The Douglas County Election Commission posted its last election-night results at 1:05 a.m. Wednesday. Those numbers are unofficial. The commission says the county canvassing board will canvass the election and make the results official on Thursday, Nov. 19. Between now and then, the commission has published a schedule for adding several more groups of ballots.
Here is what is still in the pipeline, what Nebraska law says about each group and what is not yet known.
Where the headline races stand (unofficial)
The commission’s 1:05 a.m. unofficial summary report lists 213,927 ballots cast. In the race for Douglas County Attorney, Democrat Makayla Danner had 110,063 votes and Republican incumbent Don Kleine had 98,134, with 265 write-ins. In the sheriff’s race, Democrat Mark Martinez had 112,599 votes and Republican incumbent Aaron Hanson had 93,859, with 271 write-ins.
The ballot also had two City of Omaha bond questions. In the same report, the $155 million Public Facilities Bonds question had 108,608 yes votes and 48,915 no votes. The $30 million Park & Recreation Bonds question had 118,170 yes and 40,724 no.
WOWT reported that Kleine said he was “disappointed” and that Martinez said Hanson had called to congratulate him. None of these totals is final until the canvass.
Ballots that can still be added
The election-night releases did not include every ballot. The commission’s posted schedule says the first 8 p.m. release covered early ballots received through noon Monday. Later releases added ballots cast at polling places, “excluding Provisional Ballots.” After Election Day, the commission says it will add:
- First Friday after Election Day: early voting ballots received after noon Monday through 8 p.m. Election Day.
- Second Wednesday after Election Day: early voting ballots that need more research, “including replacement ballots and ballots with questionable signatures.”
- Second Monday after a statewide general election: accepted provisional ballots.
Late mail ballots do not count. Nebraska does not count ballots that arrive late just because they were postmarked on time. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-950, an early ballot must be returned “not later than the hour established for the closing of the polls.” Ballots received after polls close stay sealed and are marked “Rejected.” The Nebraska Secretary of State’s calendar set that deadline at 8 p.m. Central on Nov. 3 for a mailed early ballot to be “in the possession of the clerk or commissioner.”
Military and overseas ballots have the same deadline. The federal Voting Assistance Program’s Nebraska guide says those ballots had to be received by 8 p.m. Central on Nov. 3, whether sent by mail, email or fax.
Early ballots under review. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1027, a counting board with members from both major parties checks each early ballot envelope for the voter’s name, residence address and signature. The board then either accepts or rejects the ballot. The commission has not said how many ballots are in its “questionable signatures” group, or whether voters in that group will be contacted.
Provisional ballots. Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1002, the election commissioner must confirm that each provisional voter was properly registered in the county by the deadline, had not already voted and signed the required certification. That review “shall be completed within seven business days after the election.” Ballots that are accepted go to the canvassing board to be counted.
How many ballots are outstanding
This is not yet known. The commission says the number of early ballots still to be counted and provisional ballots to be processed “will be posted approximately two days after Election Day.” That would be around Thursday, Nov. 5. When Oversight Justice checked the commission’s results page on Wednesday, it did not show those numbers. We will update this story when they are posted.
Canvass, certification and recounts
- Nov. 19 (Thursday): The Douglas County canvassing board canvasses the votes, according to the commission. State law (32-1031) lets the board correct obvious errors and recount ballots for any race that appears to be in error.
- Fourth Monday after the election: The board of state canvassers meets. It is made up of the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and attorney general (32-1037).
- By the sixth Monday after the election: The election commissioner issues certificates of election to winners of county offices (32-1033).
Under Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1119, a recount is automatic when more than 500 votes were cast for an office and the losing candidate trailed by 1% or less of the leading candidate’s vote total. A losing candidate can waive that recount. If the margin is larger, 32-1121 allows the losing candidate to request a recount and pay for it: $100 per precinct, with the money refunded if the recount changes the outcome. The request must be filed within three days after the county canvassing board finishes. Based on the unofficial totals, the County Attorney and sheriff margins are both larger than the automatic-recount threshold. Those totals can still change.
Whether any candidate will ask for a recount is not known.
Sources
- Douglas County Election Commission: Election Night Results and release schedule
- Douglas County Election Commission: Unofficial Results, 11/04/2026 1:05 a.m. (PDF)
- Douglas County Election Commission: Election Results
- Douglas County Election Commission: Recount Information
- Nebraska Secretary of State: Elections Division dates and deadlines
- Federal Voting Assistance Program: Nebraska guide
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-950
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1027
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1002
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1031
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1033
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1037
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1119
- Neb. Rev. Stat. 32-1121
- WOWT, Nov. 4, 2026
Disclosure: Oversight Justice is owned by David Mitchell, who sued Douglas County and County Attorney Don Kleine in federal court. The case was dismissed in 2024, and the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal on Feb. 5, 2025.
About the owner: Oversight Justice is owned by David Mitchell, an Omaha business owner. Read his sourced profile.
