Nebraska‘s secretary of state booted a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate off the 2026 ballot after the state’s Republican Party argued the candidate did not intend to actually serve in the role.
Democrat Cindy Burbank will no longer be in the running for the Senate seat, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, a Republican, confirmed to the Nebraska Examiner on Tuesday. The Nebraska GOP filed a complaint to Evnen’s office alleging Burbank was not a “good-faith candidate,” ultimately prompting her removal from the ballot.
In the complaint, the state GOP pointed to Burbank’s campaign website and argued that, based on her own statements, she never intended to serve in the office, according to the outlet. Nebraska law allows candidates who file “for the purpose of creating confusion among the electors” and not in good faith to be refused from the ballot.
Burbank’s campaign website argues that Democratic candidate William Forbes is a plant candidate for Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE). Her website argues Ricketts “is putting in a candidate loyal to him in the DEMOCRATIC primary — to split the vote against him, so he wins easily.” Ricketts’s campaign has denied any involvement with the Democratic primary race.
“He knows he’s losing to Dan Osborn and this is his plan to cheat his way to victory. We can’t let that happen. Support me — and I’ll make sure Pete Ricketts’s stooge never gets anywhere near our November ballot!” Burbank’s website reads.
Ricketts and independent candidate Osborn are likely to face off in the general election as the two most popular candidates in the Senate race. The Nebraska Democratic Party has not endorsed a Democrat for the Senate seat and instead said that Osborn “represents the best opportunity to defeat” Ricketts.
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The race has seen several allegations of “plant candidates,” like that from Burbank against Forbes. Mike Marvin, the Legal Marijuana Now Party candidate, has also fielded allegations from the party’s former chair that he is a plant in favor of Osborn. Both Ricketts and Osborn have denied involvement with other candidates, according to the outlet.
Nebraska will hold its primary Election Day on May 12 before the Nov. 3, 2026, general Election Day.