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Nebraska Secretary of State election, 2018

From Ballotpedia


2022
2014
Nebraska Secretary of State
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline:March 1, 2018
Primary: May 15, 2018
General: November 6, 2018

Pre-election incumbent(s):
John A. Gale (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Central time zone); 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Mountain time zone)
Voting in Nebraska
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Nebraska
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
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Secretary of state
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State board of education
State board of regents
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Nebraska held an election forsecretary of state onNovember 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 1, 2018.

Democratic PartyFor more information about the Democratic primary,click here.
Republican PartyFor more information about the Republican primary,click here.

For more information on secretary of state elections in 2018,click here.

SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the 2018 election, the sittingsecretary of state wasJohn A. Gale (R), who was first appointed to the position in 2000 following the resignation of Scott Moore. Gale was elected to a full term in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006,2010, and2014. Gale announced on March 20, 2017, that he would not seek a fifth full term in 2018.
  • At the time of the 2018 election,Nebraska was aRepublican trifecta. It first gained this status when formerGov. Mike Johanns (R) took office in 1999. At the time of the 2018 election, Nebraska was aRepublican triplex.
  • Nebraska was won by theRepublican candidate in each of the past five presidential elections leading up to the 2018 election. The widest margin of victory wasGeorge W. Bush's 33 percent margin in 2004 while the narrowest wasJohn McCain's 15 percent margin in 2008.

  • Candidates and election results

    General election

    General election for Nebraska Secretary of State

    Bob Evnen defeatedSpencer Danner in the general election for Nebraska Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of Bob Evnen
    Bob Evnen (R)
     
    60.6
     
    406,632
    Spencer Danner (D)
     
    39.4
     
    263,982

    Ballotpedia Logo

    There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

    Total votes: 670,614
    (100.00% precincts reporting)
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

    Democratic primary election

    Democratic primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

    Spencer Danner advanced from the Democratic primary for Nebraska Secretary of State on May 15, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Spencer Danner
     
    100.0
     
    76,769

    Ballotpedia Logo

    There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

    Total votes: 76,769
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

    Republican primary election

    Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State

    Bob Evnen defeatedDebra Perrell in the Republican primary for Nebraska Secretary of State on May 15, 2018.

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    Image of Bob Evnen
    Bob Evnen
     
    58.5
     
    81,371
    Debra Perrell
     
    41.5
     
    57,816

    Ballotpedia Logo

    There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

    Total votes: 139,187
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed theBallotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you,complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data?Contact our sales team.

    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Nebraska heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    State executives

    State legislature

    Trifecta status

    2018 elections

    See also:Nebraska elections, 2018

    Nebraska held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for Nebraska
     NebraskaU.S.
    Total population:1,893,765316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):76,8243,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:88.1%73.6%
    Black/African American:4.7%12.6%
    Asian:2%5.1%
    Native American:0.9%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
    Two or more:2.2%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:10%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:90.7%86.7%
    College graduation rate:29.3%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$52,997$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:14.6%11.3%
    Source:U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Clickhere for more information on the 2020 census andhere for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Nebraska.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the censushere.

    As of July 2017, Nebraska had a population of approximately 1,920,000 people, with its three largest cities being Omaha (pop. est. 450,000), Lincoln (pop. est. 280,000), and Bellevue (pop. est. 54,000).[1][2]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Nebraska from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from theNebraska Secretary of State.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Nebraska every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), Nebraska 2000-2016
    YearFirst-place candidateFirst-place candidate votes (%)Second-place candidateSecond-place candidate votes (%)Margin of victory (%)
    2016Republican PartyDonald Trump58.7%Democratic PartyHillary Clinton33.7%25.0%
    2012Republican PartyMitt Romney59.8%Democratic PartyBarack Obama38.0%21.8%
    2008Republican PartyJohn McCain56.5%Democratic PartyBarack Obama41.6%14.9%
    2004Republican PartyGeorge W. Bush65.9%Democratic PartyJohn Kerry32.7%33.2%
    2000Republican PartyGeorge W. Bush62.2%Democratic PartyAl Gore33.3%28.9%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results ofU.S. Senate races in Nebraska from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), Nebraska 2000-2016
    YearFirst-place candidateFirst-place candidate votes (%)Second-place candidateSecond-place candidate votes (%)Margin of victory (%)
    2014Republican PartyBen Sasse64.3%Democratic PartyDave Domina31.5%32.8%
    2012Republican PartyDeb Fischer57.8%Democratic PartyBob Kerrey42.2%15.6%
    2008Republican PartyMike Johanns57.5%Democratic Party Scott Kleeb40.1%17.4%
    2006Democratic PartyBen Nelson63.9%Republican PartyPete Ricketts36.1%27.8%
    2002Republican PartyChuck Hagel82.3%Democratic Party Charlie Matulka14.6%67.7%
    2000Democratic PartyBen Nelson51.1%Republican PartyDon Stenberg48.9%2.2%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Nebraska.

    Election results (Governor), Nebraska 2000-2016
    YearFirst-place candidateFirst-place candidate votes (%)Second-place candidateSecond-place candidate votes (%)Margin of victory (%)
    2014Republican PartyPete Ricketts57.2%Democratic PartyChuck Hassebrook39.2%18.0%
    2010Republican PartyDave Heineman73.9%Democratic PartyMike Meister26.1%47.8%
    2006Republican PartyDave Heineman73.4%Democratic Party David Hahn24.5%48.9%
    2002Republican PartyMike Johanns68.7%Democratic Party Stormy Dean27.5%41.2%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Nebraska in theU.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, Nebraska 2000-2016
    YearRepublicansRepublicans (%)DemocratsDemocrats (%)Balance of power
    2016Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2014Republican Party266.7%Democratic Party133.3%R+1
    2012Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2010Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2008Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2006Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2004Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2002Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3
    2002Republican Party3100%Democratic Party00%R+3

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    Astate government trifecta occurs when one party controls the state legislature and the governor's office.

    Nebraska Party Control: 1992-2026
    Seven years of Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-eight years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year9293949596979899000102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223242526
    GovernorDDDDDDDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
    Senate-----------------------------------


    Pivot Counties

    See also:Pivot Counties by state

    One of 93 Nebraska counties—1.08 percent—is aPivot County. Pivot Counties are counties that voted forBarack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and forDonald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    CountyTrump margin of victory in 2016Obama margin of victory in 2012Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Thurston County, Nebraska5.94%13.91%6.96%

    In the 2016 presidential election,Donald Trump (R) won Nebraska with 58.7 percent of the vote.Hillary Clinton (D) received 33.7 percent. In presidential elections between 1868 and 2016, Nebraska voted Republican 82 percent of the time and Democratic 18 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Nebraska voted Republican all five times.[3]

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Senate districts in Nebraska. Click[show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled byDaily Kos.[4][5]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 10 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 26.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 12 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 22.8 points. Clinton won one district controlled by a Republican heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 39 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 31.1 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 37 out of 49 state Senate districts in Nebraska with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.
    2016 presidential results by state Senate District
    DistrictObamaRomney2012 MarginClintonTrump2016 MarginParty Control
    135.00%62.82%R+27.825.56%68.52%R+43R
    234.70%63.63%R+28.928.10%65.62%R+37.5R
    339.04%59.04%R+2036.88%55.76%R+18.9D
    433.37%65.51%R+32.137.83%56.86%R+19R
    556.53%41.59%D+14.953.64%40.42%D+13.2D
    644.02%54.75%R+10.749.08%45.79%D+3.3R
    763.42%34.32%D+29.163.88%29.08%D+34.8D
    861.53%36.52%D+2563.44%29.78%D+33.7D
    958.49%39.32%D+19.261.55%31.87%D+29.7D
    1045.04%53.54%R+8.544.08%50.23%R+6.1I
    1191.12%8.07%D+83.185.83%10.84%D+75I
    1243.61%54.71%R+11.142.37%51.31%R+8.9R
    1364.84%33.83%D+3161.33%33.93%D+27.4D
    1437.62%60.56%R+22.936.43%56.65%R+20.2R
    1538.07%60.36%R+22.329.77%65.08%R+35.3D
    1631.13%67.37%R+36.223.45%70.90%R+47.4R
    1743.76%54.47%R+10.733.78%61.06%R+27.3R
    1844.60%54.31%R+9.745.14%48.75%R+3.6R
    1925.28%72.70%R+47.419.05%75.26%R+56.2R
    2042.76%55.71%R+1345.35%48.92%R+3.6R
    2146.85%51.27%R+4.440.87%51.98%R+11.1R
    2223.32%75.02%R+51.718.05%77.74%R+59.7R
    2331.22%66.98%R+35.823.17%71.65%R+48.5R
    2426.29%72.16%R+45.920.95%73.47%R+52.5R
    2538.80%59.40%R+20.641.24%53.38%R+12.1R
    2652.21%46.11%D+6.146.82%45.23%D+1.6D
    2752.75%45.63%D+7.150.52%42.64%D+7.9D
    2860.87%37.83%D+2359.15%33.04%D+26.1D
    2947.69%50.58%R+2.949.38%43.97%D+5.4D
    3038.34%59.25%R+20.931.53%62.47%R+30.9R
    3133.78%65.04%R+31.336.93%57.43%R+20.5D
    3235.71%62.38%R+26.727.09%67.12%R+40L
    3331.50%66.71%R+35.224.02%70.78%R+46.8R
    3427.77%70.53%R+42.820.10%75.21%R+55.1R
    3539.62%58.44%R+18.833.52%60.87%R+27.3D
    3624.72%73.31%R+48.619.26%75.74%R+56.5R
    3728.68%69.17%R+40.524.94%68.00%R+43.1R
    3823.21%74.90%R+51.715.08%80.37%R+65.3R
    3929.09%69.93%R+40.831.42%63.56%R+32.1R
    4022.84%75.26%R+52.414.16%81.28%R+67.1R
    4123.54%74.61%R+51.114.72%81.15%R+66.4R
    4228.61%68.98%R+40.418.33%76.53%R+58.2R
    4323.14%74.74%R+51.614.87%80.38%R+65.5R
    4418.45%80.00%R+61.612.02%84.03%R+72R
    4540.96%57.13%R+16.237.00%55.32%R+18.3D
    4660.88%37.77%D+23.153.57%38.24%D+15.3D
    4721.99%75.82%R+53.813.60%81.46%R+67.9R
    4830.41%67.81%R+37.422.76%71.50%R+48.7R
    4934.76%63.76%R+2934.09%59.61%R+25.5R
    Total38.21%60.08%R+21.934.35%59.89%R+25.5-
    Source:Daily Kos


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    See also

    Nebraska government:

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    External links

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