The 1978 Nebraska gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1978, and featured U.S. Representative Charles Thone, a Republican, defeating Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Gerald Whelan. Incumbent Governor J. James Exon, a Democrat, was barred from seeking a third term. Exon was elected to the U.S. Senate that same day.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates Robert V. Hansen Gerald Whelan, Lieutenant Governor

Results

Lieutenant governor

Candidates Orval Keyes ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. He was a member of the Nebraska Legislature in District 3 since 1969 from Springfield, Nebraska.

Results

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates Richard Hedrick Stan Juelfs Robert A. Phares, former Mayor of North Platte Vance D. Rogers Charles Thone, U.S. Representative

Results

Lieutenant governor

Candidates Herbert J. Duis, member of the Nebraska Legislature in District 39 since 1969 and previously from 1951 to 1955 from Gothenburg, Nebraska. Roland Luedtke, Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature since 1977 and member of the Nebraska Legislature in District 28 since 1967 from Lincoln, Nebraska. Dennis L. Rasmussen, member of the Nebraska Legislature in District 41 since 1973 from Scotia, Nebraska. Rosemary M. Skrupa, member of the Omaha Public Power District board from Omaha, Nebraska Don Stenberg, lawyer from Lincoln, Nebraska

Results

General election

Results

By county Source

County Charles ThoneRepublican Gerald WhelanDemocratic Write-in Margin Total Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %Adams5,17947.42%5,73552.51%80.07%-556-5.09%10,922Antelope2,19564.88%1,18835.12%00.00%1,00729.77%3,383Arthur18061.43%11338.57%00.00%6722.87%293Banner30169.68%13130.32%00.00%17039.35%432Blaine26865.69%14034.31%00.00%12831.37%408Boone1,61551.14%1,54348.86%00.00%722.28%3,158Box Butte2,34161.77%1,44938.23%00.00%89223.54%3,790Boyd83460.17%55239.83%00.00%28220.35%1,386Brown1,18463.15%69136.85%00.00%49326.29%1,875Buffalo5,59850.57%5,47249.43%00.00%1261.14%11,070Burt1,95862.36%1,18237.64%00.00%77624.71%3,140Butler1,71253.57%1,48446.43%00.00%2287.13%3,196Cass3,01049.43%3,08050.57%00.00%-70-1.15%6,090Cedar3,43278.77%92521.23%00.00%2,50757.54%4,357Chase1,04760.24%69139.76%00.00%35620.48%1,738Cherry1,68367.03%82832.97%00.00%85534.05%2,511Cheyenne2,13362.17%1,29837.83%00.00%83524.34%3,431Clay1,96455.59%1,56944.41%00.00%39511.18%3,533Colfax2,39560.15%1,58739.85%00.00%80820.29%3,982Cuming2,81465.56%1,47834.44%00.00%1,33631.13%4,292Custer2,61754.35%2,19845.65%00.00%4198.70%4,815Dakota2,50158.28%1,79041.72%00.00%71116.57%4,291Dawes1,98865.42%1,05034.55%10.03%93830.87%3,039Dawson3,67358.34%2,62341.66%00.00%1,05016.68%6,296Deuel780 69.27%34630.73%00.00%43438.54%1,126Dixon2,08872.20%80427.80%00.00%1,28444.40%2,892Dodge6,74859.15%4,66140.85%00.00%2,08718.29%11,409Douglas57,37149.06%59,43950.83% 1260.11%-2,068-1.77%116,936Dundy70361.34%44338.66%00.00%26022.69%1,146Fillmore2,15361.16%1,36738.84%00.00%78622.33%3,520Franklin1,00551.54%94548.46%00.00%603.08%1,950Frontier82360.38%54039.62%00.00%28320.76%1,363Furnas1,54158.04%1,11441.96%00.00%42716.08%2,655Gage4,70058.19%3,37741.81%00.00%1,32316.38%8,077Garden799 65.28%42534.72%00.00%37430.56%1,224Garfield60458.70%42541.30%00.00%17917.40%1,029Gosper443 52.36%40347.64%00.00%404.73%846Grant349 74.57%11925.43%00.00%23049.15%468Greeley59941.77%83558.23%00.00%-236-16.46%1,434Hall6,658 50.28%6,58449.72%00.00%740.56%13,242Hamilton1,901 56.95%1,43743.05%00.00%46413.90%3,338Harlan1,02849.12%1,06550.88%00.00%-37-1.77%2,093Hayes40861.26%25838.74%00.00%15022.52%666Hitchcock88360.77%57039.23%00.00%31321.54%1,453Holt2,74160.40%1,79739.60%00.00%94420.80%4,538Hooker25270.79%10429.21%00.00%14841.57%356Howard1,13447.45%1,25652.55%00.00%-122-5.10%2,390Jefferson2,47562.63%1,47737.37%00.00%99825.25%3,952Johnson1,473 58.18%1,05941.82%00.00%41416.35%2,532Kearney1,34046.87%1,51953.13%00.00%-179-6.26%2,859Keith1,80858.38%1,28941.62%00.00%51916.76%3,097Keya Paha41471.26%16728.74%00.00%24742.51%581Kimball1,32968.54%61031.46%00.00%71937.08%1,939Knox3,03774.77%1,02525.23%00.00%2,01249.53%4,062Lancaster32,54559.69%21,97940.31%00.00%10,56619.38%54,524Lincoln4,88746.42%5,63553.53%50.05%-748-7.11%10,527Logan20150.63%19649.37%00.00%51.26%397Loup27155.31%21944.69%00.00%5210.61%490Madison6,27069.30%2,77730.70%00.00%3,49338.61%9,047McPherson14056.45%10843.55%00.00%3212.90%248Merrick1,62554.70%1,34645.30%00.00%2799.39%2,971Morrill1,13663.57%65136.43%00.00%48527.14%1,787Nance97049.31%99750.69%00.00%-27-1.37%1,967Nemaha2,10963.81%1,19636.19%00.00%91327.62%3,305Nuckolls1,33647.51%1,47652.49%00.00%-140-4.98%2,812Otoe3,31159.74%2,23040.24%10.02%1,08119.51%5,542Pawnee1,14063.62%65236.38%00.00%48827.23%1,792Perkins87855.36%70844.64%00.00%17010.72%1,586Phelps2,29157.84%1,66742.09%30.08%62415.75%3,961Pierce2,32775.60%74824.30%30.10%1,57951.30%3,078Platte5,15051.89%4,77448.11%00.00%3763.79%9,924Polk1,47955.58%1,18244.42%00.00%29711.16%2,661Red Willow2,31462.91%1,36437.09%00.00%95025.83%3,678Richardson2,66756.60%2,04543.40%00.00%62213.20%4,712Rock573 63.46%33036.54%00.00%24326.91%903Saline2,70553.33%2,36746.67%00.00%3386.66%5,072Sarpy7,41748.82%7,74050.94%370.24%-323-2.13%15,194Saunders3,65655.16%2,96844.78%40.06%68810.38%6,628Scotts Bluff5,22760.23%3,44939.74%20.02%1,77820.49%8,678Seward3,26664.79%1,77535.21%00.00%1,49129.58%5,041Sheridan1,73372.39%66127.61%00.00%1,07244.78%2,394Sherman75739.24%1,17260.76%00.00%-415-21.51%1,929Sioux522 68.59%23931.41%00.00%28337.19%761Stanton1,37970.14%58729.86%00.00%79240.28%1,966Thayer1,84862.54%1,10737.46%00.00%74125.08%2,955Thomas31268.87%14131.13%00.00%17137.75%453Thurston1,12562.81%66637.19%00.00%45925.63%1,791Valley1,35653.92%1,15946.08%00.00%1977.83%2,515Washington2,89656.72%2,20443.16%60.12%69213.55%5,106Wayne2,32273.09%85526.91%00.00%1,46746.18%3,177Webster1,05748.89%1,10551.11%00.00%-48-2.22%2,162Wheeler23449.79%23650.21%00.00%-2-0.43%470York3,83268.21%1,78631.79%00.00%2,04636.42%5,618

References