Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Kearney City Council Election 2026

2 of 5

council seats up

Vote for up to 2

3 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council · Vote for up to 2

Randy BuschkoetterIncumbentCouncilmember; term ends December 202612sourced
Thomas CrossThomas Cross is a candidate for Kearney City Council in the November 2026 general election.1sourced
Kristin OhriKristin Ohri came to Kearney to attend the University of Nebraska – Kearney and has remained in the community since.3sourced

All Kearney voters choose up to two of the city's five at-large council members; the other three seats are not on this ballot.

3 notes on these statements

Councilmember Tami James Moore is not seeking re-election. Central Nebraska Today · May 7, 2026

The county's Notice of 2026 General Election lists Randy Buschkoetter, Kristin Ohri and Thomas Cross for the two at-large seats. Buffalo County Election Commission · Sep 14, 2026

Pete Kotsiopulos is serving as Acting City Council Member in place of Alex Straatmann. City of Kearney

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Pete KotsiopulosActing Councilmember in place of Alex Straatmann; term expires June 20274sourced Jonathan NikkilaMayor; term ends December 20285sourced Kurt SchmidtCouncilmember; term ends December 20286sourced Alex StraatmannCouncilmember; term ends December 2028; Pete Kotsiopulos is serving as acting member in his place2sourced

Start here

Match quiz3 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesData centers, Good Life District, Housing and tax-increment financing Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

First day of in-person early voting at the election commissioner's office

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Data centers

Where it standsOn Sept. 8, 2026 the council adopted data center zoning and development standards and approved a conditional use permit for a data center near Antelope Avenue (5-0 on each).

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee enforcement of the data center permit and standards, including annual reports, and may face further data center applications.

The adopted standards require a conditional use permit, closed-loop or similarly efficient cooling, sound limited to 55 dBA Ldn at the property line, and annual reports on water use, electricity use and noise compliance. Kearney City Council minutes, Sept. 8, 2026 · Sep 8, 2026
The permit covers a data center on about 69 acres; representatives anticipate starting construction in November or December 2026, with about 54 emergency backup generators contemplated. Kearney City Council minutes, Sept. 8, 2026 · Sep 8, 2026
State law requires the city to enter a Community Benefit Agreement with the developer, which city staff said would include annual tax grants, 59 permanent jobs, water stewardship efforts and a community advisory group. Kearney City Council minutes, Sept. 8, 2026 · Sep 8, 2026
Residents who spoke at the hearing raised concerns about water use, noise, the Ogallala Aquifer and the distance to the Central Nebraska Veteran's Home. Kearney City Council minutes, Sept. 8, 2026 · Sep 8, 2026

Good Life District

Where it standsKearney voters approved the Good Life District Economic Development Program on May 12, 2026; the program itself still has to be prepared and approved by the City Council.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how the district's sales-tax rebates are spent and how the program is set up.

City Manager Brenda Jensen told the council the state notified Kearney of a Good Life District designation on July 3, 2025, covering a 200-acre site north of Interstate 80. Kearney City Council minutes, Feb. 24, 2026 · Feb 24, 2026
State benchmarks include $100 million in new development in 10 years, 20 percent of sales from non-Nebraska customers and 50 new jobs. Kearney City Council minutes, Feb. 24, 2026 · Feb 24, 2026
The ballot language states that property tax dollars cannot be used; the city said no additional taxes are imposed by the program. Kearney City Council minutes, Feb. 24, 2026 · Feb 24, 2026
Voters approved the question 3,532 to 1,063 in the Kearney primary vote. Buffalo County · May 12, 2026

Housing and tax-increment financing

Where it standsOn Aug. 11, 2026 the council granted tax-increment financing to a 24-unit apartment project and a 30-lot single-family development (5-0 on each).

What's on the tableThe next council will decide whether to grant further tax-increment financing and redevelopment requests for housing.

Each project was granted 100 percent of the annual increment in real estate taxes, up to certified eligible project costs, for up to fifteen years beginning with Tax Year 2027. Kearney City Council minutes, Aug. 11, 2026 · Aug 11, 2026
Both applications were approved at the Aug. 6, 2026 Community Redevelopment Authority meeting before reaching the council. Kearney City Council minutes, Aug. 11, 2026 · Aug 11, 2026
Randy Buschkoetter said the city has recently approved rezoning and actions for around 144 housing lots. Central Nebraska Today · May 7, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. How should Kearney handle data center development?
2. Should Kearney set up its Good Life District program using the state sales-tax rebates?
3. Should the city offer tax-increment financing for housing projects?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Early voting ballots ready for delivery by mail (deadline)Nebraska Secretary of StateSep 28, 2026
First day of in-person early voting at the election commissioner's officeNebraska Secretary of StateOct 5, 2026
Voter registration deadline (mailed registrations postmarked, online, and at the DMV)Nebraska Secretary of StateOct 16, 2026
Last day of in-person early votingNebraska Secretary of StateNov 2, 2026
Election Day; polls open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central TimeBuffalo County Election Commission · Sep 14, 2026Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

4 stay (not up this year): Pete Kotsiopulos, Jonathan Nikkila, Kurt Schmidt, Alex Straatmann2 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

Kearney's City Council has five members, all elected at-large to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections. City of Kearney
The Mayor presides over council meetings and has full voting privileges. City of Kearney
The Council appoints the City Manager and City Clerk. City of Kearney
The council seats held by Randy Buschkoetter and Tami James Moore have terms expiring in December 2026. City of Kearney
The ballot reads: Kearney City Council Member-At-Large, vote for up to two, four-year term. Buffalo County Election Commission · Sep 14, 2026

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