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Sarpy County elections chief reports staffing gains and early-vote surge ahead of May 12
Summary
Election Commissioner David Jones told commissioners the office increased temporary staff and poll-worker pay, added a new counting machine and has seen a roughly 32% increase in early voting compared with the 2024 primary; the Secretary of State will visit the office the next day.
David Jones, Sarpy County Election Commissioner, briefed the county board on April 28 about preparations for the May 12 countywide election, telling commissioners the office has expanded temporary staff, raised poll-worker pay, added equipment and is seeing an increase in early voting.
Jones said the office registers about 131,000 Sarpy County voters and has trained close to 800 poll workers for the upcoming election. "We've had to date over 5,700 early voters," he said, and the office is on track to reach roughly 7,000 by the end of early voting, a roughly 32% increase from the 2024 primary. To speed tabulation and reduce machine jams, the elections office has received a new counting machine from the Secretary of State and has adjusted ballot folding and handling procedures.
Jones described operational changes intended to reduce stress on staff and voters: modest increases in temporary staff compensation (poll-worker pay was raised above the county minimum wage), improvements to the physical security and layout of the elections office, and plans for a software upgrade from the county's vendor that will require additional poll-worker training.
He also outlined capacity constraints: the current counting-room and vault space are near capacity given growth and the county's 81 precincts; Jones said the team has contingency plans for moving operations if necessary and noted the Secretary of State will visit the office to observe accounting procedures.
During follow-up questions, Jones said drop boxes are being checked daily and that Nebraska law allows the office to begin counting some ballots the night before an election but that results cannot be posted until polling places close at 8 p.m.; his team aims for a 45-minute posting cadence election night to report incremental results.
Next steps: Jones asked the board to consider space and staffing needs for future budgets and to note the Secretary of State's county visit; early voting continues through May 11 and the countywide election is May 12.
