Douglas County GOP challenges candidacy of Democrat Mark Martinez for sheriff
OMAHA — The Douglas County Republican Party has filed a complaint with county election officials questioning the sheriff’s candidacy of Democratic candidate Mark Martinez.
The county GOP released a statement Monday night that partly said, “Nebraska law requires candidates for sheriff to possess an active peace officer certificate. Martinez has not possessed an active peace officer certificate since 2009.”
Martinez campaign representatives said election officials told them he met the requirements to run for the position. Martinez was the U.S. marshal for the District of Nebraska from 2010 to 2018 and, before that, served from 1984 to 2009 in the Omaha Police Department, reaching the rank of deputy chief.
“Nebraska’s state laws are clear — candidates for sheriff must be certified law enforcement officers with an active peace officer certificate,” the statement from Douglas County GOP Chair Nancy Hicks reads. She claimed that Martinez “has not held an active certificate for more than 17 years and therefore cannot serve as Douglas County’s highest-ranking law enforcement officer.”
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/03/10/douglas-county-gop-challenges-candidacy-of-democrat-mark-martinez-for-sheriff/