While there are elections for homecoming royalty in October, there is a more important election coming up: the 2022 November midterm elections. More specifically legislative elections around the Millard area. These include the District 12, District 20, and District 31 special election due to the passing of state senator Rich Pahls.
District 12’s incumbent Steve Lathrop has hit his term limit, so Robin Richards and Merv Riepe are running to take his place. Richards is currently a member of the Ralston Public School Board and Riepe was a state senator in District 12 for one term from 2015 to 2019.
John S. McCollister also has hit a term limit, so Stu Dornan and John Fredrickson are running to take his spot in District 20. Dornan is currently a board member on the Nebraska Education Service and Fredrickson has not held former office.
In the District 31 special election, where Millard South is located, Kathleen Kauth who was appointed by Governor Ricketts to take the empty seat is running against Tim Royers. Kauth is the incumbent and Royers is the president of the Millard Education Association.
State level elections into the unicameral(our only legislative body) are extremely important for setting state laws. The body of 49 writes, debates, and passes laws into action. By voting for your legislator you have a say in what laws get passed.
We also have higher level elections this year. One for governor and one for congress. For governor, Jim Pillen(R) is running against Carol Blood(D). Pillen played for the Nebraska Cornhusker football team, was on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and is a hog farmer. Blood was on the Bellevue city council and was the state representative for District 3.
For Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district the incumbent Congressman Don Bacon is running against State Senator Tony Vargas in one of the closest congressional races in the country. Bacon was a brigadier general for the U.S. Air Force and Tony Vargas was on the Omaha Public Schools Board and is the state representative for District 7.
For more information about you local elections visit ballotpedia.com and to find your state senator go to nebraskalegislature.gov.