Former Omaha mayor and Omaha City Council lobbyist are objecting to a proposed measure by State Sen. John Cavanaugh to change the city’s local elections to coincide with statewide presidential elections. Cavanaugh argues that this change would save taxpayers money by not having separate elections and increase voter participation in Omaha, which currently sees low turnout during city elections. However, critics such as former mayor Jim Suttle believe that adding Omaha elections to the statewide ballot would diminish the significance of local races and create challenges for candidates in fundraising and securing volunteers. Lobbyist Sean Kelley also expressed concerns about the potential disruption and lack of attention to city elections in a statewide calendar. The proposal did receive some support, including from a retired school teacher who believes it would lead to greater public participation in selecting Omaha’s leadership. The Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee has not taken any action on advancing the bill to the full Legislature.
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