2020 Nebraska Legislature election
Majority party
Minority party
Third party
Rep
Dem
Ind
Party
Republican
Democratic
Independent Democrat
Seats before
30
18
1
Seats won
32
17
0
Seat change
2
1
1
Popular vote
245,639
166,676
Percentage
58.98%
40.02%
Results by gains and holds
Results by winning party vote share Democratic gain Republican gain Democratic hold Republican hold 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% >90%
The 2020 Nebraska State Legislature elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections . Nebraska voters elected state senators[ a] in the 25 odd-numbered seats of the 49[ b] legislative districts in the Nebraska Unicameral . State senators serve four-year terms in the unicameral Nebraska Legislature .
A top two primary election on May 12, 2020 determined which candidates appear on the November 3 general election ballot.[ 1] [ 2] Each candidate technically runs as a non-partisan (i.e., no party preference). The Nebraska State Legislature 's website offers a statewide map of the 49 legislative districts here and maps for each individual district can be found on the website.[ 3]
Following the 2018 elections, the Republicans maintained effective control of the Nebraska State Legislature with 30 seats. The Democrats increased their numbers from 16 to 18.
Republicans flipped three seats from Democrats; Democrats flipped one seat from Republicans and one from nonpartisan Ernie Chambers.[ 4]
Open seats that changed parties [ edit ]
Democratic seats won by Republicans [ edit ]
District 31: Won by Rich Pahls.
District 45: Won by Rita Sanders.
Nonpartisan seats won by Democrats [ edit ]
District 11: Won by Terrell McKinney.
Incumbents defeated [ edit ]
In general elections [ edit ]
District 35: Dan Quick (elected in 2016) lost to Raymond Aguilar.
District 49: Andrew LaGrone (appointed in 2019) lost to Jen Day.
District
Winner
Party
Margin
3
Carol Blood
Democratic
0.8%
49
Jen Day
Democratic (flip)
1.0%
31
Rich Pahls
Republican (flip)
5.4%
29
Eliot Bostar
Democratic
6.2%
35
Raymond Aguilar
Republican (flip)
7.2%
45
Rita Sanders
Republican (flip)
7.6%
9
John Cavanaugh
Democratic
8.2%
21
Mike Hilgers
Republican
9.92%
Note: All elections are technically non-partisan in the State Legislature; therefore, parties listed here are from candidates' websites and official party endorsement lists. Candidates all appear on the ballot as nonpartisan.
Candidates endorsed by the Republican Party:[ 5]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Party:[ 6]
Sara Howard (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 9th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
John Cavanaugh
3,911
46.0
Democratic
Marque Snow
3,435
40.4
Democratic
Mark Vondrasek
1,152
13.6
Total votes
100.0
General election
Democratic
John Cavanaugh
8,461
54.1
Democratic
Marque Snow
7,170
45.9
Total votes
100.0
Democratic hold
Ernie Chambers (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 13th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Justin Wayne (incumbent )
6,477
100.0
Total votes
100.0
General election
Democratic
Justin Wayne (incumbent )
11,771
100.0
Total votes
100.0
Democratic hold
Results by precinct:
Jim Scheer (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 19th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Mike Flood
8,346
100.0
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Mike Flood
15,519
100.0
Total votes
100.0
Republican hold
Results by precinct:
Kate Bolz (incumbent) was term-limited.
Rick Kolowski (incumbent) retired.
Nebraska's 33rd Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Steve Halloran (incumbent )
6,653
100.0
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Steve Halloran
12,893
100.0
Total votes
100.0
Republican hold
Nebraska's 41st Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Tom Briese (incumbent )
8,355
100.0
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Tom Briese (incumbent )
15,855
100.0
Total votes
100.0
Republican hold
Sue Crawford (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 45th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Susan Hester
4,158
51.0
Republican
Rita Sanders
3,999
49.0
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Rita Sanders
9,224
53.8
Democratic
Susan Hester
7,919
46.2
Total votes
100.0
Republican gain from Democratic
Nebraska's 47th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Steve Erdman (incumbent )
4,158
100.0
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Steve Erdman (incumbent )
14,964
100.0
Total votes
100.0
Republican hold
Results by precinct:
John Murante (elected in 2016) resigned when elected Treasurer of Nebraska in 2018. Governor Pete Ricketts appointed Andrew LaGrone to fill the vacancy.[ 7]
^ Although Nebraska's legislature is unicameral, the officeholders are called Senators.
^ The even-numbered districts were elected in 2018 and will be up for election again in 2022.
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