# Former lawmaker mulls nonpartisan bid for Nebraska secretary of state  
**Published:** 2026-06-12T23:04:06.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/12/second-former-nebraska-lawmaker-mulling-nonpartisan-run-including-for-secretary-of-state/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/former-lawmaker-mulls-nonpartisan-bid-for-nebraska-secretary-of-state

Former state Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha confirmed this week he is seriously considering a [nonpartisan run for secretary of state and other offices](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/12/second-former-nebraska-lawmaker-mulling-nonpartisan-run-including-for-secretary-of-state/), but said he would not enter any race with three candidates on the ballot.

Krist, 69, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and former state senator from 2009 to 2019, told the Nebraska Examiner that "there's a lot of truth" to the rumors. "There's a lot of truth to the fact that I've been looking at the polls to make sure that it's viable, but I've not made a decision yet," Krist said Thursday. He added his decision depends on "several things" coming together, including campaign finance.

However, Krist faces a significant obstacle: the 2026 secretary of state's race currently features Republican Scott Petersen, an Omaha businessman, and Democrat Sarah Slattery, a Plattsmouth professional chef and small business owner. Petersen defeated incumbent Secretary of State Bob Evnen in the GOP primary in May, while Slattery easily won the Democratic primary.

Both candidates have pledged to remain in the race. "I'm pretty sure I will be in the race," Petersen said with a laugh. Slattery responded similarly: "Absolutely not" when asked about dropping out.

"I will not be involved in a three-way race," Krist emphasized. "It's a death sentence to begin with." He called any candidate who jumps into a two-person race to become a third person "crazy."

To appear on the ballot as a nonpartisan candidate for a statewide partisan office, candidates must gather valid signatures from at least 4,000 voters, including at least 750 signatures from each of Nebraska's three congressional districts.

Krist's political trajectory has been unconventional. He was appointed to the Legislature in 2009 by Republican Gov. Dave Heineman and was elected by voters in 2010 and 2014. In 2017, he left the Republican Party and ran as a nonpartisan for governor, later switching to the Democratic Party in 2018 as that party's gubernatorial nominee.

His reconsideration of political candidacy comes as Nebraska has seen growing interest in nonpartisan campaigns. Nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate [Dan Osborn recently submitted signatures](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/dan-osborn-submits-signatures-to-challenge-ricketts-on-nebraskas-november-ballot/) to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts in 2026, gathering roughly 12,500 signatures from voters.

Both Petersen and Slattery have focused their campaigns on election integrity. Petersen pledged to crack down on mail-in ballots, while Slattery has emphasized restoring "neutrality" to the office. "I question their motivations and wonder why they are entering this race with less than five months until the general election," Slattery said of potential third candidates.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/12/second-former-nebraska-lawmaker-mulling-nonpartisan-run-including-for-secretary-of-state/)
- [Dan Osborn submits signatures for 2026 nonpartisan Senate bid](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/dan-osborn-submits-signatures-to-challenge-ricketts-on-nebraskas-november-ballot/)

---

This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/06/12/second-former-nebraska-lawmaker-mulling-nonpartisan-run-including-for-secretary-of-state/.