The 2020 Nebraska State Legislature elections took place as part of the biennialUnited 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 unicameralNebraska 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]
District 35: Dan Quick (elected in 2016) lost to Raymond Aguilar.
Republicans[]
District 49: Andrew LaGrone (appointed in 2019) lost to Jen Day.
Close races[]
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%
Detailed results[]
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.
Nebraska's 31st Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Rich Pahls
4,156
37.9
Democratic
Tim Royers
3,925
35.8
Democratic
Melanie Williams
1,487
13.6
Republican
Mark Gruenewald
1,069
9.7
Democratic
Alexander Martin
337
3.1
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Rich Pahls
10,727
52.8
Democratic
Tim Royers
9,608
47.4
Total votes
100.0
Republicangain from Democratic
District 33[]
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
Republicanhold
District 35[]
Nebraska's 35th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Dan Quick (incumbent)
4,009
62.5
Republican
Raymond Aguilar
2,401
37.5
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Raymond Aguilar
6,683
53.6
Democratic
Dan Quick (incumbent)
5,777
46.4
Total votes
100.0
Republicangain from Democratic
District 37[]
Nebraska's 37th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
John Lowe (incumbent)
6,286
77.1
Libertarian
Mercadies Damratowski
1,865
22.9
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
John Lowe (incumbent)
12,903
75.7
Libertarian
Mercadies Damratowski
4,134
24.3
Total votes
100.0
Republicanhold
District 39[]
Nebraska's 39th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Lou Ann Linehan (incumbent)
8,355
61.7
Democratic
Allison Heimes
5,176
38.3
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Lou Ann Linehan (incumbent)
15,367
56.0
Democratic
Allison Heimes
12,087
44.0
Total votes
100.0
Republicanhold
District 41[]
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
Republicanhold
District 43[]
Nebraska's 43rd Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Tom Brewer (incumbent)
8,043
61.2
Republican
Tanya Storer
5,100
38.8
Total votes
100.0
General election
Republican
Tom Brewer (incumbent)
10,688
57.9
Republican
Tanya Storer
7,760
42.1
Total votes
100.0
Republicanhold
District 45[]
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
Republicangain from Democratic
District 47[]
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
Republicanhold
District 49[]
John Murante (elected in 2016) resigned when elected Treasurer of Nebraska in 2018. Governor Pete Ricketts appointed Andrew LaGrone to fill the vacancy.[7]
Nebraska's 49th Legislative District Election, 2020
Primary election
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Jen Day
5,414
53.1
Republican
Andrew LaGrone (incumbent)
4,787
46.9
Total votes
100.0
General election
Democratic
Jen Day
12,524
50.5
Republican
Andrew LaGrone (incumbent)
12,258
49.5
Total votes
100.0
Democraticgain from Republican
Notes[]
^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.