By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Keith Ubert wore his red Nebraska Cornhuskers hat and shirt today. The bright red is symbolic of his political leanings, but Ubert did not vote a straight line Republican ticket.

The Hays resident cast his ballot early this morning at the Hays Recreation Center before driving to Ellis where he works at Sizewise.

“The red hat and red shirt says it all,” Ubert said, “except I voted for one Democrat.”

He crossed party lines to vote for Eber Phelps, the Democratic incumbent in the 111th District statehouse race. “He’s good. He does a good job.” The Republican candidate is Barb Wasinger, an Ellis County Commissioner. Both are Hays residents.

Ubert says he’s not a “straight down the ticket” voter and this isn’t the first time he crossed the party line.

When Ubert first started voting, he was registered as an Independent.

“But I couldn’t vote in primary elections so that’s pretty much why I switched.”

So he registered as a Democrat in order to vote in primaries.

About six years ago, Ubert says he changed to the Republican party, after “just listening.”

“I can vote either way. It doesn’t matter. I just listen to the radio, read articles online and just try to stay informed.

“Vote your own opinion,” Ubert advised.

At least 30 people, along with some children, were standing in line waiting to vote Tuesday morning before the polls opened at 7 a.m.

By 7:55 a.m., 94 people had voted at the HRC gym, according to Bobbi Dreiling, Ellis County Deputy Election Officer. She was on hand, and on the phone as necessary, to answer questions from poll workers.

The polls remain open until 7 p.m. tonight. Ellis County Clerk and Election Officer Donna Maskus reported to Ellis County Commissioners Monday night a total of 2,137 people voted early in her office.

Hays Post and Eagle Radio will have local election results as they become available, along with the winners of statewide races.