LINCOLN- The 2024 general election marked Nebraska’s second-highest number of votes cast in the state’s history. That’s according to Secretary of State Bob Evnen’s Office, which reported Wednesday that 934,188 ballots were cast and that several thousand early voting and provisional ballots have yet to be counted. Still on top of the heap, regarding votes cast, is turnout during the pandemic-era general election of 2020, with 966,920 ballots cast.

Preliminary turnout numbers show that 73.9% of Nebraska’s registered voters participated in the 2024 general election. That’s higher than the 72% prediction that Evnen had made earlier in the week. Final turnout results could inch up slightly as remaining ballots are counted, a spokeswoman for the office said.

Several races though are still in flux, especially in the legislature where there are several races within a couple hundred votes, potentially requiring a recount if those numbers close with ballots yet to be counted. County election commissioners said they’ve yet to count early and provisional voting ballots.

According to unofficial election results: Democrat Ashlei Spivey led Nick Batter, a nonpartisan, by 41 votes in northeast Douglas County’s District 13; Democrat Dan Quick led incumbent Ray Aguilar, a Republican, by 125 votes in Grand Island’s District 35; and Democrat Victor Rountree led Felix Ungerman, a Republican, by 181 votes in Sarpy County’s Legislative District 3.

In Hall County, for example, 195 largely provisional ballots in District 35 had yet to be validated and potentially included in the count, said Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet. She said it would be seven to 10 days before the results are final.

The Douglas County Election Commission plans to tally 7,500 to 8,000 ballots on Friday, about half of the remaining uncounted ballots in the county. Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said he will update unofficial general election results late Friday afternoon.

About 15,000 Douglas County voters’ ballots had not been counted by Thursday. Results within a certain range could trigger a recount. Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse said if there was any recount, it would happen on Dec 4.

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