Early voting is alive and well going into next month’s Nebraska Primary.

Statewide just over 49,000 early ballots have already been cast.

In Douglas County alone, over 20,000 early ballots are in.

Those numbers despite ongoing concerns from some that early voting is a security risk.

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Joe Jordan: “Getting your ballot?

Voter: “Yes.”

Jordan: “You like voting early.”

Yes, she does. And she’s not alone.

Brian Kruse, Douglas County Election Commissioner: “50 percent of the people in Douglas County now vote early, 50 percent vote at the polling place.”

Early voting in Nebraska now starts 35 days before Election Day.

But Republican State Sen. Ben Hanson, of Blair, would cut that to 22 days, arguing, “It limits the amount of time for ballots to lay around.”

Trump Post: It wasn’t that long ago that former President Donald Trump trashed early voting. On his Truth Social account noting, “YOU CAN NEVER HAVE FAIR & FREE ELECTIONS WITH MAIL-IN BALLOTS – NEVER, NEVER, NEVER.”

According to the conventional political wisdom, when it comes to early voting it’s Democrats who benefit the most, bringing those early ballots to the county drop boxes, while Republicans vote on Election Day. Now however according to recent numbers obtained exclusively by NCN, when it comes to early voting in Nebraska its advantage Republicans.”

Look no further than two years ago:

In the 2022 General Election, 129,309 Republicans voted early, compared to nearly 97,781 early voting Democrats.

During the 2022 Primary 101, 307 Republicans voted early, compared to 61,327 Democrats, that’s pushing a 2-to-1 GOP margin; roughly the same margin Republicans enjoy over Democrats when it comes to registered voters. Currently there are 603,673 registered Republican voters compared to 330,819 registered Democrats. 

And when it comes to early voting Nebraska election officials have little if any security concerns.

Jordan: “How confident are you that mail in balloting is not a problem?”

Secretary of State Bob Evnen, Nebraska (R): “Our mail-in ballots are secure but we have to continually work to ensure that that continues. It’s a dynamic process, it’s not a static process. 

Jordan: “None of the early voting keeps you up at night?

Brian Kruse, Douglas County Election Commissioner: “I don’t think so. No.”

As for that legislation shortening the early voting window. It’s stalled in the Legislature.