Voters go to the Lancaster County Commissioner’s office to cast early ballots

LINCOLN, Neb. (COLLEN) – The midterm elections are on Tuesday, but the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s Office was buzzing with people getting their ballots in early. This comes as volunteers and staff prepare for Tuesday’s races.

Dozens of people came in and filled out their ballots on Monday. Their reasons for early voting vary, but there is one common thread across the board; They believe their vote will make a difference in Lancaster County.

About 50,000 voters, or a quarter of registered voters in Lancaster County, requested early ballots.

“We’ve had a team for about a week now working on opening those 42,000 ballots that we’ve returned, which is a very difficult task,” said Elections Commissioner Dave Shively. “And then we have to sort them out by continent.”

A matter of national concern: Election fraud and election security.

“I believe the potential for violence in this year’s election is very high,” Shively said.

10/11 NOW asked Shively if local voters should be concerned.

“We’ve done a number of things with the Department of Homeland Security, the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office, the Secretary of State’s Office, to make sure things are as safe as possible,” Shively said. “So I’m very comfortable that we’re as safe as we can be in Lancaster County.”

Increasing security includes regularly updating computers, adding more cameras, and creating secure computing rooms. Even so, Nebraskans can register to be poll watchers, people who go to the polls and watch what’s going on.

“There are some very specific things in state law that, you know, they have to stay off the ballot and poll workers and things like that,” Shively said. “They can’t be bothered.”

Behind the election commissariat building, the workers of the polling station collect all the things necessary for the organization of the polling stations.

Business is just a precursor, and in shops and cars, people hope that their voices will prevail.

This is Shively’s last election. He has been doing this for 23 years.

Shively said he wants voters to know that he and his staff will always do everything they can to make voting safe and secure.

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