The 2026 Nebraska Legislature election will be held on November 3, 2026, alongside the other 2026 United States elections. Voters will elect members of the Nebraska Legislature in half of the U.S. state of Nebraska's 49 legislative districts to serve a two-year term. Primary elections were held on May 12, 2026.
Background Nebraska's legislature is unicameral and officially nonpartisan, however partisan endorsements and acknowledged party registration makes the de facto partisan affiliation of every legislator known. Bills in the legislature require a two-thirds supermajority to overcome a filibuster, which Republicans gained prior to the 2024 election due to a Democrat who switched parties. They retained this supermajority in the 2024 election, where both parties flipped the same number of seats. Despite their supermajority, Republicans have been unable to pass some of their legislative priorities, such as a near-total abortion ban and mid-decade redistricting, due to opposition from Senator Merv Riepe. Intra-party opposition has also blocked attempts to switch the state's allocation of electoral votes in presidential elections from the congressional district method to a winner-take-all method.
Democrats are seeking to break Republicans' supermajority in the chamber, which requires a net gain of one seat from the Republicans. This was complicated, however, by the candidacy of Democratic Senator John Cavanaugh, who is not up for re-election until 2028, for the state's second congressional district. If Cavanaugh had won, his seat would have been filled by an unrestricted gubernatorial appointment, likely a Republican, for the remainder of his term. To mitigate this, Democrats are investing heavily in a number of seats won by Donald Trump in the 2024 election with backing from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
Retirements Republican District 2: Robert Clements is term-limited. District 14: John Arch is term-limited. District 16: Ben Hansen is term-limited. District 18: Christy Armendariz is retiring. District 22: Mike Moser is term-limited. District 30: Myron Dorn is term-limited. District 32: Tom Brandt is term-limited. District 38: Dave Murman is term-limited.
Democratic District 6: Machaela Cavanaugh is term-limited. District 10: Wendy DeBoer is term-limited and running for the Public Service Commission. District 28: Jane Raybould is retiring.
Independent District 8: Megan Hunt is term-limited.
Summary Results by district District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Outcome 2nd Rep TBD 4th Rep TBD 6th Dem TBD 8th Ind TBD 10th Dem TBD 12th Rep TBD 14th Rep TBD 16th Rep TBD 18th Rep TBD 20th Dem TBD 22nd Rep TBD 24th Rep TBD 26th Dem TBD 28th Dem TBD 30th Rep TBD 32nd Rep TBD 34th Rep TBD 36th Rep TBD 38th Rep TBD 40th Rep TBD 41st (special) Rep TBD 42nd Rep TBD 44th Rep TBD 46th Dem TBD 48th Rep TBD Maps
List of districts District 2 • District 4 • District 6 • District 8 • District 10 • District 12 • District 14 • District 16 • District 18 • District 20 • District 22 • District 24 • District 26 • District 28 • District 30 • District 32 • District 34 • District 36 • District 38 • District 40 • District 41 (Special) • District 42 • District 44 • District 46 • District 48__NOTOC__
District 2
The 2nd district is represented by Republican Robert Clements, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. It encompasses all of Cass County along with parts of eastern Lincoln.
Candidates Advanced to general Dean Helmick (Republican), former Cass County GOP chairman Caitlin Knutson (Democratic), former special education teacher
Eliminated in primary Jayden Speed (Democratic), university student
Endorsements
Results
District 4
The 4th district is represented by Republican Brad von Gillern, who is running for re-election.
Candidates
Declared
Brad von Gillern (Republican), incumbent State Sentator Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek (Independent), nonprofit president and candidate for the seat in 2022
Results
District 6
The 6th district is represented by Democrat Machaela Cavanaugh, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates Declared Nate Ostdiek (Democratic), university student Patrick Leahy (Democratic), recycling executive
Endorsements
Results
District 8
The 8th district is represented by Independent Megan Hunt, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates Advanced to general Erin Feichtinger (Democratic), nonprofit policy director Josh Livingston (Democratic), Former Deputy Sarpy County and Family Law Attorney Eliminated in primary Terry Brewer (Republican), pastor and candidate for mayor of Omaha in 2017
Results
District 10
The 10th district is represented by Democrat Wendy DeBoer, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. Candidates Declared Cindy Johnson (Democratic), audiologist and education advocate Rebecca Rens (Republican), University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Counselors member
Results
District 12
The 12th district is represented by Republican Merv Riepe, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Advanced to general Merv Riepe (Republican), incumbent State Senator Christy Knorr (Democratic), nurse Eliminated in primary Thomas Kastrup (Democratic)https://nebraskaexaminer.com/voter-guides/contests/2026-primary-nebraska-legislature-district-12/ Robin Richards (Democratic write-in), President of the Ralston School Board and candidate for the seat in 2022
Results
District 14
The 14th district is represented by Republican John Arch, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates Advanced to general Bill Bowes (Republican), Former Papillion-La Vista fire chief SuAnn Witt (Democratic), Papillion La Vista School Board president Eliminated in primary Jay Jackson (Republican), lawyer and U.S. Air Force Reserve colonel
Results
District 16
The 16th district is represented by Republican Ben Hansen, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Declared Cindy Chatt (Democratic), businesswoman Ted Japp (Republican), former Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board member
District 18
The 18th district is represented by Republican Christy Armendariz, who is retiring.
Candidates Advanced to general Jess Goldoni (Democratic), businesswoman Taylor Royal (Republican), financial planner and candidate for Nebraska State Treasurer in 2018 and mayor of Omaha in 2017 Eliminated in primary Derek Schwartz (Republican), La Vista police officer
Results
District 20
The 20th district is represented by Democrat John Fredrickson, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Advanced to general Chris Anderson (Republican), aerospace industry consultant John Fredrickson (Democratic), incumbent State Senator Eliminated in primary Dan Witt, retired Omaha Public Power District planner
Results
District 22
The 22nd district is represented by Republican Mike Moser, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
Dawson Brunswick (Republican), Columbus-area Chamber of Commerce president
Results
District 24
The 24th district is represented by Republican Jana Hughes, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Jana Hughes (Republican), incumbent State Senator Dan Winter
Results
District 26
The 26th district is represented by Democrat George Dungan III, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared George Dungan III (Democratic), incumbent State Senator Tobias Howard (Republican)
Results
District 28
The 28th district is represented by Democrat Jane Raybould, who announced in June 2025 that she would not seek re-election in 2026.
Candidates Advanced to general Patty Pansing Brooks (Democratic), former State Senator Colby Woodson (Independent) Eliminated in primary Chad Kulig
Results
District 30
The 30th district is represented by Republican Myron Dorn, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates
Declared
Janet Bock, (Democrat), advanced practice nurse Cally Ideus (Republican), insurance agent and nonprofit owner
Results
District 32
The 32nd district is represented by Republican Tom Brandt, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates Declared Mark Schoenrock (Republican), Jefferson County Commissioner Shay Smith (Independent), attorney
Results
District 34
The 34th district is represented by Republican Loren Lippincott, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Advanced to general Ben Blodgett (Democrat), electrician Loren Lippincott (Republican), incumbent state senator Eliminated in primary Arron Kowalski (Republican), perennial candidate
Results
District 36
The 36th district is represented by Republican Rick Holdcroft, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Rick Holdcroft (Republican), incumbent state senator Darin Tompkins (Democratic), business leader
Results
District 38
The 38th district is represented by Republican Dave Murman, who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.
Candidates Advanced to general Tim Anderson (Republican), Mayor of Sutton (2024–present) Janell Anderson Ehrke (Republican), Founder and CEO of GROW Nebraska Eliminated in primary Jon Capps (Republican), Vice Chair of the Webster County GOP Melanie Knight (Democratic), Education advocate Wes Wilmot (Republican), Vice Chair of Furnas County GOP
Results
District 40
The 40th district is represented by Republican Barry DeKay, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Barry DeKay (Republican), incumbent state senator
Results
District 41 (special)
The 41st district is represented by Republican Fred Meyer, who has not announced whether he will run for the seat in the special election. Meyer was appointed to this seat after the resignation of incumbent Dan McKeon, who faced expulsion for sexual misconduct.
Candidates Advanced to general Jeremy Heneger Joe Johnson (Republican), businessman Eliminated in primary Jacob W. Sikes (Republican), orthotist
Results
District 42
The 42nd district is represented by Republican Mike Jacobson, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Mike Jacobson (Republican), incumbent state senator Shaylee Scranton
Results
District 44
The 44th district is represented by Republican Teresa Ibach, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Teresa Ibach (Republican), incumbent state senator
Results
District 46
The 46th district is represented by Democrat Danielle Conrad, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Danielle Conrad (Democratic), incumbent state senator
Results
District 48
The 48th district is represented by Republican Brian Hardin, who is running for re-election.
Candidates Declared Brian Hardin (Republican), incumbent state senator Jessica Landers, lawyer and former police officer Sam Landers, part-time massage therapist Kurt Zadina, retired school teacher
Results
Notes
References
External links
Official campaign websites for 2nd district candidates Dean Helmick for Legislature Caitlin Knutson for Legislature Jayden Speed for Legislature
Official campaign websites for 4th district candidates Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek for Legislature Brad von Gillern for Legislature
Official campaign websites for 6th district candidates Patrick Leahy for Legislature Nate Ostdiek for Legislature
Official campaign websites for 8th district candidates Terry Brewer for Legislature Erin Feichtinger for Legislature Josh Livingston for Legislature
Official campaign websites for 10th district candidates Cindy Johnson for Legislature Rebecca Rens for Legislature
Official campaign websites for 12th district candidates Thomas Kastrup for Legislature Christy Knorr for Legislature Robin Richards for Legislature Merv Riepe for Legislature
Official campaign websites for 14th district candidates Bill Bowes for Legislature Jay Jackson for Legislature