2022 Nebraska elections

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2022 Nebraska elections
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Nebraska state elections in 2022 were held in the U.S. state of Nebraska on November 8, 2022. All three of Nebraska's seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election; all of the state's executive officers were up for election; half of the seats in the Nebraska Legislature were up; and several seats each were up on the Public Service Commission, State Board of Education, and Board of Regents.

Contents

United States Congress

All of Nebraska's three seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2022.

Results

District Republican Democratic OthersTotalResult
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%
District 1 129,23657.91%93,92942.09%00.00%223,165100.0%Republican hold
District 2 112,66351.33%106,80748.67%00.00%219,470100.0%Republican hold
District 3 172,70078.30%34,83615.79%13,0165.90%220,552100.0%Republican hold
Total411,03462.71%231,51135.32%13,0161.96%663,187100.0%
Popular vote
Republican
 
62.71%
Democratic
 
35.32%
Other
 
1.96%
House seats
Republican
 
100.00%

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Republican Governor Pete Ricketts was ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as Governor. Jim Pillen, a member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, won the Republican primary to succeed him. He faced State Senator Carol Blood, the Democratic nominee, in the general election and defeated her in a landslide.

2022 Nebraska gubernatorial election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican
398,334 59.22% +0.22%
Democratic
242,00635.98%−5.02%
Libertarian
  • Scott Zimmerman
  • Jason Blumenthal
26,4553.93%—
Write-in 5,7980.86%—
Total votes672,593 100.00%
Turnout 682,71654.93%
Republican hold

Attorney General

Incumbent Attorney General Doug Peterson declined to seek a third consecutive term. Mike Hilgers, the Speaker of the Legislature, won the Republican primary to succeed him. The only candidate that Hilgers faced in the general election was Larry Bolinger, the nominee of the Legal Marijuana Now Party. Hilgers defeated Bolinger with nearly 70% of the vote.

2022 Nebraska Attorney General election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Mike Hilgers 434,671 69.73% −30.27%
Legal Marijuana Now Larry Bolinger188,64930.27%—
Majority246,02239.47%−60.53%
Turnout 623,320
Republican hold

Secretary of State

Incumbent Secretary of State Bob Evnen ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Republican primary win a 44% plurality and was unopposed in the general election.

2022 Nebraska Secretary of State election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Evnen (inc.) 500,342 100.00%
Total votes500,342 100.00%
Republican hold

State Treasurer

Incumbent State Treasurer John Murante ran for re-election to a second term. He won the Republican primary and then faced Libertarian candidate Katrina Tomsen in the general election, winning 72% of the vote.

2022 Nebraska State Treasurer election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John Murante (inc.) 431,193 72.21% −27.79%
Libertarian Katrina Tomsen165,95127.79%—
Majority265,24244.42%−55.58%
Turnout 597,144
Republican hold

Auditor of Public Accounts

Incumbent Auditor Charlie Janssen declined to seek a third term. Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley, who previously served as Auditor from 2007 to 2015, won the Republican primary to succeed him. He then defeated two independent candidates in the general election.

2022 Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Mike Foley 429,169 68.52% +10.96%
Legal Marijuana Now L. Leroy Lopez120,98719.32%—
Libertarian Gene Siadek76,22312.17%—
Majority308,18249.20%+34.08%
Turnout 597,144
Republican hold
Results by county Foley: .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% 90-100% 2022 Nebraska auditor of public accounts election results map by county.svg
Results by county
Foley:
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  •   70–80%
  •   80–90%
  •   90–100%

State Legislature

Public Service Commission

District 4

Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Rod Johnson ran for re-election. He was opposed in the Republican primary by Geneva Mayor Eric Kamler, who criticized Johnson for his poor attendance record on the Commission. [2] Kamler ultimately defeated Johnson by a wide margin in the primary and was unopposed in the general election.

Republican primary

Candidates
Results
Republican primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Eric Kamler 32,418 57.57%
Republican Rod Johnson (inc.)23,90142.43%
Total votes56,319 100.00%

General election

2022 District 4 election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Eric Kamler 104,862 100.00%
Total votes104,862 100.00%
Republican hold

District 5

Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Mary Ridder ran for re-election. She was opposed by businessman Kevin Stocker and Dakota Delka in the Republican primary. Stocker narrowly defeated Ridder and faced no opposition in the general election.

Republican primary

Candidates
Results
Republican primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kevin Stocker 22,590 41.43%
Republican Mary Ridder (inc.)21,15438.78%
Republican Dakota Delka8,26015.14%
Total votes54,604 100.00%

General election

2022 District 5 election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kevin Stocker 102,665 100.00%
Total votes102,665 100.00%
Republican hold

State Board of Education

Four seats were up on the State Board of Education in 2022: Districts 5, 6, 7, and 8. Across the state, a slate of socially conservative candidates backed by Protect Nebraska Children, a political action committee, ran to win a conservative majority on the Board. [4] The slate was opposed to the teaching of "critical race theory" and to proposed sexual health standards considered by the Board. [5] Three of the four members of the slate were elected, with incumbent Kirk Penner winning re-election in District 5, Sherry Jones winning an open seat in District 6, and Elizabeth Tegtmeier defeating incumbent Board Member Robin Stevens in District 7. [4]

District 5

Incumbent member Kirk Penner, who was appointed to the Board of Education in 2021 by Governor Pete Ricketts, ran for re-election to a full term. [6] He was opposed by retired professor Helen Raikes, whom he defeated.

Candidates

Primary election results

Nonpartisan primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Kirk Penner (inc.) 32,492 60.73%
Nonpartisan Helen Raikes21,00739.27%
Total votes53,499 100.00%

General election results

Nonpartisan primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Kirk Penner (inc.) 43,050 54.71%
Nonpartisan Helen Raikes35,63145.29%
Total votes78,681 100.00%

District 6

Incumbent Board Member Maureen Nickels declined to seek re-election to a third term. [7] Two retired teachers, Sherry Jones and Danielle Helzer, ran to succeed her. Jones, who was part of the conservative slate of candidates, [5] defeated Helzer in a landslide.

Candidates

  • Sherry Jones, retired teacher and school counselor
  • Danielle Helzer, retired English teacher and writing coach

Primary election results

Nonpartisan primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Sherry Jones 29,756 69.17%
Nonpartisan Danielle Helzer13,26730.83%
Total votes43,023 100.00%

General election results

Nonpartisan general results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Sherry Jones 41,463 66.13%
Nonpartisan Danielle Helzer21,19633.87%
Total votes62,659 100.00%

District 7

Incumbent Board Member Robin Stevens ran for re-election to a second term. He was opposed by former public school teacher Elizabeth Tegtmeier and retired pastor Pat Moore. Tegtmeier was part of the conservative slate of candidates for the Board, [8] and placed first in the primary election by a wide margin. In the general election, Tegtmeier defeated Stevens for re-election in a landslide.

Candidates

  • Elizabeth Tegtmeier, former public school teacher
  • Robin Stevens, incumbent Board Member
  • Pat Moore, retired pastor

Primary election results

Nonpartisan primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Elizabeth Tegtmeier 33,304 59.73%
Nonpartisan Robin Stevens (inc.)10,69819.12%
Nonpartisan Pat Moore9,14916.31%
Total votes53,151 100.00%

General election results

Nonpartisan general results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Elizabeth Tegtmeier 53,088 70.53%
Nonpartisan Robin Stevens (inc.)22,19529.47%
Total votes75,283 100.00%

District 8

Incumbent Board Member Deborah Neary ran for re-election to a second term. She was opposed in the primary election by massage therapist Marni Hodges, who was a part of the conservative slate of candidates, and former Board Member John Sieler. [9] At the primary election, Neary placed first, and Hodgen narrowly edged out Sieler for the second slot. The ensuing general election became one of the most contentious races statewide, [5] and Neary narrowly defeated Hodges, winning re-election with 52% of the vote.

Candidates

  • Deborah Neary
  • Marni Hodgen
  • John Sieler

Primary election results

Nonpartisan primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Deborah Neary (inc.) 23,843 44.92%
Nonpartisan Marni Hodgen13,29125.07%
Nonpartisan John Sieler11,74822.13%
Total votes48,882 100.00%

General election results

Nonpartisan general results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Deborah Neary (inc.) 41,717 51.89%
Nonpartisan Marni Hodgen38,66048.11%
Total votes80,377 100.00%

University of Nebraska Board of Regents

District 6

Incumbent Regent Paul Kenney ran for re-election to a second term. Former Grand Island City Councilwoman Julie Hehnke ran against him. [10] Kenney narrowly won re-election.

Candidates

  • Paul R. Kenney
  • Julie Hehnke

Primary election results

Nonpartisan primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Paul R. Kenney (inc.) 22,399 51.97%
Nonpartisan Julie Hehnke21,18448.03%
Total votes43,583 100.00%

General election results

Nonpartisan general results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Paul R. Kenney (inc.) 34,705 54.13%
Nonpartisan Julie Hehnke29,42045.87%
Total votes64,125 100.00%

District 7

Incumbent Regent Bob Phares declined to seek re-election to a fourth term, creating an open seat. State Senator Matt Williams, former [Nebraska Department of Education#State Board of Education|State Board of Education]] member Kathy Wilmot, and Nolan Gurnsey ran to succeed him. Williams and Wilmot placed first and second in the primary election and advanced to the general election. Williams was endorsed by Regent Jim Pillen, the Republican nominee for Governor, as well as several other regents, while Wilmot was endorsed by Governor Pete Ricketts. [11] The Nebraska Future Fund, a political action committee funded by the Ricketts family, spent several hundred thousand dollars attacking Williams as a "Republican in Name Only (RINO)," [12] and elevating Wilmot, who claimed that the courses in the university system were "liberal leaning." [11] Ultimately, Wilmot defeated Williams, winning 54% of the vote.

Candidates

Primary election results

Nonpartisan primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Matt Williams 22,380 39.48%
Nonpartisan Kathy Wilmot20,53236.46%
Nonpartisan Nolan Gurnsey6,07910.79%
Total votes56,991 100.00%

General election results

Nonpartisan general results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Nonpartisan Kathy Wilmot 39,539 54.39%
Nonpartisan Matt Williams33,12145.61%
Total votes72,660 100.00%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Robert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of Canvassers, General Election, November 8, 2022 (PDF).
  2. ↑ "Epic Chisma, Geneva Mayor defeats incumbent for Public Service Commissioner". News Channel Nebraska. May 11, 2022. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Robert B. Evnen. Official Report of the Nebraska Board of State Canvassers, Primary Election, May 10, 2022 (PDF).
  4. 1 2 Bonderson, Aaron (2022-11-09). "Nebraskans elect 3 conservatives to the state Board of Education in midterms". Nebraska Public Media. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  5. 1 2 3 Sanderford, Aaron (2022-11-05). "State Board of Ed races could decide future role of board, next Ed Commissioner". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  6. 1 2 Ozaki, Andrew (2022-11-01). "Penner and Raikes face off in District 5 State Education Board race". KETV. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  7. ↑ Vraspir, Will (2022-10-12). "Helzer, Jones campaign to join state board of education". Hastings Tribune. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  8. ↑ Williams, Joel (2022-04-13). "Sexual education proposal at center of primary for Nebraska State Board of Education". Center Square. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  9. ↑ "Race for the State Board of Education: Incumbent & 2 conservative challengers face-off". KMTV. 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  10. ↑ Raun, Andy (2022-05-11). "Kenney, Hehnke vote close in first round of NU regents race". Hastings Tribune. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  11. 1 2 Hammel, Paul (2022-10-15). "NU Regents race is spiced by charge that campaign is aimed at replacing top university leaders". Nebraska Examiner. Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  12. ↑ Gentler, Sara; Richards, Alex (2024-10-16). "Wealthy Governor, Billionaire Family Changed Nebraska Elections". Governing Magazine. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
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