Nebraska held an election for secretary of state on November 8, 2022. The primary was scheduled for May 10, 2022. The filing deadline for an incumbent was February 15, 2022. The filing deadline for non-incumbent candidates was March 1, 2022. This was one of 27 elections for secretary of state taking place in 2022. Click here for an overview of these races. All but three states have a secretary of state. Although the specific duties and powers of the office vary from state to state, secretaries of state are often responsible for the maintenance of voter rolls and for administering elections. Other common responsibilities include registering businesses, maintaining state records, and certifying official documents. At the time of the 2022 elections, there were 27 Republican secretaries of state and 20 Democratic secretaries of state.

A state government triplex refers to a situation where the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all members of the same political party. Heading into the 2022 elections, there were 23 Republican triplexes, 18 Democratic triplexes, and nine divided governments where neither party held triplex control.

Incumbent Bob Evnen won election in the general election for Nebraska Secretary of State.

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Nebraska Secretary of State

Incumbent Bob Evnen won election in the general election for Nebraska Secretary of State on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Evnen (R)	100.0	500,342

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 500,342
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

Incumbent Bob Evnen defeated Robert Borer and Rex Schroder in the Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State on May 10, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Evnen	43.9	98,263
		Robert Borer	32.2	72,150
	Submit photo	Rex Schroder	23.9	53,628

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 224,041
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Nebraska

Election information in Nebraska: Nov. 8, 2022, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

In-person: Oct. 28, 2022
By mail: Postmarked by Oct. 21, 2022
Online: Oct. 21, 2022

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

In-person: Oct. 28, 2022
By mail: Received by Oct. 28, 2022
Online: N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

In-person: Nov. 8, 2022
By mail: Received by Nov. 8, 2022

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Oct. 11, 2022 to Nov. 7, 2022

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

8 a.m. - 8 p.m. (CT)

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Image of https://s3.amazonaws.com/ballotpedia-api4/files/thumbs/100/100/Bob_Evnen.jpeg

Bob Evnen (R)

I support Voter ID, and I have for many years. To me it is just common sense. I support other measures, too, to further secure our elections, and especially early voting.

As a member of the State Board of Pardons, public safety is my number one consideration. Those convicted of a crime ought to be held accountable for their actions. Only then is it right to consider how they have changed their lives.

The Secretary of State has the statutory responsibility to promote international commerce for Nebraska. I will continue my work to expand export opportunities for Nebraska businesses.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Bob Evnen (R)

Elections, promoting international trade, and providing easy and secure connections between Nebraskans and their government.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Bob Evnen (R)

I am a Reagan Republican. President Reagan’s conservatism, his political approach, his wit and his wisdom guide my political life. I am a strong proponent of President Reagan’s 11th Commandment: You shall not speak ill of another Republican.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Bob Evnen (R)

Honesty, integrity, conservatism, humility and a strong sense of humanity.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Bob Evnen (R)

That I was of service to the people of the Great State of Nebraska.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Bob Evnen (R)

Elections, international trade, the Nebraska Real Estate Commission, the State Records Board, and the wide variety of business services.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Bob Evnen (R)

To be successful, the Secretary of State must be able to work successfully with a wide range of government and political offices. This includes the Governor, the Legislature and the administration of the Judicial Branch. Experience in government and politics is a great help in performing well the responsibilities of office.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Bob Evnen (R)

Experience as a practicing lawyer helps in all phases of the responsibilities of the office of Secretary of State. By way of examples, he Secretary of State enforces and interprets the Election Act, chairs the Nebraska Real Estate Commission, and negotiates and enforces the contract between the State and Nebraska Interactive, which is a private company providing internet services for state government.

Past elections

2018

See also: Nebraska Secretary of State election, 2018

General election

General election for Nebraska Secretary of State

Bob Evnen defeated Spencer Danner in the general election for Nebraska Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Evnen (R)	60.6	406,632
	Submit photo	Spencer Danner (D)	39.4	263,982

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 670,614 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

Spencer Danner advanced from the Democratic primary for Nebraska Secretary of State on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Spencer Danner	100.0	76,769

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 76,769
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

Bob Evnen defeated Debra Perrell in the Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Evnen	58.5	81,371
	Submit photo	Debra Perrell	41.5	57,816

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 139,187
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: Nebraska Secretary of State election, 2014

Secretary of State of Nebraska, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John Gale Incumbent	75.2%	368,135
	Libertarian	Ben Backus	24.8%	121,470
Total Votes				489,605
Election results via Nebraska Secretary of State

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.

Presidential elections

	2026 → ← 2018
Nebraska Secretary of State
	Democratic primary; Republican primary; General election;
Election details
	Filing deadline: February 15, 2022/March 1, 2022
	Primary: May 10, 2022; General: November 8, 2022; Pre-election incumbent(s):; Bob Evnen (Republican)
How to vote
	Poll times: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Central time zone); 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mountain time zone); Voting in Nebraska
Ballotpedia analysis
	Federal and state primary competitiveness; State executive elections in 2022; Impact of term limits in 2022; State government trifectas; State government triplexes; Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022
Nebraska; executive elections
	Governor; Lieutenant Governor; Attorney General; Secretary of State; Treasurer; Auditor; State Board of Education (4 seats); State Board of Regents (2 seats); Public Service Commissioner (2 seats)

See also: Presidential voting trends in Nebraska and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Nebraska, 2022
District	Incumbent	Party	PVI
Nebraska's 1st	Mike Flood	Republican	R+9
Nebraska's 2nd	Don Bacon	Republican	Even
Nebraska's 3rd	Adrian Smith	Republican	R+29

2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines

2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Nebraska^[1]
District	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Nebraska's 1st	43.3%	54.3%
Nebraska's 2nd	52.2%	45.8%
Nebraska's 3rd	23.1%	74.9%

2012-2020

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:

County-level voting pattern categories
Democratic
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Democratic	D	D	D
Trending Democratic	R	D	D
Battleground Democratic	D	R	D
New Democratic	R	R	D
Republican
Status	2012	2016	2020
Solid Republican	R	R	R
Trending Republican	D	R	R
Battleground Republican	R	D	R
New Republican	D	D	R

Following the 2020 presidential election, 53.4% of Nebraskans lived in one of the state's 90 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 46.2% lived in one of two Trending Democratic counties: Douglas and Lancaster. Overall, Nebraska was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Nebraska following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Nebraska county-level statistics, 2020
Solid Republican	90	53.4%
Trending Democratic	2	46.2%
Trending Republican	1	0.3%
Total voted Democratic	2	46.2%
Total voted Republican	91	53.8%

Historical voting trends

Nebraska presidential election results (1900-2020)

6 Democratic wins
25 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020
Winning Party	R	R	D	D	D	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R

Statewide elections

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Nebraska

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Nebraska.

U.S. Senate election results in Nebraska
Race	Winner	Runner up
2020	62.7%	24.4%
2018	57.7%	38.6%
2014	64.4%	31.5%
2012	57.8%	42.2%
2008	57.5%	40.1%
Average	60.0	35.4

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Nebraska

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Nebraska.

Gubernatorial election results in Nebraska
Race	Winner	Runner up
2018	59.0%	41.0%
2014	57.2%	39.2%
2010	73.9%	26.1%
2006	73.4%	24.5%
2002	68.7%	27.5%
Average	66.4	31.7

State partisanship

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Nebraska's congressional delegation as of November 2022.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Nebraska, November 2022
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	0	0
Republican	2	3	5
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	3	5

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Nebraska's top four state executive offices as of November 2022.

State executive officials in Nebraska, November 2022
Office	Officeholder
Governor	Pete Ricketts
Lieutenant Governor	Mike Foley
Secretary of State	Bob Evnen
Attorney General	Doug Peterson

State legislature

The table below highlights the partisan composition of the Nebraska State Senate as of November 2022.

Nebraska State Senate

Party		As of November 2022
	Democratic Party	17
	Republican Party	32
	Independent	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		49

Trifecta control

As of November 2022, Nebraska was a Republican trifecta, with a majority in the state legislature and control of the governorship. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.

Nebraska Party Control: 1992-2022
Seven years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty-four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
Governor	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R
Senate	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Demographics

The table below details demographic data in Nebraska and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.

Demographic Data for Nebraska
	Nebraska	United States
Population	1,961,504	331,449,281
Land area (sq mi)	76,817	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White	85.3%	70.4%
Black/African American	4.8%	12.6%
Asian	2.5%	5.6%
Native American	0.9%	0.8%
Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.2%
Other (single race)	2.5%	5.1%
Multiple	3.9%	5.2%
Hispanic/Latino	11.2%	18.2%
Education
High school graduation rate	91.6%	88.5%
College graduation rate	32.5%	32.9%
Income
Median household income	$63,015	$64,994
Persons below poverty level	10.4%	12.8%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

External links

Footnotes

↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022

[1] Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022

[1]

Nebraska	State Executive Elections	News and Analysis

Nebraska State Executive Offices Nebraska State Legislature Nebraska Courts	2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 Nebraska elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016	Party control of state government State government trifectas State of the state addresses Partisan composition of governors

	v • e State of Nebraska Lincoln (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2025 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy

Nebraska Secretary of State election, 2022

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Nebraska Secretary of State

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

Voting information

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Past elections

2018

General election

General election for Nebraska Secretary of State

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

2014

Election analysis

Presidential elections

Cook PVI by congressional district

2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines

2012-2020

Historical voting trends

Statewide elections

U.S. Senate elections

Gubernatorial elections

State partisanship

Congressional delegation

State executive

State legislature

Nebraska State Senate

Trifecta control

Demographics

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

SITE NAVIGATION