But Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale said Wednesday that state law was not the final — and only — word on the subject. He said he also was duty-bound by law to ensure that voters were not confused by an inaccurate ballot.
With that in mind, Gale granted Ricketts’ request to drop former Lt. Gov. Lavon Heidemann’s name from the fall ballot — Heidemann withdrew from the race Tuesday — and insert the name of Ricketts’ new running mate, State Auditor Mike Foley.
“There is no issue of greater importance than ensuring the accurate reflection of candidates on the ballot,” said Gale.
His decision was instantly met with criticism from Democrat Chuck Hassebrook, who contended that Ricketts should not get to change his running mate at this stage of the campaign.
Neither Hassebrook nor the head of the Nebraska Democratic Party, however, said they had plans to challenge Gale’s decision in court.
“I choose to take the case of my election to the people of Nebraska. But this presents another example of how one-party rule has resulted in a culture of arrogant leaders that see themselves above the law,” said Hassebrook.
The decision by Gale, a Republican, capped a fast-paced chain of events in the Nebraska governor’s race. It started Monday when word leaked that a judge had granted a protection order sought by the sister of then-Lt. Gov. Lavon Heidemann. They had quarreled over the care of their elderly mother, and the sister alleged that Heidemann had grabbed her wrists and pushed her out of her mother’s house.
A day later, Heidemann resigned as lieutenant governor and withdrew as Ricketts’ running mate. Within hours, Ricketts named Foley as his new running mate.
