By Allison Peck
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Independent congressional candidate Macey Budke announced Tuesday that she will continue her campaign for Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District as a write-in candidate in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Budke had been seeking ballot access through Nebraska's petition process for independent candidates but said the campaign will instead pursue a write-in effort after evaluating its signature collection progress ahead of the August deadline.
"This campaign isn't ending," Budke said. "We are officially moving forward as a write-in campaign."
According to the campaign, the decision reflects both the challenges of Nebraska's ballot access process and its commitment to offering voters an alternative to the two major political parties.
"Our campaign is made up of working Nebraskans with jobs, families and real responsibilities," Budke said. "We don't have a paid political machine or a national party structure behind us. We have people who care about where this district is headed, and we are not done fighting for it."
The campaign said it will continue focusing on voter outreach, public appearances, fundraising, media engagement and voter education leading up to the November election.
Budke said her campaign priorities include rural healthcare and emergency medical services, education and special education, agriculture, affordable childcare, support for working families, and government and corporate accountability.
"I could've joined a party and taken the easier route," Budke said. "I chose to stay independent. I'm not going to let a signature threshold decide whether rural Nebraskans have another choice."
Because her name will not appear on the ballot, the campaign is encouraging voters to write in "Macey Budke" for Congress and fill in the corresponding oval on their ballots.
"This isn't a retreat," Budke said. "It's a more focused campaign, and it is a direct challenge to a political system that makes it far easier to run with a party than to run independently."
Budke, a North Platte native, currently works in behavioral health practice management and has experience in healthcare operations, workforce development, long-term care, pediatrics and community-based services. She holds graduate degrees in industrial-organizational psychology and healthcare administration.
"The state may not print my name on the ballot," Budke said. "Nebraska voters can still put it there themselves."
Additional information about the campaign is available at budkeforcongress.com.