Melissa Temple
Elections and appointments
Personal
Contact
Melissa Temple ran for election to the Nebraska State Senate to represent District 19. She lost in the primary on May 14, 2024.
Temple completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Melissa Temple earned a bachelor's degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and a graduate degree from the Princeton Theological Seminary. Her career experience includes working as a special education teacher and hospice chaplain.[1]
Temple has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- Norfolk Parks and Recreation
- The Connection Project
- Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics
- Norfolk Community Theater
- Norfolk Area Diversity Council
- Nebraska Organizing Project
- Norfolk Connect
Elections
2024
See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2024
General election
Nonpartisan primary election
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Temple in this election.
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Melissa Temple completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Temple's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I'm a teacher, nonprofit founder, and hospice chaplain.
I studied theology and public policy as a graduate student at Princeton, and I'm currently the elected Director for Subdistrict 3 of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District where I have worked to address District 19’s high level of nitrates, advocated for research on the health effects of contaminated drinking water for unborn babies and children, and emphasized the need for robust community flood protection.
I am the Vice President of the Norfolk Parks and Recreation Board and sit on the board of The Connection Project, a local peer-run non-profit for individuals with mental health and/or substance abuse challenges. Other organizations I am actively involved with include FASPE (a professional ethics organization), the Norfolk Community Theater, Norfolk Area Diversity Council, Nebraska Organizing Project, Norfolk Connect, and was recently selected as one of Norfolk’s 2024 “Top 20 Under 40.”
I am running because we need leaders who are immersed in the everyday lives and needs in our district and take the time to see what is working well and what isn’t, listen to the stories, and learn from those who are most affected by the issues being voted on in Lincoln. - I believe in people over politics.
- I will always be accessible and listen to you.
- I'm capable, caring, and fair.
1. Natural Resources and Water Safety
2. Education & Property Taxes
3. Improving Livability I look up to Jimmy Carter for his humility and Abraham Lincoln for his strength, resolve, and wisdom in the midst of the most difficult decisions a president ever had to make.
I am a political leader who has demonstrated that I will take the time to research the issues, meet with constituents who are affected, and knock on every door until a solution can be found. I have shown that I will speak up for what is true and right, hold government to account, insist on transparency and justice, and will relentlessly fight to protect and uphold our constitutional freedoms.
I will remain open minded, honest about what I don’t know, and humbly seek input. I promise to thoughtfully and prayerfully cast each vote in accordance with my values, conscience, and the people I represent.
I am a candidate who tries to better understand your world, so that I can fight for you and your family’s needs. I am a bridge-builder across generational divides; between rural and urban communities; and economic, social and political divides. I have gone into the coffee shops and small town bars, sat in constituent’s living rooms and across tables at the local fish fries and I have asked what you need and how I can help. I am a candidate who is in touch with my community and can relate to the struggles of everyday Nebraskans. I know what it feels like to work two or three jobs to try and make ends meet, I have struggled to find affordable housing to buy, taught in our local schools and worked in our rural communities. I am a candidate who will try to empathize with your experiences, enter your reality, sit down with you, ask good questions, seek out opposing views, research the issues, examine the data, to try and make the most just decision for the betterment of the people who call this community home.
To meet with, listen, and respond to constituents. Research and write bills based on constituent needs. To work with other senators and the governor to accomplish what Nebraskan's need to thrive.
I am running as a non-partisan/independent because I don’t believe the two party system is accomplishing the tasks that need to be done. Despite our unicameral being non-partisan it has become more and more divided on national party issues that have distracted from the real issues at hand, which is how to serve the needs of everyday Nebraskans. Not being affiliated with a party I know makes me an underdog in this race - I am not a member of the political or social elite, or have deep pockets or big name endorsements, but I think that’s a good thing. I am an independent thinker, in touch with the needs and voices and struggles of everyday working people and I will never stop advocating for my community. I am not going to Lincoln to fight for or against a party’s interest or agenda, I’m going to fight for you. I will not back down from what I believe to be right and true, and am not afraid to stand up to powerful private interests. I understand that no candidate will perfectly align with all of your priorities, and that is why it’s important to remember that at the end of the day you aren’t voting for a party, or a specific policy, you’re voting for a person. A person who’s character and values you trust enough to make hard decisions on your behalf and who has the wisdom, humility, perseverance, and heart to put the needs of Nebraskans first.
I remember when the gulf war began. I was very young, but I recall adults watching it on television and hearing that "the war had begun."
I was a gymnastics coach starting around age 15. I loved the sport but my parents couldn't afford it so I worked out an arrangement with the gym to coach classes in exchange for my tuition. I was a gymnast and coach at that gym until I graduated high school.
During my childhood my family rented a house that had a contaminated well and we were without clean water for several years. Tenant rights at the time didn’t require landlords to provide domestic well testing or treatment for safe drinking water, and they still don’t. My parents couldn’t afford to continually purchase bottled water for our large family, so we daily re-filled our gallon jugs wherever we could find clean water: a gas station, McDonalds, churches and schools. This experience left an indelible impression on me, and made me wonder why in a First World Country families are still struggling to access safe, usable, drinking water. I’m running to continue to fulfill the promises I made to my constituents two years ago to do all I can to protect the health of our kids and communities and work towards solutions for a safer and healthier Nebraska.
They must work together and find compromise when needed to make the best decisions they can on behalf of the state.
the non-partisan legislature is becoming more partisan and there is concern that more and more elected positions will be based on partisanship. There are a lack of housing options and the affordable units are becoming non-existent. Childcare access is another issue that is beginning to affect our workforce and unless affordable workforce housing and affordable childcare options increase businesses will have to close which will drastically affect our state's economy.
I believe it can be beneficial for state legislators to have prior elected experience but it is not necessary. Leadership and governing skills can be gained from a variety of experiences unrelated to government. One of the most important traits for legislators is to be able to connect and relate to the people they represent, and to genuinely care about their needs.
it is very valuable to build relationships within every branch of government. Legislators must work cooperatively together in order to write and pass better bills that truly reflect the will of the people
Connie Day, she was the last (and perhaps only) female state senator from my district. She was a strong and determined woman, she sued the state because of illegal re-districting and won election as a write in!
I've heard from moms who are scared about their well water testing high in nitrates, mom's who have no access to emergency services in their town, cancer patients who need access to better medical care, and teachers who are struggling with high numbers of students and little pay.
Legislatures should oversee use of emergency powers so there is a check and balance to the executive branch.
Mayor Heath Metler, School Board President Sandy Wolfe, Nebraska State Education Association, Former Natrual Resources Directors Bob Huntly, Scott McHenry, Joel Hansen, and Nancy Meyers, and several local small business owners.
Natural resources, education, judiciary committee, agriculture, health and human services.
The government is accountable to the taxpayer and there should be full transparency in all financial transactions. Also all potential financial conflicts of interest should be disclosed and public records request for documentation returned promptly.
I support the state ballot initiative process. However, I would like to see a policy where if a ballot initiative in process the legislature cannot pass a bill that would nullify that initiative.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
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See also
External links
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 13, 2024
Leadership
Senate President:John Arch
Senators
Republican Party (33)
Democratic Party (14)
Nonpartisan (2)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
