close
Jump to content

2020 Nebraska elections

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2020 Nebraska elections
BERJAYA
← 2018
2022 →

The 2020 Nebraska elections were held on November 3, 2020. In addition to the U.S. presidential race, Nebraska voters elected the Class II U.S. Senator from Nebraska, one of its Public Service Commissioners, two of eight voting members on the Nebraska University Board of Regents, four of eight seats on the Nebraska State Board of Education, all of its seats to the House of Representatives, two of seven seats on the Nebraska Supreme Court, two of six seats on the Nebraska Court of Appeals, and 25 of 49 seats in the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Six ballot measures were also voted on.

President of the United States

[edit]

Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump was challenged by Democratic nominee Joe Biden in 2020.

United States Senate

[edit]

Incumbent Republican Senator Ben Sasse ran for re-election to a second term. He faced Chris Janicek, the Democratic nominee, in the general election, but following allegations of sexual misconduct by Janicek, the Nebraska Democratic Party supported write-in candidate Preston Love Jr. in the general election.

2020 United States Senate election in Nebraska[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Ben Sasse (inc.) 583,507 62.74% −1.60%
Democratic Chris Janicek 227,191 24.43% −7.06%
Democratic Preston Love Jr. (write-in) 58,411 6.28% —
Libertarian Gene Siadek 55,115 5.93% —
Write-in 5,788 0.62% —
Majority 356,316 38.31% +5.46%
Total votes 930,012 100.0%
Republican hold

United States House of Representatives

[edit]

All three of Nebraska's members in the United States House of Representatives ran for re-election. All three won re-election.

District Republican Democratic Others Total Result
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 1189,00659.52%119,62237.67%8,9382.81%317,566100.0%Republican hold
District 2171,07150.77%155,70646.21%10,1853.02%336,962100.0%Republican hold
District 3225,15778.51%50,69017.68%10,9233.81%286,770100.0%Republican hold
Total585,23462.17%326,01834.63%30,0463.19%941,298100.0%

Public Service Commission

[edit]

District 2

[edit]

Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades, a Democrat, ran for re-election to a second term. Tim Davis, a restaurant server, won the Republican primary to challenge Rhoades. Rhoades defeated Davis in a landslide, winning 63% of the vote. Two years into her term, however, Rhoades was elected Douglas County Clerk of the District Court and resigned her position.

Democratic primary

[edit]
Candidates
[edit]
Results
[edit]
Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Crystal Rhoades (inc.) 37,913 100.00%
Total votes 37,913 100.00%

Republican primary

[edit]
Candidates
[edit]
  • Tim Davis, restaurant server[3]
  • Krystal Gabel, cybersecurity technical writer and business analyst[4]
Results
[edit]
Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Davis 11,537 55.81%
Republican Krystal Gabel 9,131 44.19%
Total votes 20,668 100.00%

General election

[edit]
2020 Nebraska Public Service Commission, District 2 election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Crystal Rhoades (inc.) 95,119 62.67%
Republican Tim Davis 56,698 37.33%
Total votes 151,817 100.00%
Democratic hold Swing {{{swing}}}

State Board of Education

[edit]

District 1

[edit]

Incumbent Board member Patsy Koch Johns was unopposed for re-election.

Candidates

[edit]
  • Patsy Koch Johns, incumbent Board member

Primary election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Patsy Koch Johns (inc.) 51,460 100.00%
Total votes 51,460 100.00%

General election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Patsy Koch Johns (inc.) 93,015 100.00%
Total votes 93,015 100.00%

District 2

[edit]

Incumbent Board member Lisa Fricke ran for re-election to a second term. She was challenged by Robert Anthony, a real estate agent. Though the race was formally nonpartisan, Fricke was a Democrat and Anthony was a Republican.[5] Fricke ended up defeating Anthony in a landslide, winning 65% of the vote.

Candidates

[edit]
  • Lisa Fricke, incumbent Board member
  • Robert Anthony, real estate agent

Primary election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Lisa Fricke (inc.) 39,330 70.42%
Nonpartisan Robert Anthony 16,516 29.58%
Total votes 55,846 100.00%

General election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Lisa Fricke (inc.) 71,932 64.64%
Nonpartisan Robert Anthony 39,335 35.36%
Total votes 111,267 100.00%

District 3

[edit]

Incumbent Board member Rachel Wise declined to seek another term. To replace her, Norfolk Public School Board member Patti Gubbels and Columbus Public School Board member Mike Goos ran.[6] Gubbels defeated Goos in a landslide, winning 66% of the vote.

Candidates

[edit]

Primary election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Patti S. Gubbels 32,050 69.75%
Nonpartisan Mike Goos 13,895 30.25%
Total votes 45,945 100.00%

General election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Patti S. Gubbels 54,199 66.11%
Nonpartisan Mike Goos 27,796 33.89%
Total votes 81,995 100.00%

District 4

[edit]

Incumbent Board member John Witzel declined to seek another term. Tax attorney Jacquelyn Morrison and Midland University professor Adrian Petrescu, who held several positions in the Romanian government in the 1990s, ran to succeed him.[7] Morrison defeated Petrescu in a landslide, winning 74% of the vote.

Candidates

[edit]

Primary election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Jacquelyn Morrison 26,474 74.64%
Nonpartisan Adrian Petrescu 8,988 25.36%
Total votes 35,462 100.00%

General election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Jacquelyn Morrison 53,839 74.08%
Nonpartisan Adrian Petrescu 18,847 25.92%
Total votes 72,686 100.00%

Board of Regents

[edit]

District 1

[edit]

Incumbent Regent Tim Clare was unopposed for re-election and won his third term uncontested.

Candidates

[edit]
  • Tim Clare, incumbent Regent

Primary election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Tim Clare (inc.) 52,973 100.00%
Total votes 52,973 100.00%

General election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Tim Clare (inc.) 94,646 100.00%
Total votes 94,646 100.00%

District 2

[edit]

Incumbent Regent Howard Hawks declined to seek re-election. Psychologist Jack Stark, Millard Public School Board member MiKe Kennedy, and nonprofit manager Viv Ewing ran to replace him.[8] At the nonpartisan primary, Kennedy placed first, winning 35% of the vote, and Stark narrowly edged out Ewing to advance to the general election, winning 34% to Ewing's 32%. However, several months into the general election campaign, Kennedy withdrew from the race, citing a need to focus on his existing service commitments during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Though Ewing contemplated a write-in campaign,[9] she ultimately declined to do so and Stark was elected unopposed.

Candidates

[edit]

Primary election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mike Kennedy 20,129 34.91%
Nonpartisan Jack A. Stark 19,567 33.96%
Nonpartisan Viv Ewing 18,285 31.72%
Total votes 57,981 100.00%

General election results

[edit]
Nonpartisan primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Jack A. Stark 101,098 100.00%
Total votes 101,098 100.00%

State judiciary

[edit]

Justices Lindsey Miller-Lerman and Jeffrey J. Funke of the Nebraska Supreme Court; Judges Michael W. Pirtle and David Arterburn of the Nebraska Court of Appeals; and Judges Thomas E. Stine and Dirk V. Block of the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court ran for retention. All were retained.

Nebraska Supreme Court

[edit]

District 2

[edit]
Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman
ChoiceVotes%
For93,02574.20
Against32,35025.80
Total125,375100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State[1]

District 5

[edit]
Justice Jeffrey J. Funke
ChoiceVotes%
For93,41878.79
Against25,15221.21
Total118,570100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State[1]

Nebraska Court of Appeals

[edit]

District 2

[edit]
Judge Michael W. Pirtle
ChoiceVotes%
For84,46668.66
Against38,56031.34
Total123,026100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State[1]

District 4

[edit]
Judge David K. Arterburn
ChoiceVotes%
For94,75472.18
Against36,51727.82
Total131,271100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State[1]

Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court

[edit]
Judge David K. Arterburn
ChoiceVotes%
For94,75472.18
Against36,51727.82
Total131,271100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State[1]
Judge Thomas E. Stine
ChoiceVotes%
For564,63375.59
Against182,36624.41
Total746,999100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State[1]

State legislature

[edit]

25 of 49 seats in the Nebraska State Legislature were up for election.

Nebraska Legislature
Party Before After Change
Republican 30 32 Increase 2
Democratic 18 17 Decrease 1
Independent 1 0 Decrease 1
Total 49 49

Ballot measures

[edit]

Initiative 428

[edit]

Nebraska Initiative 428 would cap the annual interest for payday loans at 36%. As of September 2020, the Nebraskan average was 400% APR.[10] Vote for 428, an organisation campaigning for the initiative's passage, released a poll by Benenson Group Strategies which showed support for the measure (among Nebraskan voters) at 67%. It was conducted in August.[10]

Initiative 428
ChoiceVotes%
For723,52182.80
Against150,33017.20
Total873,851100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State [1]
BERJAYA
Initiative 428 results by county
Yes:
  •   80–90%
  •   70–80%
  •   60–70%

Initiative 429

[edit]
Nebraska Initiative 429
BERJAYA
November 3, 2020
Initiative 429
Results
Choice
 Votes %
BERJAYA Yes 588,405 65.04%
BERJAYA No 316,298 34.96%
Total votes 904,703 100.00%
BERJAYA
Yes      50%–60%      60%–70%      70%–80%
No      50%–60%
     Tie

Nebraska Initiative 429 would allow gambling at licensed racetracks.[1]

Initiative 429
ChoiceVotes%
For588,40565.04
Against316,29834.96
Total904,703100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State [1]

Initiative 430

[edit]
Nebraska Initiative 430
BERJAYA
November 3, 2020
Initiative 430
Results
Choice
 Votes %
BERJAYA Yes 591,086 65.01%
BERJAYA No 318,094 34.99%
Total votes 909,180 100.00%
BERJAYA
Yes      50%–60%      60%–70%      70%–80%
No      50%–60%

Nebraska Initiative 430 would establish the governing commission for racetrack gambling.[1]

Initiative 430
ChoiceVotes%
For591,08665.01
Against318,09434.99
Total909,180100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State [1]

Initiative 431

[edit]
Nebraska Initiative 431
BERJAYA
November 3, 2020
Initiative 431
Results
Choice
 Votes %
BERJAYA Yes 620,835 68.71%
BERJAYA No 282,703 31.29%
Total votes 903,538 100.00%
BERJAYA
Yes      50%–60%      60%–70%      70%–80%
No      50%–60%
     Tie

Nebraska Initiative 431 would enact taxes on gambling at racetracks.[1]

Initiative 431
ChoiceVotes%
For620,83568.71
Against282,70331.29
Total903,538100.00
Source: Nebraska Secretary of State [1]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Robert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of Canvassers, General Election, November 3, 2020 (PDF).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Evnen, Robert B. (2024). The Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, Official Report, Primary Election, May 12, 2020 (PDF).
  3. ↑ Hammel, Paul (October 21, 2020). "First-time candidate seeks to unseat Democrat in Nebraska Public Service Commission race". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  4. ↑ League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha (2020). "Douglas County Voters' Guide: Statewide Primary Election 2020" (PDF). Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  5. ↑ Dejka, Joe (November 3, 2020). "Lisa Fricke, Jacquelyn Morrison win seats on Nebraska State Board of Education". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  6. ↑ Wagner, Lauren (October 10, 2020). "Two running for state board of education". Norfolk Daily News. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  7. ↑ Dejka, Joe (October 6, 2020). "Nebraska State Board of Education candidates field questions on COVID-19, school discipline". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  8. ↑ Dunker, Chris (May 12, 2020). "Contest set for longtime regent's seat". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  9. 1 2 Ruggles, Rick (September 6, 2020). "Mike Kennedy withdraws from University of Nebraska Board of Regents race". Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  10. 1 2 James, Karla (September 30, 2020). "Poll Shows Nebraskans Support Payday Lending Reform". KLIN News Talk. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2020_Nebraska_elections&oldid=1356469928"