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Nebraska State Senate (Unicameral) elections
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This page displays election information for the Nebraska State Senate.
Elections
Nebraska state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Nebraska holds elections for its legislature in even years.
Members are selected in nonpartisan elections. Rather than separate primaries held to choose Republican, Democratic, and other partisan contenders for a seat, Nebraska uses a single nonpartisan primary election, in which the top two vote-getters are entitled to run in the general election. There are no formal party alignments or groups within the Legislature. Coalitions tend to form issue by issue based on a member's philosophy of government, geographic background, and constituency. However, almost all the members of the legislature are affiliated with the state affiliate of either the Democratic or the Republican Party and both parties explicitly endorse candidates for legislative seats. In short, while Senators and candidates are listed as officially nonpartisan, but in most cases the individual has a direct party affiliation. For more information about the partisan affiliations of the members, please click here.
2026
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2026
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.
2024
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2024
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was May 14, 2024. The filing deadline for an incumbent was February 15, 2024. The filing deadline for non-incumbent candidates was March 1, 2024.
In the 2024 elections, Republicans maintained their 33-14 majority with two seats nonpartisan officeholders.
| Nebraska State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 15 | 14 | |
| Republican Party | 33 | 33 | |
| Nonpartisan | 1 | 2 | |
| Total | 49 | 49 | |
2022
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2022
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for May 10, 2022. The filing deadline for incumbents was February 15, 2022. The filing deadline for non-incumbent primary candidates was March 1, 2022.
In the 2022 elections, Republicans maintained their 32-17 majority.
| Nebraska State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 17 | 17 | |
| Republican Party | 32 | 32 | |
| Total | 49 | 49 | |
2020
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2020
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for May 12, 2020. The filing deadline was March 2, 2020.
In the 2020 elections, Republicans increased their majority in the Nebraska State Senate from 30-18 to 32-17.
| Nebraska State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 18 | 17 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | 32 | |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 49 | |
2018
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2018
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate took place in 2018. A top-two primary took place on May 15, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline for incumbents was February 15, 2018. The candidate filing deadline for non-incumbents was March 1, 2018.[1]
In the 2018 elections, the Republican majority in the Nebraska State Senate decreased from 30-16 to 29-18.
| Nebraska State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
| Democratic Party | 16 | 18 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | 29 | |
| Libertarian Party | 1 | 1 | |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | |
| Vacancy | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 49 | |
2016
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate were held in 2016. The primary election took place on May 10, 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 16, 2016, for incumbents. Challengers were required to file by March 1, 2016.[2] A total of 25 seats were up for election.
The officially nonpartisan Nebraska Unicameral maintained a Republican majority after the 2016 elections. Democrats did take three seats, altering the partisan balance slightly in the process.
| Nebraska Unicameral | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
| Democratic Party | 12 | 15 | |
| Republican Party | 35 | 32 | |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | |
| Libertarian Party | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 49 | 49 | |
2014
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 13, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for challengers wishing to run in this election was March 3, 2014, two days after the statutory deadline, which fell on a Saturday. Incumbents were required to file for election by February 18, 2014, three days after the statutory deadline, which fell on the Saturday prior to Presidents Day.
2012
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2012
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on May 15, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was February 15, 2012, for incumbents and March 1, 2012, for non-incumbents. A total of 26 seats were up for election.
The table below details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election in 2012.
| 2012 Margin of Victory, Nebraska State Senate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Winner | Margin of Victory | Total Votes | Top Opponent |
| District 21 | Ken Haar | 0.6% | 13,653 | Mike Hilgers |
| District 29 | Kate Bolz | 1.8% | 17,823 | Larry Zimmerman |
| District 2 | Bill Kintner | 2.3% | 15,969 | Paul Lambert |
| District 45 | Sue Crawford | 2.8% | 13,840 | Richard Carter |
| District 43 | Al Davis | 3.6% | 16,887 | John Ravenscroft |
| District 31 | Rick Kolowski | 4% | 17,534 | Acela Turco |
| District 37 | Galen Hadley | 4.3% | 14,148 | Josiah Woodward |
| District 23 | Jerry Johnson | 7.3% | 14,966 | Vern Barrett |
| District 1 | Dan Watermeier | 11.6% | 15,663 | Jerry Joy |
| District 3 | Scott Price | 12.1% | 12,487 | Suzanne McNamara |
During the 2012 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $4,167,514. The top 10 contributors were:[3]
| 2012 Donors, Nebraska State Senate | |
|---|---|
| Donor | Amount |
| Nebraska State Education Association | $322,829 |
| Nebraska Chamber Of Commerce & Industry | $86,414 |
| Nebraska Bankers Association | $84,793 |
| Nebraska Realtors Association | $80,250 |
| Nebraska Telecommunications Association | $65,130 |
| Nebraska Hospital Association | $54,750 |
| Nebraska Farm Bureau | $51,972 |
| Nebraska Optometric Association | $50,660 |
| Nebraska Cooperative Council | $49,560 |
| Nebraska United Transportation Union | $48,500 |
2010
- See also: Nebraska State Senate elections, 2010
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on May 11, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was February 15, 2010.
In 2010, the candidates for state Senate raised a total of $1,597,466 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[4]
| 2010 Donors, Nebraska State Senate | |
|---|---|
| Donor | Amount |
| Nebraska Education Association | $80,347 |
| Union Pacific Railroad | $67,500 |
| Nebraska Bankers Association | $66,682 |
| Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry | $61,584 |
| Nebraska Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors | $53,643 |
| Nebraska Realtors Association | $49,850 |
| Nebraska Optometric Association | $49,242 |
| Nebraska State AFL-CIO | $37,929 |
| Associated General Contractors of Nebraska | $37,765 |
| Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys | $35,500 |
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2008
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 13, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. A total of 25 seats were up for election. During the 2008 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $3,705,260. The top 10 contributors were:[5]
2006
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 9, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. A total of 24 seats were up for election. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 1, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $3,446,671. The top 10 contributors were:[6]
2004
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 11, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 1, 2004. A total of 24 seats were up for election. During the 2004 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,591,117. The top 10 contributors were:[7]
2002
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 14, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. A total of 27 seats were up for election. During the 2002 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,346,267. The top 10 contributors were:[8]
2000
Elections for Nebraska State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 9, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. A total of 26 seats were up for election. During the 2000 election, the total value of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,040,637. The top 10 contributors were:[9]
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Historical party control
Republicans maintained control of the Nebraska State Senate in 2024. That year, they won a 33-14 majority with two independents.
While Nebraska's Unicameral is officially nonpartisan, most of its lawmakers are affiliated with the state affiliate of either the Democratic or the Republican Party. In 2015, Ballotpedia began to identify the party affiliation of the Legislature's 49 members. Ballotpedia assigned party affiliation based on voter registration, member lists provided by the Nebraska Democratic Party and Nebraska Republican Party, as well as information provided by nonprofit organizations.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Nebraska State Senate following the 2014 general election.
Nebraska State Senate election results: 2014-2022
| Party | 14 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 12 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 |
| Republicans | 35 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 |
| Other | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
In 1934, Nebraska voters approved a constitutional amendment that transformed Nebraska's bicameral, or two-chamber, state legislature into a unicameral, or single-chamber, Nebraska State Senate. The amendment also established the state legislature as a nonpartisan body. The new unicameral Legislature met for the first time in 1937.[10]
Trifecta history
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Nebraska was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: 1992-1998
- Republican trifecta: 1999-2023
- Divided government: None
Nebraska Party Control: 1992-2024
Seven years of Democratic trifectas • Twenty-seven years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
Footnotes
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "2018 Elections," accessed June 22, 2017
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State, "Official Election Calendar," accessed December 7, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2012 Nebraska State Senate Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Nebraska Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2008 Nebraska State Senate Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2006 Nebraska State Senate Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2004 Nebraska State Senate Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2002 Nebraska State Senate Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "2000 Nebraska State Senate Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Nebraska Legislature, "History of the Nebraska Unicameral," accessed February 9, 2021
