The 2018 Nebraska State Legislature elections took place as part of the biennial United States elections . Nebraska voters elected state senators[ a] [ b] Nebraska Unicameral . Nebraska is unique among American| states in that there is only one chamber in its state legislature, and this chamber is called the Unicameral and the State Legislature interchangeably. State senators serve four-year terms in the Nebraska Unicameral .
2018 Nebraska Legislature election
Majority party
Minority party
Third party
Rep
Dem
Ind
Party
Republican
Democratic
Independent Democrat
Last election
32
15
1
Seats before
31
16
1
Seats won
30
18
1
Seat change
Fourth party
Lib
Party
Libertarian
Last election
0
Seats before
1
Seats won
0
Seat change
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%
A top two primary election on May 15, 2018, determined which candidates appear on the November 6 general election ballot. Each candidate technically runs as a non-partisan (i.e., no party preference).
Following the 2016 elections, Republicans maintained effective control of the Nebraska State Legislature with 32 seats. Democrats increased their numbers from 15 to 16 seats when State Senator Bob Krist of the 10th legislative district switched parties from Republican to Democrat.[ 1] [ 2]
On election day 2018, the Unicameral consisted of 31 Republican seats,[ c] Ernie Chambers and Libertarian Sen. Laura Ebke . The Democrats net gained 2 seats, while the Republicans net lost one and the chamber's lone Libertarian was defeated.
Summary of results by district
edit
Note: All Nebraska state legislative elections are technically non-partisan; therefore, parties listed here are from candidates' websites and official party endorsement lists. Candidates all appear on the ballot without party labels.
Districts not shown are not up for election until 2020. Sources:[ 3] [ 4]
District
Winner
Party
Margin
6
Machaela Cavanaugh
Democratic (flip)
1.9%
10
Wendy DeBoer
Democratic
0.64%
18
Brett Lindstrom
Republican
7.2%
30
Myron Dorn
Republican
5.96%
Sources:[ 5] [ 6]
Nebraska's 2nd Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Robert Clements (incumbent )
2,867
47.81
Susan D. Lorence
2,252
37.55
James Bond
878
14.64
Total votes
5,997
100.0
General election
Robert Clements (incumbent )
7,965
56.96
Susan D. Lorence
6,019
43.04
Total votes
13,984
100.0
Nebraska's 4th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Bob Hilkemann (incumbent )
2,842
56.70
Shannon Coryell
2,170
43.30
Total votes
5,012
100.0
General election
Bob Hilkemann (incumbent )
8,964
60.95
Shannon Coryell
5,743
39.05
Total votes
14,707
100.0
Nebraska's 6th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Theresa Thibodeau (incumbent )
3,641
51.30
Machaela Cavanaugh
3,027
42.65
Ricky Fulton
429
6.04
Total votes
7,097
100.0
General election
Machaela Cavanaugh
7,733
50.95
Theresa Thibodeau (incumbent )
7,445
49.05
Total votes
15,178
100.0
Burke Harr (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 8th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Megan Hunt
3,284
56.38
Mina Davis
1,299
22.30
Josh Henningsen
1,242
21.32
Total votes
5,825
100.0
General election
Megan Hunt
7,634
64.11
Mina Davis
4,274
35.89
Total votes
11,908
100.0
Bob Krist (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 10th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Wendy DeBoer
3,253
57.31
Matt Deaver
2,423
42.69
Total votes
5,676
100.0
General election
Wendy DeBoer
8,306
50.32
Matt Deaver
8,201
49.68
Total votes
16,507
100.0
Nebraska's 12th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Steve Lathrop
2,658
53.47
Merv Riepe (incumbent )
2,313
46.53
Total votes
4,971
100.0
General election
Steve Lathrop
7,030
55.84
Merv Riepe (incumbent )
5,559
44.16
Total votes
12,589
100.0
Jim Smith (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 14th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
John Arch
3,462
60.02
Jeff Parris
2,306
39.98
Total votes
5,768
100.0
General election
John Arch
7,625
55.82
Jeff Parris
6,035
44.18
Total votes
13,660
100.0
Lydia Brasch (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 16th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Ben Hansen
4,620
58.77
Chuck Hassebrook
3,241
41.23
Total votes
7,861
100.0
General election
Ben Hansen
9,109
61.59
Chuck Hassebrook
5,680
38.41
Total votes
14,789
100.0
Nebraska's 18th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Brett Lindstrom (incumbent )
2,922
56.15
Scott Winkler
1,937
37.22
Austin Hennrich
345
6.63
Total votes
5,204
100.0
General election
Brett Lindstrom (incumbent )
6,874
53.60
Scott Winkler
5,950
46.40
Total votes
12,824
100.0
Nebraska's 20th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
John S. McCollister (incumbent )
4,213
63.23
Jackie Collett
1,968
29.54
Chris Anne Dienstbier
482
7.23
Total votes
6,663
100.0
General election
John S. McCollister (incumbent )
8,689
58.80
Jackie Collett
6,089
41.20
Total votes
14,778
100.0
Paul Schumacher (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 22nd Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Mike Moser
3,578
56.12
Doug Oertwich
1,366
21.42
Francis P. Kuehler
1,102
17.28
Kenneth G. Leischner
330
5.18
Total votes
6,376
100.0
General election
Mike Moser
7,896
64.30
Doug Oertwich
4,383
35.70
Total votes
12,279
100.0
Nebraska's 24th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Mark A. Kolterman (incumbent )
3,795
72.07
Stephanie Nantkes
1,471
27.93
Total votes
5,266
100.0
General election
Mark A. Kolterman (incumbent )
9,501
73.46
Stephanie Nantkes
3,433
26.54
Total votes
12,934
100.0
Nebraska's 26th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Matt Hansen (incumbent )
4,223
76.96
Bob Van Valkenburg
1,264
23.04
Total votes
5,487
100.0
General election
Matt Hansen (incumbent )
9,046
73.16
Bob Van Valkenburg
3,319
26.84
Total votes
12,365
100.0
Nebraska's 28th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Patty Pansing Brooks (incumbent )
6,263
100.0
Total votes
6,263
100.0
General election
Patty Pansing Brooks (incumbent )
11,717
100.0
Total votes
11,717
100.0
Roy Baker (incumbent) retired.
Nebraska's 30th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Myron Dorn
3,161
40.50
Don Schuller
2,977
38.15
Joe Murray
1,666
21.35
Total votes
7,804
100.0
General election
Myron Dorn
7,923
52.98
Don Schuller
7,032
47.02
Total votes
14,955
100.0
Nebraska's 34th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Curt Friesen (incumbent )
5,784
100.0
Total votes
5,784
100.0
General election
Curt Friesen (incumbent )
10,796
100.0
Total votes
10,796
100.0
Nebraska's 36th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Matt Williams (incumbent )
4,520
100.0
Total votes
4,520
100.0
General election
Matt Williams (incumbent )
9,816
100.0
Total votes
9,816
100.0
John Kuehn (incumbent) retired.
Nebraska's 38th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Dave Murman
3,206
45.76
Marsha Fangmeyer
1,633
23.31
Thomas Osborn
1,059
15.12
Ronald L. Johnson
416
5.94
Michael D. Combs
391
5.58
Andrew Murphy
301
4.30
Total votes
7,006
100.0
General election
Dave Murman
9,114
64.27
Marsha Fangmeyer
5,067
35.73
Total votes
14,181
100.0
Tyson Larson (incumbent) was term-limited.
Nebraska's 40th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Timothy J. Gragert
1,666
20.38
Keith F. Kube
1,590
19.45
Shane Greckel
1,487
18.19
Thomas E. Ferry
1,331
16.28
Michael A. Sobotka
1,151
14.08
Julie Thomsen
951
11.63
Total votes
8,176
100.0
General election
Timothy J. Gragert
7,222
51.63
Keith F. Kube
6,767
48.37
Total votes
13,989
100.0
Nebraska's 42nd Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Mike Groene (incumbent )
4,242
100.0
Total votes
4,242
100.0
General election
Mike Groene (incumbent )
8,180
67.13
Judy Pederson
4,005
32.87
Total votes
12,185
100.0
Nebraska's 44th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Dan Hughes (incumbent )
5,251
76.23
Stephanie L. Malcolm
1,637
23.77
Total votes
6,888
100.0
General election
Dan Hughes (incumbent )
9,872
77.31
Stephanie L. Malcolm
2,898
22.69
Total votes
12,770
100.0
Nebraska's 46th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
Adam Morfeld (incumbent )
2,360
100.0
Total votes
2,360
100.0
General election
Adam Morfeld (incumbent )
5,776
100.0
Total votes
5,776
100.0
Nebraska's 48th Legislative District Election, 2018
Primary election
Candidate
Votes
%
John P. Stinner (incumbent )
3,773
100.0
Total votes
3,773
100.0
General election
John P. Stinner (incumbent )
9,041
100.0
Total votes
9,041
100.0
^ Although Nebraska's legislature is unicameral, the officeholders are called Senators.
^ The odd-numbered districts were elected in 2016 and will be up for election again in 2020.
^ Including Sen. Smith's vacated seat in the 14th legislative district.
^ "Sen. Krist makes it official: He's switching party affiliation..." Omaha World-Herald . Retrieved September 3, 2018 .^ a b "Jim Smith Resigns as Senator; Ricketts Will Leave Seat Open" . Lincoln Journal Star . Retrieved September 3, 2018 .^ "Nebraska State Senate elections, 2018" . Ballotpedia . Retrieved September 3, 2018 .^ "Official Results: Primary Election -- May 15, 2018" . Nebraska Secretary of State . Retrieved September 3, 2018 .^ Nebraska Secretary of State (June 11, 2018). "Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers – May 15, 2018 Primary Election" (PDF) . Retrieved November 23, 2021 .^ Nebraska Secretary of State (December 11, 2018). "Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers – November 6, 2018 General Election" (PDF) . Retrieved November 23, 2021 .
