Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We dwindle down to forty three forty three days till
the general election November fifth, But of course, in the
wake of COVID in twenty twenty, everybody's doing Oh you
can vote by mail, you can vote early in all
of that. So we wanted to talk with Brian our
Douglas County Election Commissioner, Brian Cruz about the specifics of
(00:21):
the key dates that are coming up in Nebraska and procedures.
So you need to know and if you have a
specific question, feel free to send it in studio at
kfab dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Brian, good morning, Good morning, how were you guys this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
It's great to have you back here. We know that
several states have already started early. We go what October seventh, Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Were in personally voting, but by mail. Ballots are mailed
out a week from today actually, so we expect to
mail out all around eighty to eighty five thousand on
the first day.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Okay, what is the for that for those who don't
remember from the last election.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Sure, so you have to request a ballot. So those
who've requested a ballot, you will be getting about in
the mail. If there was an issue with your request
our office has tried to reach out to you if
we have a phone number or an email. Basically, nothing
has changed on that from the past. The biggest thing
(01:24):
is the number one thing is you gotta sign the
ballot on the back in order for it to be accepted,
and ballots have to be in our possession by eight
pm on election night. That means a dropbox or our
office postmarks are irrelevant. They don't count in Nebraska. They've
got to be in our possession.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
And you send out mailings for people who want to
request a ballot, right, a mailing, that's right.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
There are several counties in Nebraska that have an early
voting list for individuals who liked We call it the
Green Card program here in Douglas County because the postcards
are green and we chose green only because it wasn't
red or blue. Gary, Now go ahead, I was going
(02:14):
to say, voters in Omaha this year, the message we're
getting out is if you live in the city of
Omaha this year, you're going to have thirteen issues to
vote on. You're going to have six from the state,
and then you're going to have two charter amendments for
the city. You're going to have a good life district
and six bond issues. So besides the President, two senators,
(02:37):
congressman judges, and everybody else. So be an informed a voter.
That's that's the key this election, especially if you're heading
to the polls, be sure you research all those issues
and before you head out.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, and your question came in last week and I
promised I would ask you, is there a way? And
I know there is. Wants to know how she can
look at a ballot ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Absolutely, there's so many difference, so many different races.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Exactly. If you go to our website vote douglascounty dot com,
right up in the left hand corner, it says find
your voting information, Put a little bit of information in there,
and it will take you to the exact ballot you
will be voting on, and that'll be available starting September
thirtieth when we mail out ballot. So again, find your
(03:31):
voting information in the upper left corner on our website. Right.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Talking to Secretary of State Evnen the other day, and
I can't remember an astonishing number of ballot templates that
they have to produce across the state for there it's unbelievable.
It's talking about Bryan Cruise here, Douglas County Election Commissioner.
This came in from Sue Brian. I know I have
to show a picture I D Does my driver's license
(03:58):
have to have my current address on it?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
The answer is no. The law only requires your photo
and your name, so it can be expired and it
doesn't have to have your current address, but it does
have to be a Nebraska driver's license.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Also, the probably the number one question I hear is Okay,
if I want to boat by mail and we have
this photo ID law, how do I do that?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
So you do that at the time you request about it,
and the easiest and simplest way is to write your
driver's license number or state ID number on the request form,
or you can submit a photocopy of one of the
other acceptable forms like a passport military ID. The reason
(04:47):
you can write your Nebraska driver's license or state ID
on there is because we have agency sharing, so then
we can look at that with the DMV and make
sure what you're putting down core light with you.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
What about registering to vote? When's the deadline to register?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
So the absolute last day to register to vote for
this election in person at our office is Friday, October
twenty fifth at six pm. A week prior. October eighteenth
is the last day to register to vote online and
other ways. But Friday, October twenty fifth is the drop
(05:27):
dead deadline at six pm to register to vote.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Okay, So if somebody wants to walk into your office
and vote, that the first day for that is the
eighth is that right October seventh.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
I would always encourage people who like to do that
come earlier rather than later, because the closer to election day,
the longer the lines. Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Has this complicated your job, Brian, or made it easier
since we've gone early voting and mail in voting and
all of that.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
You know, it's take I will tell you this, It's
taken the pressure or off the polling places on election
day because about fifty percent of people in Douglas County,
you know, across to all political party spectrums, choose to
vote early. So in that regard, it's taken the pressure
off on election day at the polling places. I don't
(06:17):
think it's complicated or really helped. It's just shifted our workload.
We do a lot more work leading up to election
day now, you know, don't get me wrong, Election day
is still pretty crazy.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Yeah. Well, it's interesting, isn't it that that so many
conservatives and a Republican National Committee actually is encouraging even
though they don't like early voting. They're encouraging people, Conservatives
and Republicans to vote early because that's the way the
game is played now. And if you don't have power,
you can't change it. And I know you're not a
(06:52):
political actor, but it's an interesting construct. Brian. Thank you.
Great to have you on. Always appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Let's stay in touch, Kay, have a great day.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Go to Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Cruz
We dwindle down to forty three forty three days till
the general election November fifth, But of course, in the
wake of COVID in twenty twenty, everybody's doing Oh you
can vote by mail, you can vote early in all
of that. So we wanted to talk with Brian our
Douglas County Election Commissioner, Brian Cruz about the specifics of
(00:21):
the key dates that are coming up in Nebraska and procedures.
So you need to know and if you have a
specific question, feel free to send it in studio at
kfab dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Brian, good morning, Good morning, how were you guys this morning.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
It's great to have you back here. We know that
several states have already started early. We go what October seventh, Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Were in personally voting, but by mail. Ballots are mailed
out a week from today actually, so we expect to
mail out all around eighty to eighty five thousand on
the first day.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Okay, what is the for that for those who don't
remember from the last election.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Sure, so you have to request a ballot. So those
who've requested a ballot, you will be getting about in
the mail. If there was an issue with your request
our office has tried to reach out to you if
we have a phone number or an email. Basically, nothing
has changed on that from the past. The biggest thing
(01:24):
is the number one thing is you gotta sign the
ballot on the back in order for it to be accepted,
and ballots have to be in our possession by eight
pm on election night. That means a dropbox or our
office postmarks are irrelevant. They don't count in Nebraska. They've
got to be in our possession.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
And you send out mailings for people who want to
request a ballot, right, a mailing, that's right.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
There are several counties in Nebraska that have an early
voting list for individuals who liked We call it the
Green Card program here in Douglas County because the postcards
are green and we chose green only because it wasn't
red or blue. Gary, Now go ahead, I was going
(02:14):
to say, voters in Omaha this year, the message we're
getting out is if you live in the city of
Omaha this year, you're going to have thirteen issues to
vote on. You're going to have six from the state,
and then you're going to have two charter amendments for
the city. You're going to have a good life district
and six bond issues. So besides the President, two senators,
(02:37):
congressman judges, and everybody else. So be an informed a voter.
That's that's the key this election, especially if you're heading
to the polls, be sure you research all those issues
and before you head out.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, and your question came in last week and I
promised I would ask you, is there a way? And
I know there is. Wants to know how she can
look at a ballot ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Absolutely, there's so many difference, so many different races.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Exactly. If you go to our website vote douglascounty dot com,
right up in the left hand corner, it says find
your voting information, Put a little bit of information in there,
and it will take you to the exact ballot you
will be voting on, and that'll be available starting September
thirtieth when we mail out ballot. So again, find your
(03:31):
voting information in the upper left corner on our website. Right.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Talking to Secretary of State Evnen the other day, and
I can't remember an astonishing number of ballot templates that
they have to produce across the state for there it's unbelievable.
It's talking about Bryan Cruise here, Douglas County Election Commissioner.
This came in from Sue Brian. I know I have
to show a picture I D Does my driver's license
(03:58):
have to have my current address on it?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
The answer is no. The law only requires your photo
and your name, so it can be expired and it
doesn't have to have your current address, but it does
have to be a Nebraska driver's license.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Also, the probably the number one question I hear is Okay,
if I want to boat by mail and we have
this photo ID law, how do I do that?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
So you do that at the time you request about it,
and the easiest and simplest way is to write your
driver's license number or state ID number on the request form,
or you can submit a photocopy of one of the
other acceptable forms like a passport military ID. The reason
(04:47):
you can write your Nebraska driver's license or state ID
on there is because we have agency sharing, so then
we can look at that with the DMV and make
sure what you're putting down core light with you.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
What about registering to vote? When's the deadline to register?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
So the absolute last day to register to vote for
this election in person at our office is Friday, October
twenty fifth at six pm. A week prior. October eighteenth
is the last day to register to vote online and
other ways. But Friday, October twenty fifth is the drop
(05:27):
dead deadline at six pm to register to vote.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Okay, So if somebody wants to walk into your office
and vote, that the first day for that is the
eighth is that right October seventh.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
I would always encourage people who like to do that
come earlier rather than later, because the closer to election day,
the longer the lines. Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Has this complicated your job, Brian, or made it easier
since we've gone early voting and mail in voting and
all of that.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
You know, it's take I will tell you this, It's
taken the pressure or off the polling places on election
day because about fifty percent of people in Douglas County,
you know, across to all political party spectrums, choose to
vote early. So in that regard, it's taken the pressure
off on election day at the polling places. I don't
(06:17):
think it's complicated or really helped. It's just shifted our workload.
We do a lot more work leading up to election
day now, you know, don't get me wrong, Election day
is still pretty crazy.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Yeah. Well, it's interesting, isn't it that that so many
conservatives and a Republican National Committee actually is encouraging even
though they don't like early voting. They're encouraging people, Conservatives
and Republicans to vote early because that's the way the
game is played now. And if you don't have power,
you can't change it. And I know you're not a
(06:52):
political actor, but it's an interesting construct. Brian. Thank you.
Great to have you on. Always appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Let's stay in touch, Kay, have a great day.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Go to Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Cruz
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