OMAHA — The state Democratic Party chair questions if it's newly appointed Sarpy County Election Commissioner Emily Ethington's inexperience or something else when it comes to a low number of early voting ballot requests.

Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed her in the fall of 2021.

"The one thing we have heard from voters in Sarpy County is that they are very confused," Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb said.

Kleeb is questioning Ethington's lack of proactivity in regard to encouraging the practice of early voting ballots.

"The election commissioners in Lancaster and Douglas have been very good about having a permanent vote by mail list sending out regular communication to voters on how they can vote by mail. The Sarpy County Election Commissioner has not," Kleeb said.

Ethington wrote in an email that Sarpy County historically has not sent out early voting ballot applications.

"This has not been the practice. Sending early voting ballot applications doesn't give more people a chance to vote," Ethington wrote.

KETV found that early voting has decreased in Sarpy County by roughly half in comparison to the 2018 Gubernatorial Primary.

Now that the May 2nd, deadline for early voting requests has passed, voters who don't already have an early ballot in their hands can only vote in person at the election office or their polling place.

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