Meet Scott
A business owner,elected to restoreconfidence.
Scott Petersen is Nebraska’s Secretary of State Elect: a lifelong conservative, Nebraska business owner and proven leader who believes our state works best when government is accountable, constitutional and firmly in the hands of the people.
For more than two decades, Scott built and ran a successful Nebraska business, creating jobs, meeting payroll and navigating the same state systems Nebraskans rely on every day. That experience shaped his conviction that government should serve citizens efficiently, transparently and without unnecessary interference. When records are accurate, rules are clear and systems work, families and businesses thrive.
A record of service
Before seeking statewide office, Scott spent years in civic leadership across Nebraska and helped develop election-integrity reform frameworks in 2022. That work reinforced a core belief: trust in government is not demanded. It is earned through transparency, accountability and adherence to the law.
The office
As Secretary of State, Scott will focus on doing the job the right way: constitutional governance, Nebraska sovereignty, secure and publicly verifiable elections, streamlined business and records services, and firm resistance to federal overreach.
He views the office as a stewardship, not a political trophy. It exists to protect elections, preserve records, defend the Constitution, promote Nebraska’s trade interests and keep government accountable to its citizens.
Scott and his wife, Ann, live in Omaha.
The 2026 Election
The results.
In May, Scott defeated the two-term Republican incumbent in the primary by more than 16,000 votes, 55 to 45 percent. In the 11 counties that vote entirely by mail, his margin was wider still: 58 to 42 percent, carrying ten of the eleven. On November 3, Nebraskans elected him Secretary of State by 14 points, 54 to 40 percent, a margin of nearly 100,000 votes.
| Race | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| Republican primary May 12, 2026, against the two-term Republican incumbent | 97,430 to 80,850 54.6% to 45.4% | +16,580 |
| The 11 all-mail counties Boone, Cedar, Cherry, Clay, Dawes, Dixon, Garden, Knox, Merrick, Morrill, Stanton | 9,245 to 6,735 57.9% to 42.1%; 10 of 11 counties | +15.7 pts |
| General election November 3, 2026, against the Democratic opponent | 393,501 to 293,529 54% to 40%; all precincts reporting, unofficial | +14 pts |
Primary: Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, official 2026 primary report. General election: Nebraska Secretary of State results, all 1,322 precincts reporting; unofficial until certified.
The Secretary of State’s office is nota political trophy. It’s a responsibility.
Public office is a responsibility to be taken seriously, not an opportunity to expand power or operate without accountability.
As Secretary of State, Scott will lead with humility, discipline and a clear commitment to serving the people of Nebraska with integrity.