A federal judge has rejected a Nebraska law that greatly increased the number of signatures independent candidates need to make the ballot.

Executive Director Danielle Conrad, with the Nebraska ACLU, tells Nebraska Radio Network affiliate KLIN, she applauds the ruling.

“Today is a great day for Democracy in the great state of Nebraska,” says Conrad.

The law had greatly increased the number of signatures candidates with no party affiliation needed to make the ballot. The law increased that number from approximately 4,000 to more than 120,000. Implemented in 2016, the law was overturned as part of an agreement with the Secretary of State.

Conrad believes the case is historic.  She says it “ensures that non-partisan independent candidates can access the ballot fairly,” and that “Nebraska voters will have meaningful choices available to them at the polls.”

The ruling comes after businessman Kent Bernbeck sued the state in May over the law. Bernbeck stated he wanted to run as an independent candidate for State Treasurer.

An Omaha businessman wants to run as an independent candidate for State Treasurer, but first he has filed a federal lawsuit againsta new state law that makes running independently a more difficult. Approved in 2016, the law requires would-be- independent candidates to gather roughly 120,000 signatures to be put on the general election ballot, up from only 4,000 signatures before. Would-be-independent candidate for State Treasurer, Kent Bernbeck, claims the dramatic increase is unconstitutional.

“Bottom line; the effects of it was that they shut out anybody who’s an independent, registered voter, who want to challenge one of these state offices…and it’s not right,”

Brenbeck filed his lawsuit Tuesday. He’s being represented by the Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, which makes the same charge against the law.

In a written statement, Spokeswoman for the ACLU, Heidi Uhing says “Voting rights are the cornerstone of our democracy. Nebraska has a long and proud tradition of ensuring fairness in our elections and providing a level playing field for all candidates. In 2016 that changed when our state adopted the most extreme law in the country for independent candidates to access the ballot.”

Jane Monnich, KLIN, contributed to this report

There was an upset in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District Primary Election yesterday. Social Worker Kara Eastman received 51% of the vote and defeated former Congressman Brad Ashford in the Democratic race.

University of Nebraska – Omaha Political Science Professor Paul Landow says Eastman ran a good race and raised a lot of money. She also sent a message that hit home to the majority of voters.

Landow says, “The issues and the electorate were trending in toward her direction. The party is moving somewhat to the left.  She was a particularly attractive candidate because of her left-leaning positions and also her gender and I think her time was right.”

Landow says Eastman did a good job and deserves respect for it. However, running in the General Election with a solid candidate like Republican Incumbent Congressman Don Bacon is really going to be a struggle.  He says, “Politics, as you well know, always has a degree of randomness to it so that anything can happen at any time.  If you want to go to the conventional wisdom I think you would say that is Eastman is too far left of the electorate of the 2nd Congressional District.   We’ll see.”

Ashford held the 2nd District Congressional seat for one term. He was defeated by Bacon in the 2016 election.

The field of candidates is set for the two statewide contests that carry the most interest this fall.

In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Republican Pete Ricketts easily held off a Primary challenge from Krystal Gable. Governor Ricketts will face Democratic nominee Bob Krist. The sitting state senator beat out two other candidates for his Party’s nomination.

In the race for U.S. Senate, incumbent Republican Deb Fischer came out ahead of four challengers.

She will face Lincoln city councilwoman Jane Raybould, who won the Democratic nomination over three other candidates.

Also in the U.S. Senate race, Jim Schultz won an uncontested Primary for the Libertarian Party nomination.

You can see all Primary Election results HERE.

Congressman Adrian Smith

The nominees are set for Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District.

Congressman Adrian Smith was the only incumbent member of Nebraska’s U.S. House delegation to face a Primary challenge.

The six-term representative actually had to fend off three other GOP candidates.

In the end, Smith received rough two-thirds of the votes to win the Republican nomination.

He will face Democrat Paul Theobald in November’s General Election to see who will represent the predominantly rural 3rd Congressional District.

You can see all Primary Election results HERE.

John Gale, Nebraska secretary of state (photo provided)

Nebraska’s Secretary of State is telling voters the election process is secure as they head to the polls for today’s Primary.

Secretary John Gale says they take ongoing steps to keep voting in Nebraska secure, and notes that the Primary is the least likely to be tampered with.

“If you think of the Primary, it’s kind of the Husker’s Spring Game, and we’re testing our plays, we’re testing our playbook, we’re testing our coaches in the sense of our IT people and our security vendors,” Gale tells Nebraska Radio Network affiliate KLIN. “We’re testing our playbook, but we see the big game coming in November.”

Nebraska fared well in recent election security inspections by Homeland Security, according to Gale.

He says no significant vulnerabilities were discovered.

“Most of us in elections consider the General Election to be the challenge,” he says.

As for statewide voter turnout, Gale’s office predicts it will be around 28 percent.

“There are things, of course, that make me think it may be more robust than our projection,” Gale admits. “Certainly, there are a number of Primary races that are heating up, and more money is coming into those races to contribute to the campaign attention.”

Gale says counties and the state election offices tested the equipment and it is ready for voters.

Jane Monnich, KLIN in Lincoln, contributed to this report.

Nebraska voters will be heading to the polls tomorrow for the May 15th Primary Election. The most populated county is Douglas and Election Commissioner Brian Kruse expects an average turnout.

Kruse says, “We are expecting about a 20-percent turnout tomorrow which is in line with past primaries. It is important for voters to remember it isn’t just individuals or candidates they are voting on tomorrow but there are bond issues.  Over 80-percent of Douglas County voters will have a bond issue to vote on tomorrow.”

Those bonds include a multi-million bond issue for the Omaha Public School District that calls for funds to build five new schools and renovate several others. The city of Omaha also has several bond issues on the ballot.  Both total in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Kruse says they are prepared for a much larger turnout and encourages voters to come out and have their voice be heard. Kruse says today is the last day for casting an early ballot and they expect to be busy in the Douglas County office.  They will be open until 5 p.m. tonight.   Polls officially open on Tuesday at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., EDT.