What is a Primary Election?

Nebraska’s May 10 primary election will determine which candidates appear on November’s general election ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives, the state legislature, and various state executive positions, including governor. Nebraska uses a “closed primary,” meaning you must register with a political party to participate in choosing that party’s nominees. However, if you register to vote as an independent, you can still vote for your choice in all of the non-partisan races, which include state legislators and numerous other state and local offices. Ballotpedia provides an excellent resource for all sorts of election information. If you want to take a deeper dive into the different primary systems used by different states, look here.