Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale says county election offices across the state are seeing an increase in early voting over years’ past.

The state’s three largest counties – Lancaster, Sarpy and Douglas – say this election’s early ballot requests have already exceeded those for the 2008 general election, with more people voting early in-person.

Sarpy County Election Commissioner Wayne Bena says more than 17,000 voters have requested early ballots, while nearly 20,000 have sought early ballots in Lancaster County.

In Douglas County, almost 4,000 people have voted in person so far with almost 55,000 asking for early ballots more than 20,000 of those already already returned.

County election offices in the Panhandle are also seeing plenty of interest in early voting.

Scotts Bluff County Clerk and election commissioner Vera Dulaney says she has had a steady stream of foot traffic that has her thinking this year should at least match the record 4,000 early ballots she handled 4 years ago.

Dawes County Clerk Cheryl Feist says her office has had a lot of contacts about the election, although more about just making sure the caller was properly registered than about early voting.

As for early voting, Feist says the Dawes County numbers are looking to be just about what they’ve been in the last few elections…with 443 ballots cast as of Thursday afternoon and about 600 expected by Election Day.

Registered voters have until the end of the month to request early voting ballots to be mailed to them, with November 5th…the day before the election…the dealine for early voting at county election offices.

Next Friday, October 26th, is the Nebraska deadline to register to vote for the November election, and all county election offices will be open to 6 pm local time that day.