Perkins County sees 31.7% voter turnout in Primary
Voters in Perkins County turned out Tuesday for Nebraska’s 2026 Primary Election, casting 586 ballots in unofficial results reported by Perkins County Clerk Jim Brueggeman, representing approximately 31.7% of the county’s 1,848 registered voters.
Of the ballots cast, 496 were Republican ballots, along with 54 Democratic ballots and 36 nonpartisan ballots.
In the Republican race for U.S. Senate, incumbent Pete Ricketts received strong support locally with 390 votes. Todd Knobel received 36 votes, Debb Axtell Schultz had 19, Mac Stevens received 17 and Eric Mortimore had 12.
Republican voters in Perkins County also favored David P. Huebner over incumbent Adrian Smith in the 3rd Congressional District race, with Huebner receiving 285 votes to Smith’s 207.
Gov. Jim Pillen led the Republican gubernatorial field locally with 340 votes. John Walz received 60 votes, Sheila J. Korth-Focken had 24, Gary L. Rogge received 22, Jacy Todd had eight and Sal Holguin received five votes.
In other Republican statewide races, Scott Petersen defeated incumbent Secretary of State Bob Evnen in Perkins County by a margin of 335-123. Joey Spellerberg received 369 votes for state treasurer, Mike Hilgers received 379 votes for attorney general and Mike Foley earned 391 votes for state auditor.
The Republican race for Perkins County Commissioner District 2 was narrowly decided, with incumbent Mark W. Bottom receiving 112 votes to Leon D. Pankonin’s 98 votes.
Among Democratic voters, Cindy Burbank received 41 votes in the U.S. Senate race over William J. Forbes’ eight votes. Becky Kelly Stille received 49 votes in the Democratic 3rd Congressional District race. Lynne Walz led the Democratic gubernatorial race locally with 40 votes to Larry Marvin’s 11.
Sarah J. Slattery received 38 votes in the Democratic secretary of state race, while Daniel Ebers earned 42 votes for state treasurer and Jocelyn Brasher received 43 votes for attorney general.
In the nonpartisan legislative races, Mike Jacobson received 178 votes to Shaylee S. Scranton’s 32 in Legislative District 42. Teresa Ibach received 279 votes in Legislative District 44.
Elizabeth Tegtmeier received 455 votes in the State Board of Education District 7 race.
Voters also selected candidates for the Perkins County Hospital Board. Jeffrey D. Skeels received 455 votes, Melissa K. Wilson had 409, Lori Day received 364 and Marcia Shalla had 287. Voters could select up to three candidates.
The Madrid Cemetery District Levy question passed with 62 “yes” votes and 23 “no” votes. The Big Springs Cemetery District Levy Election received three “yes” votes and no “no” votes.