voters and the numbers were about the same with the people who voted.”
Schweitzer said statistics have shown mail-in elections typically have higher voter turnout than those conducted at polling places.
Milford City Clerk Jeanne Hoggins said once she receives the certified results from Schweitzer, the city will submit them to Big Red Keno, which operates keno lotteries across Nebraska.
The city will need to approve an interlocal agreement, and the state may then approve or deny the city’s request to allow the games.
The city will receive 8 ¾% of proceeds from all keno games played within the city limits. That money will go toward community betterment efforts per state law.
Hoggins said the process should be in place to allow gaming to begin this fall.
