NEBRASKA 5 Electoral Votes 
link to clickable map
Population 
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Nebraska Secretary of State) 
Total Resident Population, July 1, 2016 est.
1,907,116
Total Registration, Nov. 2016
1,212,965  >

Rep. 584,173 (48.16%)   Dem. 370,091 (30.51%)   Nonpartisan 247,340 (20.39%)    Lib. 11,361 (0.94%)
Nebraska has: 93 counties.
Largest counties: Douglas, Lancaster, Sarpy.
Largest cities: Omaha, Lincoln. 

Government
Governor: Pete Ricketts (R) elected in 2014.
State Legislature: Nebraska Legislature   Unicameral: 49 Senators
Local: Cities/Counties/Villages Local Government   NACO
U.S. House: 2R, 1D - 1. J.Fortenberry (R) | 2. B.Ashford (D) | 3. A.Smith (R)
U.S. Senate: Deb Fischer (R) elected in 2012, Ben Sasse (R) elected in 2014. 
2016
U.S. House: All three members sought re-election; Republicans achieved a pickup in NE-2, where retired Brig. Gen. Don Bacon (R) defeated Rep. Brad Ashford (D) by 141,066 votes to 137,602 and 9,640 for computer programmer Steven Laird (L).  In NE-3 Adam Smith did not draw a challenger.
State Legislature: 25 of 49 seats were up.
Ballot Measures:
There was one referendum, No. 426, to restore the death penalty.  In 2015 the Nebraska Legislature passed LB 268, a bill eliminating the death penalty and replacing it with life in prison.  By 494,151 votes to 320,719 Nebraskans voted to repeal LB 268 and keep the death penalty (repeal/keep the death penalty | retain/end the death penalty).

 State of Nebraska
Secretary of State

NE Democratic Party
NE Republican Party
NE Libertarian Party
NE Green Party
Nebraska Party (Const.)

Omaha World-Herald
News Media
Newspapers
TV, Radio

Leavenworth Street

Politics1-NE
Ballotpedia-NE

The Cornhusker State
Note: Nebraska Revised Statute 32-714 sets out that at large presidential electors vote for the statewide winner and CD electors for the winner in the CD.
General Election -- Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Voting Eligible Population*: 1,349,903.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 62.5%.


Voter Registration Deadlines:
Oct. 21, 2016 -
online, by mail, etc.
Oct. 28, 2016 - in-person at a election commission office

Early Voting:
Must request an early voting ballot in writing. Oct. 3 is the first day for early voting ballots to be mailed; Oct. 11 is the first day to vote early at an election commission office.
Official Results >

 
Trump/Pence (Rep.)
495,961
(58.75)
Clinton/Kaine (Dem.)
284,494
(33.70)
Johnson/Weld (Lib.)
38,946
(4.61)
Stein/Baraka (pet.)*
8,775
(1.04)
scattering, w/ins
16,051
(1.90)
Total........844,227

at polls  613,016
mail  12,138
provisional  12,411
early voting  220,914
military and overseas  1,981

1st CD: Trump 158,642 (56.18%)  Clinton 100,132 (35.46%)  Johnson 14,033 (4.97%)  Stein 3,374  (1.19%)  Scattering, w/in 6,181 (2.19%)  Total: 282,362.

2nd CD: Trump 137,564 (47.16%)  Clinton 131,030 (44.92%)  Johnson 13,245 (5.45%)  Stein 3,347 (1.15%)  Scattering, w/in 6,494 (2.23%)  Total: 291,680.

3nd CD: Trump 199,755 (73.91%)  Clinton 53,332 (19.73%)  Johnson 11,668 (4.32%)  Stein 2,054 (0.76%)  Scattering, w/in 3,451 (1.28%)  Total: 270,260.


Overview: Trump-Pence amassed a plurality of 211,469 votes (25.05 percentage points) and carried all but two of the state's 93 counties en route to winning all three of Nebraska's electoral votes.  The Clinton campaign competed for the electoral vote from the 2nd CD (Omaha area).  On Aug. 22 Democrats opened an office in Omaha.  Warren Buffett ("the sage of Omaha") was one of Hillary Clinton's more prominent supporters.  However the Democratic campaign in the 2nd fell short by 6,534 votes (47.16% to 44.92%).
   There were only a couple of visits by the principals in the Fall: Clinton campaigned and did a fundraiser in Omaha on Aug. 1, and Pence rallied in Omaha on Oct. 27
    During the primary period Sen. Ben Sasse (R) drew considerable attention for his letter outlining why he could not support Trump or Clinton (+) and there were efforts to recruit him to run as a third-party conservative candidate (+).

Clinton  |  Trump
BALLOT [PDF]

Democrats: Precinct Caucuses -- Saturday, March 5, 2016
Presidential Preference Primary (non-binding) -- Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Nebraska Revised Statute 32-401 sets the statewide primary on the "first Tuesday after the second Monday in May in even-numbered years."  See also 32-704.
Democrats
30 Delegates: 17 District, 5 At-Large, 3 PLEO, 5 Unpledged.

details

Republicans
36 Delegates: 3 RNC; 24 At-Large; 9 by CD (3 x 3).

details


General Election Winners in Nebraska, 1992-2012
1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012
Bush
46.58%
Dole
53.66%
Bush
62.25%
Bush
65.91%
McCain*
56.56%
Romney
59.80%
*In 2008 Obama picked up one electoral vote in Nebraska's 2nd CD.

 
and the details...
 
General Election -- Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Voting Eligible Population*: 1,321,948.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 60.1%.


Total voting: 804,245 -- includes  595,284 at the polls (74.02%), 207,575 early voters (25.81%), 1,267 military, and 119 new/former residents.

Voter Registration Deadline: Oct. 19, 2012.
Early Voting: Oct. 1, 2012.
Calendar [PDF]


Registration
: Rep. 558,145 (47.96%)   Dem. 374,075 (32.14%)   Nonpartisan 228,361 (19.62%)    Lib. 3,164    Am.Elect 126  ...Total 1,163,871.
Official Results >

 
+Romney/Ryan (Rep.)
475,064
(59.80)
Obama/Biden (Dem.)
302,081
(38.03)
Johnson/Gray (Lib.)
11,109
(1.40)
Terry/Smith (Pet.)
2,408
(0.30)
Scattering (w/in)
3,717
(0.47)
Total........794,379

total voting: 804,245
2012 Overview
In 2008 Obama picked up one electoral vote from the 2nd CD (Omaha area).  In 2011 Republicans in the legislature made an unsuccessful effort to return the state to a winner-take-all system (see LB21 or [PDF]).  Romney/Ryan won in all three congressional districts:
1st CD  152,021 (57.43%) to 108,082 (40.83%); 2nd CD 140,976 (52.85%) to 121,889 (45.70%); 3rd CD  182,067 (70.24%) to 72,110 (27.82%).
  Statewide Romney's plurality was 172,983 votes (21.77 percentage points).  There were a few visits.  Michelle Obama did a couple of events in Omaha on April 24; Mitt Romney did a couple of events in Omaha on May 10, Ann Romney did a fundraiser in La Vista on Sept. 21, and Paul Ryan an airport arrival in Omaha on Oct. 20; and Jim Gray did a meet and greet in Omaha on Aug. 7.
Obama  |  (Romney)
BALLOT [PDF]

General Election -- Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Voting Eligible Population*: 1,278,980.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 62.6%.

Total voting: 811,923 -- includes 634,977 at polls, 2,584 military and overseas, 174,219 ev/absentee, and 143 new/former residents.

Voter Registration Deadline: Mail-in registrations must be postmarked by Oct. 17, 2008.  In-person registration at county election offices ends at 6 p.m. on Oct 24.
Early Voting: Starting Sept. 29, 2008.



Registration:
Rep. 558,465 (48.27%)  
Dem. 392,943 (33.96%)   Neb. 8,625  (0.74%)   Grn. 1,041   Nonpartisan 195,507 (16.90%)   Lib. 453  ...Total 1,157,034.

                        Official Results >


+McCain/Palin (Rep.) 452,979
(56.56)
Obama-Biden (Dem.) 333,319
(41.60)
Baldwin/Castle (Neb.)
2,972
(0.37)
McKinney/Clemente (Grn.)
1,028
(0.13)
Barr/Root (Lib.)
2,740
(0.34)
Nader/Gonzalez (Pet.)
5,406
(0.67)
w/in
2,837
(0.35)
Total........801,281



2008 Overview
Nebraska distributes electoral votes by congressional district rather than the winner-take-all system used by most states.  The Obama campaign actively campaigned in the 2nd CD (Omaha area--all of Douglas County and part of Sarpy County) and picked up one electoral vote, gaining 138,809 votes (49.97%) to 135,439 (48.75%) for McCain.  In the 1st CD McCain won by 148,179 votes to 121,411 for Obama and in the 3rd CD McCain won 169,361 votes to 73,099 for Obama.  Statewide, McCain's plurality was 119,660 votes (14.96 percentage points).
Obama/Allies  |  McCain/Allies  |  Nader
BALLOT [PDF]

General Election -- Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Voting Eligible Population*: 1,236,522.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate: 62.9%.

Total voting: 792,906 -- includes 681,998 at polls, 2,964 military and overseas, 107,740 ev/absentee, and 204 new/former residents.

Registration: Rep. 575,781 (49.63%)    Dem. 396,767 (34.20%)    Lib. 4,717 (0.41%)   Neb. 4,575 (0.39%)   Grn. 398 (0.03%)   Nonpartisan 177,961 (15.34%)  ...Total 1,160,199.


+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)
512,814
(65.91)
Kerry/Edwards (Dem.)
254,328
(32.69)
Badnarik/Campagna (Lib.) 2,041 (0.26)
Peroutka/Baldwin (Neb.) 1,314
(0.17)
Cobb/LaMarche (Grn.)
978
(0.13)
Calero/Hawkins (Pet.)
82
(0.01)
Nader/Camejo (Pet.)
5,698
(0.73)
write in
931
(0.12)
Total........778,106
 




2004 Overview
No doubt about the outcome here as Bush swept to a plurality of 258,486 votes (33.22 percentage points).  The Kerry campaign did have a director in the state and did manage to carry one county, Thurston County, by 1,212 votes to 1,154 votes.  (Thurston County borders Iowa and is a bit south of Sioux City; it has a large Native American population).

General Election -- Tuesday, November 7, 2000
Voting Eligible Population*: 1,224,178.
VEP Highest Office Turnout Rate:
56.9%.

Total voting: 707,223 -- includes 625,557 at polls, 851 military and overseas, 80,452 absentee, and 363 new/former residents.

Registration: Rep. 537,605 (49.54%)    Dem. 392,344 (36.15%)    Lib. 1,790 (0.16%)   Nat.  65 (-)  Grn. 325 (0.3%)   Nonpartisan 153,088 (14.11%) ...Total 1,085,217.
+Bush/Cheney (Rep.)
433,862
 (62.25)
Gore/Lieberman (Dem.)
231,780
(33.25)
Browne/Olivier (Lib.)
2,245
(0.32)
Hagelin/Goldhaber (NLP)
478
(0.07)
Nader/LaDuke (Grn.)
24,540
(3.52)
Buchanan/Foster (Petition)
3,646
(0.52)
Phillips/Frazier (Petition)
468
 (0.07)
Total........697,019

2000 Overview
Solidly Republican Nebraska went solidly for Bush with a plurality of 202,082 votes (29.00 percentage points). Bush carried all 93 counties. Democrats did retain the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Bob Kerrey (D) as former Gov. Ben Nelson (D) defeated Don Stenberg (R) by 51.0% to 48.8%.

1992 and 1996 General Elections
Archive Pages: 2012 | 2008 | 2004 | 2000 1992
Bush (Rep.)...........344,346
(46.58)
Clinton (Dem.)........217,344
(29.40)
Perot (Ind.).............174,687
(23.63)
Others (3).................2,906
(0.39)
Total........739,283

1996
Dole (Rep.).............363,467
(53.66)
Clinton (Dem.)........236,761
(34.95)
Perot (Ref.)..............71,278 
(10.52)
Others (3)..................5,909
(0.87)
Total........677,415