Secretary of State

4 candidates · vote for 1 · 4-year term

Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name. Each quote is the candidate's own words; the summary above it is ours.

Topic coverage

Quote foundNo public position found

Secretary of State: topic coverage. For each candidate and topic, whether we found at least one public quote.
CandidateTaxes & costs (Property taxes and cost of living)Economy (Economy, jobs and trade)Agriculture (Agriculture and rural Nebraska)Health careAbortionImmigration (Immigration and the border)Education (Education and school choice)Energy & water (Energy, water and environment)Guns & safety (Guns and public safety)Elections & gov't (Elections and government)
Bob KristNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundQuote found: Elections and government
Scott PetersenNo public position foundQuote found: Economy, jobs and tradeNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundQuote found: Elections and government
Paul RumbaughNo public position foundNo public position foundQuote found: Agriculture and rural NebraskaNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundQuote found: Elections and government
Sarah J. SlatteryNo public position foundQuote found: Economy, jobs and tradeNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundNo public position foundQuote found: Elections and government

Dots show only whether we found a public position, not what it is or whether it is good.

Candidates in this race

Property taxes and cost of living

Property tax relief, income/sales tax, inflation, housing, grocery and utility costs, federal tax and spending as it affects household costs.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Economy, jobs and trade

Jobs, wages, workforce, small business, tariffs and trade, federal budget and debt, unions and labor.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

Summary

Wants it to be easy to start a business in Nebraska and says government should help businesses grow.

“We absolutely have to make sure it is easy to start a business and be successful in Nebraska”

Source: KOLN 10/11 (WOWT): Nebraska Secretary of State candidates outline prioritiesNews articlePublished Retrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State candidates outline priorities

Campaign website text

“Government should help businesses grow, not slow them down.”

Source: Petersen for Nebraska: Petersen's Plan for NebraskaCampaign websiteRetrieved Archived copy of Petersen's Plan for Nebraska
Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

Summary

Wants to reevaluate hurdles faced by entrepreneurs and says she would bring a business-minded approach to modernize state operations and support economic growth.

“I’d like to reevaluate the hurdles that entrepreneurs face in their quest to make their dreams a reality.”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)

“As Secretary of State, I will bring that exact business-minded approach to Lincoln to modernize our operations and support economic growth.”

Source: Slattery for Nebraska: Supporting Nebraska BusinessCampaign websiteRetrieved

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Agriculture and rural Nebraska

Farm bill, crop and livestock markets, ag trade, rural broadband, rural hospitals, ethanol, meatpacking.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

Summary

Lists rebuilding Nebraska's export trade and supporting farmers, ranchers and family-owned businesses as his second priority.

“My second priority is to help rebuild Nebraska's export trade and provide support to our farmers, ranchers and family-owned businesses.”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)
Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Health care

Medicaid, ACA, prescription drug prices, rural health care access, Medicare, mental health.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Abortion

Abortion law, Nebraska's 12-week law and constitutional amendment, IVF, contraception.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Immigration and the border

Border security, deportation, legal immigration, agricultural and meatpacking workforce visas.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Education and school choice

K-12 funding, school choice and private school scholarships, teachers, university and community college, student debt.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Energy, water and environment

Public power, ethanol and biofuels, wind and solar, oil pipelines, carbon pipelines, Perkins County Canal, water quality, nitrates.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Guns and public safety

Second Amendment, gun laws, policing, crime, prisons and corrections, drugs and fentanyl, marijuana law.

Bob KristParty: America First

No public position found.

Scott PetersenParty: Republican

No public position found.

Paul RumbaughParty: Nebraska Working People

No public position found.

Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

No public position found.

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Elections and government

Election rules and voter ID, winner-take-all electoral votes, term limits, ethics and corruption, money in politics, government transparency and audits, the duties of the office sought.

Bob KristParty: America First

Summary

Says in-person, absentee, early and mail-in voting must be protected and that the election process does not need radical change.

“In-person, absentee, early and mail-in voting must be protected!”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)

“I do not believe our election process needs radical change.”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)
Scott PetersenParty: Republican

Summary

Supports voter ID with citizenship verification, limiting mail-in voting to legitimate cases and banning ballot harvesting.

Campaign website text

“Support meaningful voter ID with citizenship verification”

Source: Petersen for Nebraska: Petersen's Plan for NebraskaCampaign websiteRetrieved Archived copy of Petersen's Plan for Nebraska

“I support commonsense reforms such as limiting mail-in voting to legitimate cases, banning ballot harvesting and restoring local control to Nebraska’s counties.”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)
Sarah J. SlatteryParty: Democratic

Summary

Wants to work on same-day voter registration and says no changes are needed to absentee voting, including in the 11 mail-in-only counties.

“The main thing I’d like to work on is same-day voter registration.”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)

“I don’t believe any changes are necessary regarding absentee voting, particularly in our 11 mail-in-only counties.”

Source: Nebraska Examiner: Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)QuestionnaireRetrieved Archived copy of Nebraska Secretary of State (2026 general election voter guide)

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