2020 Nebraska Legislature election Results by gains and holds Results by winning party vote share Democratic gain Republican gain Democratic hold Republican hold 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90%
The 2020 Nebraska State Legislature elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections . Nebraska voters elected state senators[ b] in the 25 odd-numbered seats of the 49[ c] legislative districts in the Nebraska Unicameral . State senators serve four-year terms in the unicameral Nebraska Legislature .
A top two primary election on May 12, 2020 determined which candidates appear on the November 3 general election ballot.[ 2] [ 3] Each candidate technically runs as a non-partisan (i.e., no party preference). The Nebraska State Legislature 's website offers a statewide map of the 49 legislative districts here and maps for each individual district can be found on the website.[ 4]
Following the 2018 elections, the Republicans maintained effective control of the Nebraska State Legislature with 30 seats. The Democrats increased their numbers from 16 to 18.
Republicans flipped three seats from Democrats; Democrats flipped one seat from Republicans and one from nonpartisan Ernie Chambers.[ 5]
Open seats that changed parties
Democratic seats won by Republicans District 31: Won by Rich Pahls. District 45: Won by Rita Sanders.
Nonpartisan seats won by Democrats District 11: Won by Terrell McKinney.
Incumbents defeated
In general elections
Democrats District 35: Dan Quick (elected in 2016) lost to Raymond Aguilar.
Republicans District 49: Andrew LaGrone (appointed in 2019) lost to Jen Day.
Predictions
Close races District Winner Party Margin 3 Carol Blood Democratic 0.8% 49 Jen Day Democratic (flip) 1.0% 31 Rich Pahls Republican (flip) 5.4% 29 Eliot Bostar Democratic 6.2% 35 Raymond Aguilar Republican (flip) 7.2% 45 Rita Sanders Republican (flip) 7.6% 9 John Cavanaugh Democratic 8.2% 21 Mike Hilgers Republican 9.92%
Detailed results Note: All elections are technically non-partisan in the State Legislature; therefore, parties listed here are from candidates' websites and official party endorsement lists. Candidates all appear on the ballot as nonpartisan. Candidates endorsed by the Republican Party:[ 7] Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Party:[ 8]
District 1
District 3
District 5
District 7
District 9 Sara Howard (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 9th Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic John Cavanaugh 3,911 46.0 Democratic Marque Snow 3,435 40.4 Democratic Mark Vondrasek 1,152 13.6 Total votes 100.0 General election Democratic John Cavanaugh 8,461 54.1 Democratic Marque Snow 7,170 45.9 Total votes 100.0 Democratic hold
District 11 Ernie Chambers (incumbent) was term-limited.
District 13 Nebraska's 13th Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Justin Wayne (incumbent ) 6,477 100.0 Total votes 100.0 General election Democratic Justin Wayne (incumbent ) 11,771 100.0 Total votes 100.0 Democratic hold
District 15 Results by precinct:
District 17
District 19 Jim Scheer (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 19th Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Republican Mike Flood 8,346 100.0 Total votes 100.0 General election Republican Mike Flood 15,519 100.0 Total votes 100.0 Republican hold
District 21
District 23
District 25
District 27
District 29 Results by precinct: Kate Bolz (incumbent) was term-limited.
District 31 Rick Kolowski (incumbent) retired.
District 33 Nebraska's 33rd Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Republican Steve Halloran (incumbent ) 6,653 100.0 Total votes 100.0 General election Republican Steve Halloran 12,893 100.0 Total votes 100.0 Republican hold
District 35
District 37
District 39
District 41 Nebraska's 41st Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Republican Tom Briese (incumbent ) 8,355 100.0 Total votes 100.0 General election Republican Tom Briese (incumbent ) 15,855 100.0 Total votes 100.0 Republican hold
District 43
District 45 Sue Crawford (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 45th Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Susan Hester 4,158 51.0 Republican Rita Sanders 3,999 49.0 Total votes 100.0 General election Republican Rita Sanders 9,224 53.8 Democratic Susan Hester 7,919 46.2 Total votes 100.0 Republican gain from Democratic
District 47 Nebraska's 47th Legislative District Election, 2020 Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Republican Steve Erdman (incumbent ) 4,158 100.0 Total votes 100.0 General election Republican Steve Erdman (incumbent ) 14,964 100.0 Total votes 100.0 Republican hold
District 49 Results by precinct: John Murante (elected in 2016) resigned when elected Treasurer of Nebraska in 2018. Governor Pete Ricketts appointed Andrew LaGrone to fill the vacancy.[ 9]
Notes ^ In Nebraska, a two-thirds vote of all members is required to overcome a filibuster . Thus, 33 votes are required to hold a filibuster-proof majority.[ 1] ^ Although Nebraska's legislature is unicameral, the officeholders are called Senators. ^ The even-numbered districts were elected in 2018 and will be up for election again in 2022.
References ^ Metzler, Brandon (January 19, 2023), "Rule 7, Section 10", Rules of the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature (PDF) , p. 53, A two-thirds majority of the elected members shall be required for the cloture motion to be successful. ^ "Nebraska State Primary Election Results 2020" . The New York Times . May 12, 2020. ^ "OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE NEBRASKA BOARD OF STATE CANVASSERS" (PDF) . ^ "Nebraska Legislature:Legislature - Maps Clearinghouse" . Nebraska Legislature . Retrieved September 3, 2018 . ^ "OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE NEBRASKA BOARD OF STATE CANVASSERS" (PDF) . ^ "October Overview: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races" . The Cook Political Report . Retrieved November 1, 2020 . ^ "Candidates for State Legislature" . Nebraska Republican Party . Retrieved December 12, 2020 . ^ "Candidates" . Nebraska Democratic Party . Retrieved December 12, 2020 . ^ "La Grone, '16, Appointed to Nebraska Legislature | Nebraska College of Law" . law.unl.edu . Retrieved January 1, 2021 .
External links
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