Lincoln voters are taking to the polls today, Tuesday – May 6, for 2025 City General Elections.
Residents can check their polling location at votercheck.necvr.ne.gov or call the election office at (402) 441-7311. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On the ballot, voters will be asked to elect new (or returning) leadership to the Lincoln City Council, the Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education, and the Lincoln Airport Authority.
In addition, voters will decide on a ballot initiative that would make it illegal for landlords to deny someone housing simply because of how they pay rent — whether through housing vouchers, disability or veterans benefits, Social Security, tips, or cash from informal work.
The names of those candidates, their party affiliations, and occupations are listed below. (*incumbent) For more details on these races, visit voterguide.flatwaterfreepress.org.
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County wide sample ballot. (Nebraska Secretary of States Office)
City Council
- Maher Aurang Zeb (R) – Business Owner, past candidate for Airport Authority and State Legislature
- Tom Beckius* (D) – Small Business Owner, Construction/Real Estate
- Stan Parker (R) – Founder & Executive Director of a nonprofit, leadership coach
- Bennie Shobe* (D) – State employee with the Department of Labor
- Jerry Shoecraft (R) – General Manager, The 50-50 Private Student Housing at UNL
- Sändra Washington* (D) – Retired
LPS Board
District 1
- John Cartier (D) – Lawyer
- John Goodwin (D) – CEO, Malone Center
District 3
- Barbara Baier* (D) – City of Lincoln Grants Administrator-Writer
- Seth Duncan (R) – Past paraprofessional at LPS
District 7
- Marilyn Johnson-Farr (D) – Professor of Education Doane University
- Cheryl Meyer-Thompson (R) – Legal Guardian of 8th-grader at Scott Middle School
Lincoln Airport Authority
- Vanessa Emlich (D) – Director of Audit Operations at Prime Therapeutics
- Tom Trumble (R) – Retired Professional Engineer, NE, IA, MO, KS, with 20 years specializing in Airport design and FAA grant administration
Lincoln for Fair Housing
Lincoln voters will decide whether to ban housing discrimination based on a renter or buyer’s source of income. The measure made it onto the ballot after supporters gathered enough signatures from Lincoln residents earlier this year.
- A vote “FOR” will implement the ban.
- A vote “AGAINST” will maintain the status quo.
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Early Vote Ballots
Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen says there are still many early vote ballots which have yet to be returned. As of Saturday, May 3, his office has only received about 18,800 of the 31,100 early vote ballots it has issued. All early vote ballots must be returned to the Election Commission no later than 8:00 p.m. today.
Anyone with an early vote ballot should drop it off in one of the Election Commissioner’s Official Ballot Drop Box locations:
- Election Commissioner’s Building, 601 North 46th Street
- Anderson Branch Library, 3635 Touzalin Avenue
- Eiseley Branch Library, 1530 Superior Street
- Gere Branch Library, 2400 South 56th Street
- Walt Branch Library, 6701 South 14th Street
Voters may confirm their ballot was received by the Election Commission on the Nebraska Voter Check website at votercheck.necvr.ne.gov.
Voter ID
Voters will need to present an acceptable photo identification such as a Driver’s License or State ID issued by the State of Nebraska, or another acceptable form of photo identification before they will be issued a ballot. The identification must have the voter’s name and photo. It may be expired and does not need to include an address.
Voters who are unable to obtain an ID due to a religious objection to being photographed, disability, illness, or lack of required documentation may complete a Reasonable Impediment Certification in lieu of presenting an ID.