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
Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump was challenged by Democratic nominee Joe Biden in 2020.
United States Senate
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.
United States House of Representatives
All three of Nebraska's members in the United States House of Representatives ran for re-election. All three won re-election.
DistrictRepublicanDemocraticOthersTotalResult Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %District 1 189,006 59.52% 119,622 37.67% 8,938 2.81% 317,566 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 2 171,071 50.77% 155,706 46.21% 10,185 3.02% 336,962 100.0% Republican holdDistrict 3 225,157 78.51% 50,690 17.68% 10,923 3.81% 286,770 100.0% Republican holdTotal 585,234 62.17% 326,018 34.63% 30,046 3.19% 941,298 100.0%
Public Service Commission District 2 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 Candidates Crystal Rhoades, incumbent Commissioner
Results
Republican primary Candidates Tim Davis, restaurant server Krystal Gabel, cybersecurity technical writer and business analyst
Results
General election
State Board of Education District 1 Incumbent Board member Patsy Koch Johns was unopposed for re-election.
Candidates Patsy Koch Johns, incumbent Board member
Primary election results
General election results
District 2 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. Fricke ended up defeating Anthony in a landslide, winning 65% of the vote.
Candidates Lisa Fricke, incumbent Board member Robert Anthony, real estate agent
Primary election results
General election results
District 3 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. Gubbels defeated Goos in a landslide, winning 66% of the vote.
Candidates Patti S. Gubbels, Norfolk Public School Board member Mike Goos, Columbus Public School Board member
Primary election results
General election results
District 4 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. Morrison defeated Petrescu in a landslide, winning 74% of the vote.
Candidates Jacquelyn Morrison, tax attorney Adrian Petrescu, Midland University professor
Primary election results
General election results
Board of Regents District 1 Incumbent Regent Tim Clare was unopposed for re-election and won his third term uncontested.
Candidates Tim Clare, incumbent Regent
Primary election results
General election results
District 2 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. 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. Though Ewing contemplated a write-in campaign, she ultimately declined to do so and Stark was elected unopposed.
Candidates Jack A. Stark, psychologist Mike Kennedy, Millard Public School Board member Viv Ewing, nonprofit manager
Primary election results
General election results
State judiciary 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 District 2
District 5
Nebraska Court of Appeals District 2
District 4
Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court
State legislature 25 of 49 seats in the Nebraska State Legislature were up for election.
Nebraska Legislature Party Before After Change Republican 30 32 2 Democratic 18 17 1 Independent 1 0 1 Total 49 49
Ballot measures Initiative 428 Nebraska Initiative 428 would cap the annual interest for payday loans at 36%. As of September 2020, the Nebraskan average was 400% APR. 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.
Initiative 429
Nebraska Initiative 429 would allow gambling at licensed racetracks.
Initiative 430
Nebraska Initiative 430 would establish the governing commission for racetrack gambling.
Initiative 431
Nebraska Initiative 431 would enact taxes on gambling at racetracks.
References