June 28 set for special election to fill remainder of Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s term

LINCOLN — June 28 has been picked as the date of a special election to fill the vacancy left when U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry resigned after being convicted of lying to federal investigators.

On that same day, Fortenberry, who had represented Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District since 2005, will be sentenced in a Los Angeles federal courtroom. He faces up to five years in prison on each of three felony counts.

The winner of the special election will fill out the remainder of Fortenberry’s term, which ends in January. The November election will pick a successor going forward.

The election date was selected by Gov. Pete Ricketts at the recommendation of Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, the state’s top election official.

By law, congressional vacancies must be filled by special election, and the governor had to pick a date within 90 days of Fortenberry’s resignation, which was effective Thursday.

The Republican and Democratic Parties have until April 22 to pick their candidates for the special election.

The leading GOP candidate in the race, State Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk, has said he hoped to be selected for the special election. The leading Democrats in the race, Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, is also seeking a spot on the special election ballot.

Evnen, in a press release, said 2022 will be a unique year for elections because there will be three: the statewide primary May 10, the special election in the 1st Congressional District on June 28, and the statewide general election Nov. 8.

The April 22 deadline for special election candidates also applies to persons wishing to appear on the ballot by petition. Two thousand valid signatures must be submitted by the deadline to petition onto the special election ballot.

The counties in the 1st Congressional District, which was redrawn due to redistricting last year, are Butler, Cass, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Lancaster, Madison, Platte, Seward, and Stanton. Parts of Sarpy and Polk Counties are also in the district. The special election will use the recently redrawn district, not the one utilized when Fortenberry was last re-elected in 2020.

Voters in the special election, just like in the primary and general elections, will have an opportunity to vote early or cast their ballots at the polls on June 28.

For more information, visit the Secretary of State’s website.