# Nebraska voters face pivotal choices in high-stakes primary election  
**Published:** 2026-05-12T10:30:17.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/what-you-need-to-know-before-heading-to-the-polls-in-nebraska/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/nebraska-voters-face-pivotal-choices-in-high-stakes-primary-election

LINCOLN, Neb. — [Nebraska voters head to the polls Tuesday](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/what-you-need-to-know-before-heading-to-the-polls-in-nebraska/) to decide competitive races for Congress, statewide office and the state Legislature in an election that will reshape the political landscape heading into November's general election.

[Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain time](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/can-nebraskas-secretary-of-state-survive-another-challenge-from-the-right/). Early voting ballots must be returned by the time polls close.

The most closely watched race centers on Democrats' effort to reclaim Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. [Six Democrats are competing for the nomination to face Omaha City Council member Brinker Harding](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/10/will-ne-02-democratic-field-come-together-after-heated-primary/), the presumptive Republican nominee. State Sen. John Cavanaugh, the early frontrunner, has drawn fire from opponents over concerns his departure from the Legislature would allow Republican Gov. Jim Pillen to appoint a replacement who could threaten the state's "blue dot" — [Nebraska's unique system of splitting electoral votes by congressional district](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/10/will-ne-02-democratic-field-come-together-after-heated-primary/).

Cavanaugh's top rivals, political action committee co-founder Denise Powell and Douglas County District Court Clerk Crystal Rhoades, have emphasized the risks Cavanaugh's election could pose to Democratic priorities. Powell said she remains "100% committed to supporting whoever gets through this primary," while Cavanaugh stressed the importance of taking back Congress for Democrats.

[Republicans face their own high-profile primary, with incumbent Secretary of State Bob Evnen facing a challenge from Omaha businessman Scott Petersen](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/can-nebraskas-secretary-of-state-survive-another-challenge-from-the-right/). Petersen has criticized Evnen for not doing enough to secure elections, arguing for restrictions on mail-in voting and raising questions about ballot-counting machines. Evnen has called Nebraska elections the "gold standard" and [emphasized his transparency efforts](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/can-nebraskas-secretary-of-state-survive-another-challenge-from-the-right/). The race has grown heated, with U.S. Rep. Don Bacon vocally backing Evnen and criticizing Petersen's election integrity concerns.

Democrats are also watching the U.S. Senate primary, where party-backed Cindy Burbank faces anti-abortion pastor William Forbes, with questions swirling about whether either candidate is a "plant" intended to benefit registered nonpartisan Senate candidate Dan Osborn's challenge to Pete Ricketts.

In state legislative races, Republicans hold a narrow 33-seat supermajority in the 49-member Unicameral, and both parties are targeting seats to shift the balance. [High-profile contests in the Omaha area will determine whether Republicans can expand their advantage](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/nebraska-legislative-races-to-watch-for-2026-primary-as-fundraising-exceeds-4-1-million/). State Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, the only GOP incumbent in a district President Donald Trump lost in 2024, faces three Democratic challengers.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/12/what-you-need-to-know-before-heading-to-the-polls-in-nebraska/)
- [Nebraska Examiner - Can Nebraska's secretary of state survive another challenge from the right?](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/can-nebraskas-secretary-of-state-survive-another-challenge-from-the-right/)
- [Nebraska Examiner - Will NE-02 Democratic field come together after heated primary?](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/10/will-ne-02-democratic-field-come-together-after-heated-primary/)
- [Nebraska Examiner - Nebraska legislative races to watch for 2026 primary as fundraising exceeds 4.1 million](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/11/nebraska-legislative-races-to-watch-for-2026-primary-as-fundraising-exceeds-4-1-million/)

---

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/2026/05/12/what-you-need-to-know-before-heading-to-the-polls-in-nebraska/.