BEATRICE – One clear takeaway from voting in Nebraska this election was that turnout was exceptionally high.

Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Pawnee and Saline Counties all topped the 70-percent voter turnout level.
Pawnee County led the way, just missing an 80-percent turnout….while Saline County was the lowest of the five counties, at 72.52 percent.


Gage County Clerk Dawn Hill says the county’s turnout figure of 75.77 percent included more people who chose to vote on election day….than those who voted early.


"I know they were busy...very busy...and we had a lot of provisionals. A lot of people didn't remember to change their address or register, at all."  Of the 11,105 residents casting ballots in Gage County, 88 voted provisionally.


"Even if your ballot doesn't count this time, you are registered to vote for the next election coming up. There's an envelope they have to fill out saying why they think they should be able to vote provisionally. And those come back and we have to check other counties. if they are registered there to make sure they didn't go there and vote, as well. It goes to our canvas board and the statutes lay out what can be counted, and what can't. If you're not registered in the county at the time, it probably won't count."


This was the second election that Nebraska voters were casting ballots under a new voter I.D. law.
"I think people...the comments that I've heard is they think we should have had that a long time ago....so, they're all for it," Hill said.


The Election Commissioner says voting largely went well in the county. One precinct, in Adams, ran out of ballots and had a waiting line of about 30 people toward the end of voting. More ballots were taken to the site.


The overall voter turnout percentage in Nebraska this election was 73.34 percent, with 917,170 Nebraskans casting ballots.