2020 Nebraska elections


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.

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

Republican primary

Candidates

State Board of Education

District 1

Incumbent Board member Patsy Koch Johns was unopposed for re-election.

Candidates

  • Patsy Koch Johns, incumbent Board member

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

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

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

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

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

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.

State legislature

25 of 49 seats in the Nebraska State Legislature were up for election.

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 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.