Bob Evnen
Office27th Secretary of State of Nebraska
GovernorPete Ricketts
Jim Pillen
Term startJanuary 10, 2019
PredecessorJohn A. Gale
Birth nameRobert Barnett Evnen[1]
Birth date1952-09-29[citation needed]
Birth placeSioux City, Iowa, U.S.[citation needed]
PartyRepublican
EducationMichigan State University (BA)
University of Southern California (JD)

Robert Barnett Evnen (born 1952) is an American attorney and Republican politician in the state of Nebraska. He is the 27th Secretary of State of Nebraska, serving since 2019.[2]

Evnen was first elected Secretary of State in 2018, and re-elected in 2022 after winning the Republican primary with 40% of the vote. He ran for a third term in the 2026 election, but lost in the Republican primary.

Evnen graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in social science in 1974 and from the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1977.[3] He was a partner at the Lincoln, Nebraska law firm Woods & Aitken, LLP for 32 years, where he practiced labor and employment law.[2][4] He is licensed to practice law in Nebraska, Iowa, and California (inactive).[5][1]

Political career

Evnen served as a member of the State Board of Education,[2] following his appointment by Governor Dave Heineman in 2005 and he was elected to a full term in 2008.[6] He also served as general counsel to the Nebraska Republican Party and as campaign treasurer for U.S. Senator Deb Fischer.[7]

In the 2018 elections, Evnen ran for Secretary of State of Nebraska.[6] He won the election, defeating Spencer Danner, the Democratic Party nominee,[8] and was sworn into office on January 10, 2019.[9] Evnen supported Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson's decision to sign on to a lawsuit contesting the 2020 United States presidential election.[10] Evnen's office later investigated allegations of voter fraud, saying that they "haven't found any validity or merit" to them.[11]

Evnen ran for a second term in the 2022 election.[12] He won the Republican primary with 40% of the vote, defeating two candidates who had endorsed President Donald Trump's false allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election,[13] and won the general election unopposed.[14]

Evnen ran for a third term in the 2026 election. He faced a primary challenge from Scott Petersen, an Omaha businessman,[15] and Petersen defeated Evnen for the nomination.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Robert Barnett Evnen #76351 - Attorney Licensee Search". members.calbar.ca.gov
  2. ^ "Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen". State of Nebraska. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  3. ^ "Evnen, Perrell face off in Secretary of State race | Election2018". Star Herald. starherald.com. May 9, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  4. ^ "Robert B. Evnen - Of Counsel". Woods Aitken. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  5. ^ "Robert B. Evnen". Nebraska State Bar. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  6. ^ Duggan, Joe (April 18, 2017). "Lincoln attorney Bob Evnen to run for Nebraska secretary of state, says he'd push for voter ID law | Nebraska". Omaha World-Herald. omaha.com. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  7. ^ Walton, Don (April 14, 2017). "Evnen ready to enter race for secretary of state | Regional Government". Lincoln Journal Star. journalstar.com. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  8. ^ Liewer, Steve (November 6, 2018). "Bob Evnen elected Nebraska secretary of state | Elections". Omaha World-Herald. omaha.com. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  9. ^ "New Secretary of State sworn in". www.1011now.com. KOLN. January 10, 2019.
  10. ^ Walton, Don (December 9, 2020). "Nebraska joins lawsuit challenging presidential electoral process". Lincoln Journal Star. Archived December 10, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  11. ^ Hammel, Paul (May 6, 2022). "Evnen faces two challengers in GOP primary for Nebraska Secretary of State". Nebraska Examiner. Archived May 6, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  12. ^ Peteren, Ron (April 20, 2022). "Three vie for secretary of state". Norfolk Daily News
  13. ^ "Evnen fends off two challengers to win GOP primary for secretary of state"
  14. ^ Humphries, Jon. "Republicans win lopsided races statewide". The Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  15. ^ Salinas II, Juan. "Scott Petersen challenges Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen from right". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  16. ^ Mueller, Julia (May 12, 2026). "Nebraska secretary of state loses GOP primary". The Hill. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  • "Robert B. Evnen". Legal Team: Attorneys. Woods & Aitken LLP. Archived 2016-06-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-10-26.