Mail-in ballots surge for primary election

Mail-in ballots surge for primary election

PHIL BERGMAN WILLTELL US WHAT THEPOLLS LOOKED LIKETODAY...IN LIGHT OF THEPANDEMIC.THERE ARE SEVERALNEBRASKA RACESATTRACTINGATTENTION ...INCLUDING THECONTEST TOREPRESENT OMAHA INCONGRESS.THE 20-18DEMOCRATICNOMINEE KARAEASTMAN FACESNORTH OMAHABUSINESS WOMANGLADYS HARRISON...AND ANN ASHFORDWHO IS AN ATTORNEYAND WIFE OF FORMERCONGRESSMAN BRADASHFORD.THE WINNER WILLFACE THE WINNER OFTHE REPUBLICANPRIMARY.IT INCLUDES CURRENTCONGRESSMAN DONBACON.THE INCUMBENTFACES "RETIREDRAILROAD WORKERAND FORMER NAVYSEAMAN" PAULANDERSON IN TODAY'SPRIMARY.IN NEBRASKA FIRSTCONGRESSIONALDISTRICT ...DEMOCRATS KATEBOLZ AND BABSRAMSEY ARESQUARING OFF TOFACE INCUMBENTREPUBLICAN JEFFFORTENBERRY.SEVEN DEMOCRATSARE COMPETING FORTHE U-S SENATE SEATHELD BY REPUBLICANBEN SASSE.HE FACES A PRIMARYCHALLENGE FROMMATT INNIS.OTHER PRIMARYRACES INCLUDE:FOUR DOUGLASCOUNTY BOARDPOSITIONS ...FIVE OMAHA PUBLICSCHOOL BOARDSPOTS...AND MAYORALCONTESTS INBENNINGTON,RALSTON AND VALLEY.REPORTER PHILBERGMAN IS LIVEOUTSIDE THEPRECINCT ATELKHORN SOUTH HIGHSCHOOL WITH AN IDEAOF WHAT THEPOLLING PLACESLOOKED LIKE TODAYAMID THE PANDEMIC.GOOD EVENING.WE'VE SEEN A FEWPEOPLE COME IN TOTHIS POLLING PLACERECENTLY BUT IT'SBEEN A SLOW DAYOVERALLTHISDOESN'T MEAN THATVOTING TURNOUTWAS LOWIN FACT ITSTHE OPPOSITE.NORMALLY BURKEHIGH IS ONE OF THEBUSIER POLLINGPLACES IN OMAHA.THIS MORNING IT SATNEARLY EMPTY WITHONLY NINE VOTERSOVER THE FIRSTTHREE HOURS BY FARTHIS IS THE SLOWESTWE'VE EVER BEEN.10.53.42 THE SAMEWAS TRUE ACROSSTOWN AT ELKHORNSOUTHA LUNCHCROWD BROUGHT INSOME PEOPLE, BUTTHE THREEPRECINCTS INSIDETHE CAFETERIACOMBINED FOR ONLY50 VOTES OVER ITSFIRST HALF OF THEDAY.WE'VE BEEN HEARINGOUT THERE THAT IS ISVERY QUIET.11.22.56 WE THINK THEVOTERS OF DOUGLASCOUNTY DECIDED TOSTAY HOME, STAYHEALTHY AND KEEPTHEMSELVES ANDOUR POLL WORKERSHEALTHY.11.23.07 BRENTROBERTS WAS ONEOF THE PEOPLE OUTVOTING INPERSONTUESDAYMARKED THE 28-YEAROLD'S FIRST TIMEVOTING.I WANTED TO DO IT INPERSON AND I LIVEPRETTY CLOSE SO ITHOUGHT I WOULDMAKE THE TRIP OVER.10.49.53 DESPITE THELOW IN-PERSONPRESENCE, THE MAIL-IN BOXES HAD ASTEADY LINE OFCARSTHE COUNTY'SALREADY RECEIVEDMORE THAN 108-THOUSAND MAIL-INBALLOTS AND ISPREDICTING A 35-PERCENT OVERALLTURNOUT FORTHISELECTION.THIS IS GOING TO BEONE OF THE BIGGESTIF NOT THE BIGGESTPRIMARY IN OURSTATE AND IT IS ALLBECAUSE OF THEEARLY VOTING.WHILE RACESINCLUDED SEATS INTHE U-S HOUSE, THEUNICAMERAL ANDDISTRICT SCHOOLBOARDS, VOTERSALSO HAD THECHANCE TO VOICETHEIR OPINION ONWHETHER THE CITYSHOULD ISSUE 200-MILLION DOLLARS INBONDS TOFUNDSTREETMAINTENANCE.I WAS INTERESTED INTHE ROAD UPDATESMAYOR STOTHERTWAS TRYING TO PUTTHROUGH.10.50.10 I FOLLOWEDMAYOR STOTHERTAND SHEENCOURAGED US TOGET OUT AND VOTEFOR THE STREETS SOI WANTED TOSUPPORT HER INTHAT.12.14.53 AT THEPOLLING PLACESVOTES KEPT SOCIALDISTANCES AND HANDSANITIZER AND MASKSWERE READILYAVAILABLE.VOTERS I TALKED TOSAID IT WAS THEIRCIVIC DUTY TO PLACETHEIR VOTE,WHETHER IN PERSON,OR THROUGHTHEMAIL.IF YOU WANT TO HAVEA VOICE IN THISCOUNTRY, WE STILLARE A FREE COUNTRYHERE AND WE GETTHE OPPORUNITY TOVOTE AND IT'S REALLYIMPORTANT YOU TAKETHAT ACTION.12.15.13 IT WILL NOTBE LIKE THIS IN A FEWYEARS SO WHATHAPPENS NOW WILLAFFECT OUR FUTURE.10.49.22THE POLLING PLACESCLOSE AT 8 P-M TODAYSO YOU STILL HAVETIME TO VOTEYOUCAN ALSO DROP OFFYOUR MAIL-IN BALLOTAT AN ELECTIONCOMMISSION DROPBOX UNTIL 8 P-MTONIGHT.REPORTING OUTSIDEELKHORN SOUTH HIGHSCHOOL IN ELKHORN,PHIL BERGMAN, 3NEWS NOW.WITH SO MANY