Incumbent Aaron Hanson conceded Tuesday night. Makayla Danner also leads the Douglas County attorney contest, according to unofficial election returns.
By Hola Nebraska
Unofficial results released by the Douglas County Election Commission on November 4, 2026, at 1:05 a.m. CT.
OMAHA, Nebraska — Democrat Mark Martinez defeated Republican incumbent Aaron Hanson in the November 3 election for Douglas County sheriff, receiving 112,599 votes (54.5%) to Hanson’s 93,859 (45.4%).
The Douglas County Election Commission’s unofficial results also recorded 271 write-in votes.
Hanson acknowledged his defeat Tuesday night. Martinez told WOWT that Hanson had called to congratulate him and expressed a willingness to cooperate during the transition.
Martinez previously served as U.S. marshal and Omaha police deputy chief
Martinez was U.S. marshal for the District of Nebraska from 2010 to 2018 after being appointed by President Barack Obama. Before that, he spent approximately 25 years with the Omaha Police Department, rising to deputy chief. He also worked as a crime lab technician for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office provides law enforcement services that include patrol, criminal investigations, warrant service, courthouse security and sex offender monitoring. Its responsibilities extend beyond those of the Omaha Police Department.
Martinez campaigned on strengthening cooperation among local agencies, improving deputy training and rebuilding public trust.
His candidacy faced a legal challenge earlier in 2026 after Douglas County’s election commissioner determined that he did not meet a state law enforcement certification requirement. A Nebraska Supreme Court justice subsequently ruled that Martinez was eligible to remain on the ballot.
Related: Nebraska court reinstates Mark Martinez on sheriff ballot.
Martinez plans to review sheriff’s operations and has opposed ICE cooperation
Following the election, Martinez said he wanted to evaluate the sheriff’s office’s core operations and improve its working relationships with the Omaha Police Department and Douglas County Correctional Facility.
His position on cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also differed from Hanson’s approach.
During the campaign, Martinez said immigration enforcement was not a local sheriff’s responsibility and that his administration would not devote personnel, staff time or county tax dollars to assisting ICE, according to reporting by Flatwater Free Press published by The Reader.
Hanson defended cooperation with federal immigration authorities in cases he considered connected to significant criminal offenses. He said his office did not refer civil immigration cases to ICE when there was no evidence of a crime.
Martinez’s statements reflect his campaign position. They do not establish that current sheriff’s office procedures have changed. Any operational changes would be subject to decisions made after the leadership transition and applicable legal requirements.
Makayla Danner leads Don Kleine in county attorney race
The November 3 election also left Democratic challenger Makayla Danner ahead of Republican incumbent Don Kleine, who has served as Douglas County attorney since 2006.
The county’s unofficial tally recorded 110,063 votes (52.8%) for Danner and 98,134 (47.1%) for Kleine, along with 265 write-in votes.
Danner has worked as an assistant city attorney for Omaha since 2004, handling cases involving child abuse, neglect and offenses involving young people. She also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Her campaign proposed prioritizing violent-crime prosecutions while expanding diversion programs for eligible nonviolent cases and strengthening approaches to juvenile justice.
Under Nebraska law, county attorneys prosecute criminal cases on behalf of the state and county and handle certain civil proceedings involving those governments. The office also makes decisions about prosecution priorities and eligible diversion programs.
Douglas County plans to certify election results November 19
The election results remain unofficial as the county processes remaining eligible ballots and completes its canvass.
The Douglas County Election Commission has scheduled certification for Thursday, November 19, 2026. Official results will be published after that process.
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