# Nebraskans narrow 2026 races for education board seats  
**Published:** 2026-05-13T07:50:59.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/nebraska-voters-narrow-2026-candidates-for-nu-regents-state-board-of-education/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/nebraskans-narrow-2026-races-for-education-board-seats

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraskans cast ballots Tuesday to narrow contested races for three of seven seats on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and the State Board of Education, according to reporting from the [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/nebraska-voters-narrow-2026-candidates-for-nu-regents-state-board-of-education/). The education-related offices are officially nonpartisan, with voters selecting the top two candidates regardless of party affiliation.

In the Lancaster County race for NU Regents District 1, Brent Comstock, a Lincoln marketing firm founder and CEO, advanced with 55 percent of the vote, while Dr. Jeremy Hosein, a neurosurgeon, received 37 percent. The pair will face off in November to fill the seat being vacated by Regent Tim Clare, who declined to seek a fourth six-year term. The race marks the first contested election for the Lancaster County district since 2008 and could become one of the most expensive in NU history, with [the candidates having raised nearly $600,000 combined by late April](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/voter-guides/contests/2026-primary-nu-board-of-regents-district-1/).

In the special election for NU Regents District 4 in Omaha, Susanne Shore, the former Nebraska first lady under ex-Gov. Pete Ricketts, led the field with 35 percent of the vote. Justin Solomon, chief operating and financial officer for Integrated Life Choices, secured 24 percent. The race determines who will fill the final four years of the term vacated when NU Regent Elizabeth O'Connor resigned in January. Shore, a [community volunteer with degrees in nursing and business](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/19/former-nebraska-first-lady-susanne-shore-runs-for-nu-regent-in-omaha/), has said she wants to help the university heal from months of infighting. Solomon, a first-generation college graduate, emphasized his commitment to addressing budget constraints and framing higher education as an investment in the state's economic future.

Voters in southeast Nebraska's State Board of Education District 5 appeared poised to advance Angie Eberspacher of Beaver Crossing with 46 percent and Michaela Conway of Crete with 31 percent. The race reflects ongoing ideological divisions within the education board, as the current partisan split stands at 4-4 between Republicans and Democrats.

In other education races decided Tuesday, Elizabeth Butler, the Omaha City Clerk, and Jill Wolfe, a retired dietitian and paramedic, advanced from NU Regents District 2 in the metro Omaha area with 57 percent and 43 percent respectively. In State Board of Education District 6, incumbent Sherry Jones of Grand Island secured 64 percent, with attorney Grady Erickson taking 36 percent. State Board of Education President Elizabeth Tegtmeier of North Platte ran unopposed for reelection in District 7.

The general election for all contested races will be held Nov. 3, 2026.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/nebraska-voters-narrow-2026-candidates-for-nu-regents-state-board-of-education/)
- [NU Board of Regents District 1 candidate information and fundraising details](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/voter-guides/contests/2026-primary-nu-board-of-regents-district-1/)
- [Profile of Susanne Shore's candidacy for NU Board of Regents](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/19/former-nebraska-first-lady-susanne-shore-runs-for-nu-regent-in-omaha/)

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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/2026/05/13/nebraska-voters-narrow-2026-candidates-for-nu-regents-state-board-of-education/.