Nebraska held its general election on November 3, 2020, deciding 25 legislative seats and the office of Public Service Commissioner District 2. Nebraska's unicameral Legislature is officially nonpartisan; the composition shown reflects the party affiliation of its members.
Highlights
- Registered Republicans came out of the election with 32 of the Legislature's 49 seats, one short of the 33 votes needed to break a filibuster on the post-2020-census maps or on the party's long-sought switch to winner-take-all electoral votes. Voters also legalized casino gambling at the state's racetracks.
- By registration, Republicans picked up three Democratic-held seats and lost one:
- In North Omaha's District 11, Terrell McKinney (D) beat Fred Conley (D) by about 28 points for the seat term limits forced Sen. Ernie Chambers to give up. Chambers had represented it since 1971, with one break.
- Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades (D) won re-election in District 2 by about 25 points over Tim Davis (R).
- The closest legislative race was in District 3, where Sen. Carol Blood (D) held on by about 160 votes over Rick Holdcroft (R). Only 5 races had a single candidate on the ballot.
- Voters approved all 6 statewide measures:
- Three linked petitions on racetrack casinos: Initiative 429 amended the constitution to allow them, Initiative 430 authorized the games and created a governing commission, and Initiative 431 taxed them. Voters overwhelmingly approved the package, which allowed casino games at tracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus, and South Sioux City.
- Initiative 428, capping the annual interest rate payday lenders can charge at 36%.
- Amendment 1, introduced by Sen. Justin Wayne, removing the constitution's language allowing slavery or involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.
- Amendment 2, allowing tax increment financing to be repaid over 20 years in areas of extreme blight.
Legislature
- Legislature (49 seats): 17 D, 29 R, 3 other or vacant before the election, 17 D, 32 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Statewide races
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|
| Amendment 1 | Repeals language allowing slavery or involuntary servitude as criminal punishments | Passed (68.23% yes) |
| Amendment 2 | Allows TIF for 20 years for extreme blight | Passed (61.16% yes) |
| Initiative 428 | Limits the interest rate that payday lenders charge to 36 percent per year | Passed (82.8% yes) |
| Initiative 429 | Changes the constitution to allow statutes authorizing games of chance at licensed racetracks | Passed (65.04% yes) |
| Initiative 430 | Authorizes games of chance at licensed racetracks and establishes a governing commission | Passed (65.01% yes) |
| Initiative 431 | Enacts a tax on any games of chance operated at racetracks | Passed (68.71% yes) |