Municipal elections in Omaha, Nebraska (2017)
2020 →
|
| 2017 Omaha elections |
|---|
 |
| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: March 3, 2017 |
| Primary election: April 4, 2017 General election: May 9, 2017 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor, City Council |
| Total seats up: 8 |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2017 |
A primary election took place on April 4, 2017. The top two vote recipients in each race advanced to the general election. The filing deadline for city council candidates in this election was March 1, 2017, while mayoral candidates had to file by March 3, 2017.
Omaha's municipal elections are nonpartisan, but Ballotpedia identified the partisan affiliations of candidates based on their election filings and public statements.
Elections
Mayor
- ☑
Jean Stothert (i)
- ☐
Heath Mello
Defeated in primary
Campaign finance
Campaign finance information for the general election is available here. Click [show] on the box below to view campaign finance information from the March 20 filing deadline:
| March 20 campaign finance filing, Mayor |
|---|
|
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by mayoral candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017. A candidate with N/A under each column did not file a report for this period.[2]
|
District 1
Note: Grant Sturek replaced Paul Anderson on the general election ballot after Anderson's withdrawal from the race.
- ☑
- ☐
Withdrawn
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 1 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017. A candidate with N/A under each column did not file a report for this period.[2]
District 2
- ☑
- ☐
Defeated in primary
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 2 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017. A candidate with N/A under each column did not file a report for this period.[2]
District 3
- ☑
- ☐
Defeated in primary
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 3 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017. A candidate with N/A under each column did not file a report for this period.[2]
District 4
Incumbent Garry Gernandt (D) did not run for re-election.
Defeated in primary
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 4 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017. A candidate with N/A under each column did not file a report for this period.[2]
District 5
- ☑
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 5 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017.[2]
District 6
Incumbent Franklin Thompson (R) did not run for re-election.
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 6 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017.[2]
District 7
- ☑
- ☐
Campaign finance
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by District 7 candidates for the March 20 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through March 20, 2017.[2]
Endorsements
The following table details organizational endorsements in Omaha's 2017 municipal elections. A race with N/A means that the organization did not provide an endorsement or an indication of non-endorsement as of May 2, 2017.
| 2017 Omaha Endorsements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Seat up for election | Omaha Police Officers Association[3] | Omaha World-Herald[4] |
| Mayor | No endorsement | N/A |
| District 1 | Pete Festersen |
Pete Festersen |
| District 2 | Ben Gray |
Ben Gray |
| District 3 | No endorsement | Chris Jerram |
| District 4 | Jim Rogers |
Jim Rogers |
| District 5 | No endorsement | No endorsement |
| District 6 | Brinker Harding |
Brinker Harding |
| District 7 | No endorsement | Aimee Melton |
Additional elections
- See also: Nebraska elections, 2017
Omaha's mayoral and council elections did not share the ballot with other local, state, or national elections. The following document is a sample ballot for the April 4 primary.
You can navigate the following document by zooming in or out with the + and - buttons and using the vertical scrollbar.
Council map
Each member of the council is elected by district. The map below details the boundaries of Omaha's city council districts as of February 28, 2017.
You can navigate the following document by zooming in or out with the + and - buttons and using the vertical scrollbar.
Past elections
2013
| Mayor of Omaha, General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
 Jean Stothert |
57% | 48,290 | |
| Jim Suttle Incumbent | 42.6% | 36,120 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.4% | 361 | |
| Total Votes | 84,771 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 1 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Pete Festersen Incumbent |
63% | 7,908 | |
| Ed Truemper | 36.5% | 4,579 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.5% | 69 | |
| Total Votes | 12,556 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 2 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Ben Gray Incumbent |
56.7% | 4,172 | |
| Tariq Al-Amin | 42% | 3,091 | |
| Write-in votes | 1.4% | 101 | |
| Total Votes | 7,364 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 3 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Chris Jerram Incumbent |
67.6% | 6,257 | |
| JR Jasso | 31.2% | 2,888 | |
| Write-in votes | 1.3% | 116 | |
| Total Votes | 9,261 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 4 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Garry Gernandt Incumbent |
66.5% | 4,305 | |
| Virgil Patlan Sr. | 33.1% | 2,147 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.4% | 26 | |
| Total Votes | 6,478 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 5 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Rich Pahls |
58.1% | 7,910 | |
| Jeff Moore | 41% | 5,587 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.8% | 115 | |
| Total Votes | 13,612 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 6 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Franklin Thompson Incumbent |
60.3% | 10,044 | |
| Phil Klein | 39.2% | 6,531 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.5% | 86 | |
| Total Votes | 16,661 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
| Omaha City Council, District 7 General Election, 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Aimee Melton |
62.6% | 8,588 | |
| Tim Lonergan | 36.7% | 5,038 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.6% | 85 | |
| Total Votes | 13,711 | ||
| Source: Douglas County, Nebraska, "Official Results, 2013 General Election," May 24, 2013 | |||
Issues
Sources of contention in mayoral race
The mayoral race between incumbent Jean Stothert and challenger Heath Mello attracted national attention with visits by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) prior to the general election. Sanders campaigned with Mello on April 20, while Walker campaigned with Stothert on April 24. Stothert's campaign responded to Sanders' visit by saying, "Bernie Sanders is a self-avowed socialist and Mello's embracing him will push every conservative voter to Mayor Stothert."[5] Mello's campaign criticized Walker's visit, saying, "Now, in a moment of desperation, the Stothert campaign is turning to an extreme Republican who has decimated public education and repealed equal pay laws."[6]
Stothert and Mello sparred over city politics and policy throughout the mayoral campaign. Here is a summary of the disputes between the two candidates prior to the election:
Public safety
Stothert and Mello disagreed over the impact of the mayor's office on public safety since Stothert took office in 2013. The Omaha World-Herald reported that the city's violent crime rate increased between 2012 and 2016, while the property crime rate decreased during the same period. Stothert touted the addition of 56 full-time officers to the police department, funding for community programs for at-risk youth, and plans for a fifth police precinct. Mello argued for strengthening the city's citizen review board for police, employing an independent group to review police staffing needs, and creating a council to help people find work after leaving prison. Both candidates supported body camera use by police officers and wanted Police Chief Todd Schmaderer to stay in his position after the election.[7]
Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning and the Omaha Professional Fire Fighters Association endorsed Mello prior to the primary, while the Omaha Police Officers Association declined to endorse in the mayoral election. Schmaderer and the police union made a statement admonishing Dunning for a March 2017 ad criticizing Stothert's approach to crime.[7][8][9]
Annexation
Stothert's proposal to annex seven subdivisions into the city limits was approved unanimously by the city council in August 2016.[10] She argued that 6,000 new residents of the city receive improved services, while the city's tax base increased after expansion. On April 11, 2017, Mello criticized the mayor's annexation plan for reducing city services to existing residents during a debate. Stothert countered that she gained support for annexation from police and fire department officials prior to council approval.[11]
Streetcar
During the April 11 debate, Stothert and Mello discussed their differing opinions on a proposed streetcar project. An independent assessment by HDR Inc. published in February 2017 determined that a streetcar from midtown to downtown would cost $156 million. This assessment determined that the project could be completed by 2018 using local funding sources or 2020 using federal grants.[12] Stothert has supported the project but argued for a public vote on the streetcar during the debate. Mello countered that the city should halt the project to focus transportation funding on roadway projects. He supported the streetcar project during his time in the state legislature.[11]
Tax policy
Mello criticized Stothert's record on the restaurant tax, which is applied to every table's bill at city restaurants. He argued that Stothert promised to cut taxes in her 2013 campaign, but failed to reduce the 2.5 percent restaurant tax rate. Mello proposed a maximum annual growth of 1.75 percent for the restaurant tax. Stothert supported a restaurant tax reduction during her first term, but focused on reducing property tax rates. She noted that her administration won city council support for two property tax decreases over a four-year period.[13]
Involvement in politics of public schools
Mello received the endorsement of the Omaha Education Association in February 2017, which was the union's first endorsement of a political candidate. The endorsement took place at the same time as the Omaha Public Schools board leadership election, which generated news for Mello's involvement in solving a voting deadlock.[14] The board selected Lacey Merica, a former legislative aide to Mello, as its president in February 2017. Mello told local media that he was contacted by the two board president candidates to facilitate a solution. Stothert, a former board member for Millard Public Schools, countered that Mello was interfering in district politics despite a history of separate governance between the city and school district.[15]
Snow plowing plan
A February 2017 snowstorm and ensuing traffic problems led Mello to criticize Stothert for the city's inability to plow snow during peak commuting times. In a statement following Mello's comments, Stothert said, "Trying to politicize these weather events is a disservice to the citizens of Omaha." The city implemented a new plan in October 2016 that moved up road pre-treatment timing and lowered the threshold for plowing from four inches of snow to two inches. Mello argued for a review of practices used by other cities to develop an alternative plan.[16]
Campaign finance in the general election
The following table details campaign finance information submitted by mayoral candidates for the April 24 reporting deadline. These reports include contributions and expenditures for each candidate through April 24, 2017.[2]
Governing majority on the city council
The following table shows the partisan affiliations of council members heading into the 2017 election as indicated in their candidate filings from 2013 and 2017. The Omaha City Council was governed by a 4-3 Democratic majority heading into the 2017 election, based on publicly available information on partisan affiliations of city council members. The council is also divided geographically with four Democratic members residing in eastern Omaha districts and three Republican members representing the city's west side. The city's elections are nonpartisan, but candidates indicate their party when filing for election.
| Omaha City Council | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | Member | Party | 2017 result |
| 1 | Pete Festersen | Won re-election | |
| 2 | Ben Gray | Won re-election | |
| 3 | Chris Jerram | Won re-election | |
| 4 | Garry Gernandt[17] | Did not seek re-election | |
| 5 | Rich Pahls | Won re-election | |
| 6 | Franklin Thompson[18] | Did not seek re-election | |
| 7 | Aimee Melton | Won re-election | |
An analysis of board minutes from September 2016 to February 2017 found no correlation between the partisan affiliations of council members and council voting patterns. The council unanimously approved 708 resolutions and amendments during this period, representing 97.9 percent of the council's 723 votes. One or more council members opposed nine resolutions that were approved by the council and six resolutions were defeated during this period. Democratic members voted together once to oppose a resolution, while Republican members voted together twice to oppose resolutions.
About the city
- See also: Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is a city in Douglas County, Nebraska. As of 2010, its population was 408,958.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Omaha uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.[19]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Omaha, Nebraska | ||
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | Nebraska | |
| Population | 408,958 | 1,826,341 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 140 | 76,817 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 77.5% | 87.1% |
| Black/African American | 12.3% | 4.8% |
| Asian | 3.8% | 2.4% |
| Native American | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.1% |
| Two or more | 3.4% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 13.9% | 10.9% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 89.5% | 91.4% |
| College graduation rate | 37.7% | 31.9% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $60,092 | $61,439 |
| Persons below poverty level | 13.4% | 11.1% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **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 census here. | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Omaha Nebraska election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Omaha, Nebraska | Nebraska | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Douglas County Election Commission, "Candidate Information," accessed March 3, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission, "Campaign Statements Search," accessed May 4, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Omaha police union issues endorsements in city races — but not in mayor’s contest," April 13, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Editorial: Our choices for Omaha City Council," May 2, 2017
- ↑ KETV, "Bernie Sanders to campaign for Omaha mayoral candidate Heath Mello at April 20 rally," April 7, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Scott Walker coming to Omaha to rally voters for Jean Stothert," April 19, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Omaha World-Herald, "On public safety, Stothert and Mello take different approaches," April 11, 2017
- ↑ KETV, "Omaha firefighters' union endorses Heath Mello for mayor," March 6, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Top cop in Douglas County blocks Mayor Stothert's phone calls, backs Mello," March 3, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Council OKs Stothert's annexation plan; 6,000 people will become Omaha residents," August 10, 2016
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Omaha World-Herald, "Sparks fly over streetcar, crime in first mayoral debate," April 13, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Assessment puts cost of Omaha streetcar at $156 million, suggests ways to make project pay for itself," February 27, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Stothert and Mello both talk tax cuts, but any changes would likely be small," March 6, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Omaha teachers union endorses Heath Mello in mayoral election," February 28, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Omaha, OPS politics mixing ahead of election," February 25, 2017
- ↑ KETV, "Frosty feelings in Omaha mayor's race after snow snarls commute," February 8, 2017
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "Longtime councilman Garry Gernandt won't run for re-election," November 30, 2016
- ↑ Omaha World-Herald, "City Council, District 6: Annexation looms over contest between Thompson, Klein," May 3, 2013
- ↑ City of Omaha, "About our Government," accessed October 22, 2014
 |
State of Nebraska Lincoln (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |