(1) All contested primary and general elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, State Treasurer, Attorney General, member of the Public Service Commission, member of the State Board of Education, and Regent of the University of Nebraska shall be heard and determined by the district court for Lancaster County.
(2) Any person contesting the election of any officer named in subsection
(1) of this section shall present a petition to the district court of Lancaster County within forty days after the election. The petition shall set forth the points on which he or she will contest the election and the facts which he or she will prove in support of such points and shall ask for leave to produce his or her proof. The person whose election is being contested shall be served with a copy of such petition and a notice of the time and place of the presentation of the petition at least ten days before the petition will be presented and may, upon the presentation of such petition, file his or her answer thereto specifying reasons why his or her election should not be contested.