Bob Evnen

Summary

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]

Bob Evnen
27th Secretary of State of Nebraska
Assumed office
January 10, 2019
GovernorPete Ricketts
Jim Pillen
Preceded byJohn A. Gale
Personal details
Born
Robert Barnett Evnen[1]

(1952-09-29) September 29, 1952 (age 71)[citation needed]
Sioux City, Iowa, U.S.[citation needed]
Political partyRepublican
EducationMichigan State University (BA)
University of Southern California (JD)

Legal career edit

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 edit

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 defeated two Republican opponents in the primary election, both of whom had endorsed President Donald Trump's false allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election,[13] and won reelection without opposition from the Democratic Party.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Robert Barnett Evnen #76351 - Attorney Licensee Search". members.calbar.ca.gov.
  2. ^ a b c "Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen". State of Nebraska. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  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 November 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "Robert B. Evnen". Nebraska State Bar. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  6. ^ a b 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 (Press release). KOLN. January 10, 2019.
  10. ^ Walton, Don. "Nebraska joins lawsuit challenging presidential electoral process". JournalStar.com.
  11. ^ "Evnen faces two challengers in GOP primary for Nebraska Secretary of State". May 6, 2022.
  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.

External links edit

  • Profile at Vote Smart
  • "Robert B. Evnen". Legal Team: Attorneys. Woods & Aitken LLP. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Nebraska
2018, 2022
Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Nebraska
2019–present
Incumbent