The Superior Express -

Tuesday is primary election day in Nebraska and the polling places are to be open as usual. However, election officials say it won’t be business as usual.

Finding workers to man the places has been particularly challenging this year.

The problem has been statewide, not just in Nuckolls County.

Here, as in much of the state, most of the workers in previous years have been of an age which are apt to suffer the most serious problems with the COVID-19 virus. Many of them have been reluctant to work again this year. Not only must willing workers be found, there have also been regulations requiring the workers be divided among the state’s political parties.

In many counties, polling places have been combined or relocated. Before going to the polls, voters are encouraged to check the advertisement in this issue to make sure they know where they are to cast their votes. And this year all voters are being asked to wear a COVID masks when they visit their polling place

For Superior the polling place for all Beaver precincts has returned to the Superior Auditorium.

Voters in Elk, Spring Creek and Hardy precincts will cast their ballots at the Ruskin Community Building. Victor Precinct voters will go to the Lawrence Fire Hall. The city auditorium will be the polling place for Nelson precinct.

When going to the polls to vote in person, people are asked to wear masks and follow the social distancing regulations as established by the South Heartland Health Department.

A record number of Nebraskans have requested the early voters ballots. Those ballots have been mailed to the requesters and many have already been returned to the election office at the Nuckolls County courthouse.

The office stayed open until 6 p.m. Friday processing requests for the early ballots. The deadline to request one of the ballots has passed.

The marked ballots must be in the clerk’s office at Nelson prior to the close of polls on Tuesday. They may either be mailed or delivered to the courthouse. As entrance to the courthouse is currently restricted, a special collection box has been placed in the courthouse parking lot. It is in a convenient location to allow voters to drive into the lot and leave their ballot. Ballots do not need to be returned in person. A trusted friend or relative may take the ballot to the courthouse.

When it comes to elections, this is considered an off-year for the primary election in Nuckolls County as there are no local races.

School, city and village races do not appear on the primary ballot unless more than two candidates have filed for each office. As that did not happen this year, those positions with two or fewer candidates will only appear on the general election ballot.

Statewide, Nebraska is to elect one senator this year but the statehouse races will not appear on the ballot until 2022.

This is a Presidential year so voters will be able to pick the person they would like to have as their party’s candidate.

Here in Nuckolls County, voters will be asked to renew the agricultural society’s authority to collect a tax for the operation of the county fair.

The only county office open this year is that of the second district commissioner’s seat currently held by Darin Blackstone. He chose not to seek reelection. Dave Mussmann is the only person to file for that office.

Election results will be available on our newspaper’s web site at superiorne.com.