Governor of Nebraska

Nebraska Governor
General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$105,000
2025 FY Budget:	$2,211,929
Term limits:	Two consecutive terms
Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Nebraska Constitution, Article IV, Section I
Selection Method:	Elected
Current Officeholder
Governor of Nebraska Jim Pillen Republican Party Assumed office: January 5, 2023
Elections
Next election:	2026
Last election:	2022
Other Nebraska Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Director • Natural Resources Director • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission • Board of Regents

The Governor of the State of Nebraska is an elected constitutional officer, the head of the executive branch and the highest state office in Nebraska. The governor is popularly elected every four years by a plurality and is limited to two consecutive terms with at least one term intervening before the same individual may seek the office again.

Nebraska has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and the upper chamber of the state legislature. Nebraska's legislature does not have a lower chamber.

Nebraska has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

See also: Nebraska State Senate

Current officer

The current Governor of Nebraska is Jim Pillen (R). Pillen assumed office in 2023.

Authority

The state Constitution addresses the office of the governor in Article IV, the Executive Department.

Under Article IV, Section I:

The executive officers of the state shall be the Governor...

Additionally, under Article IV, Section 6:

The supreme executive power shall be vested in the Governor, who shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed and the affairs of the state efficiently and economically administered.'

Qualifications

State Executives
Current Governors
Gubernatorial Elections
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014
Current Lt. Governors
Lt. Governor Elections
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014

Candidates for governor must be:

• at least 30 years old
• a resident of the state of Nebraska for at least five years
• a citizen of the United States

While serving, the governor is ineligible for any other state office.

Vacancies

See also: How gubernatorial vacancies are filled

Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article IV, Section 16.

If the governorship becomes vacant for any reason, the lieutenant governor and then the Speaker of the Legislature shall succeed. The governor may also devolve powers to the lieutenant governor when the former is absent or temporarily unable to discharge the office.

If a governor-elect is unable to take the office or is disqualified before being inaugurated, the lieutenant governor-elect is inaugurated in his or her place and serves the full term.

Duties

The governor is the commander-in-chief of the state military forces in the state of Nebraska. The governor is the chief budget officer and must present the state legislature with a complete budget for all expenditures used in running the state’s regular business.

The governor is the chairperson of the Board of State Canvassers and the Board of Pardons. The governor is a member of the State Records Board, Nebraska Capitol Commission, Education Commission of the States, State Board of Health, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission, Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, and other groups as provided by law.

Other duties and privileges of the office include:

• Giving information by message to the Legislature
• Giving accounts of all money received and spent
• Appointing certain officers as required by the constitution and statutes and filling vacancies in state offices
• Signing or vetoing bills passed by the Legislature
• Calling elections to fill vacancies for members of the U.S. Congress
• Certifying notaries
• Issuing requisitions for the return of accused persons to Nebraska and other states and countries
• Enforcing criminal laws
• Convening special sessions of the legislature
• Using the "Great Seal of the State of Nebraska"

Elections

Nebraska state government organizational chart

Nebraska elects governors in the midterm elections, that is, even years that are not presidential election years. For Nebraska, 2018, 2022, 2026, 2030, and 2034 are all gubernatorial election years. Legally, the gubernatorial inauguration is always set for the first Thursday in the January following an election.

In the event of a tie, the legislature shall choose a winner from the two highest vote-getters.

2022

See also: Nebraska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2022

General election

General election for Governor of Nebraska

Jim Pillen defeated Carol Blood, Scott Zimmerman, Robert Borer, and Dave Wright in the general election for Governor of Nebraska on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Pillen (R)	59.2	398,334
		Carol Blood (D)	36.0	242,006
		Scott Zimmerman (L)	3.9	26,455
		Robert Borer (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	0
	Submit photo	Dave Wright (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	0
		Other/Write-in votes	0.9	5,798

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 672,593
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Nebraska

Carol Blood defeated Roy Harris in the Democratic primary for Governor of Nebraska on May 10, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carol Blood	88.7	88,859
	Submit photo	Roy Harris	11.3	11,267

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 100,126
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Nebraska

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Nebraska on May 10, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Pillen	33.9	91,555
		Charles Herbster	29.9	80,771
		Brett Lindstrom	26.1	70,554
		Theresa Thibodeau	6.1	16,432
		Breland Ridenour	1.7	4,685
		Michael Connely	1.1	2,838
	Submit photo	Donna Nicole Carpenter	0.6	1,536
		Lela McNinch	0.4	1,192
	Submit photo	Troy Wentz	0.3	708

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 270,271
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for Governor of Nebraska

Scott Zimmerman advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Nebraska on May 10, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Zimmerman	100.0	1,595

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,595
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Nebraska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018

General election

General election for Governor of Nebraska

Incumbent Pete Ricketts defeated Bob Krist in the general election for Governor of Nebraska on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pete Ricketts (R)	59.0	411,812
		Bob Krist (D)	41.0	286,169

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 697,981 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Nebraska

Bob Krist defeated Vanessa Ward and Tyler Davis in the Democratic primary for Governor of Nebraska on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Krist	59.8	54,992
	Submit photo	Vanessa Ward	28.8	26,478
	Submit photo	Tyler Davis	11.4	10,472

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 91,942
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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 Governor of Nebraska

Incumbent Pete Ricketts defeated Krystal Gabel in the Republican primary for Governor of Nebraska on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Pete Ricketts	81.4	138,292
		Krystal Gabel	18.6	31,568

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 169,860
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia 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.

2014

See also: Nebraska gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Pete Ricketts/Mike Foley	57.2%	308,751
	Democratic	Chuck Hassebrook/Jane Raybould	39.3%	211,905
	Libertarian	Mark G. Elworth Jr./Scott Zimmerman	3.5%	19,001
Total Votes				539,657
Election results via Nebraska Secretary of State

2010

On November 2, 2010, Dave Heineman won re-election to the office of Governor of Nebraska. He defeated Mike Meister in the general election.

Governor of Nebraska, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Dave Heineman Incumbent	73.9%	360,645
	Democratic	Mike Meister	26.1%	127,343
Total Votes				487,988
Election results via Nebraska office of the Secretary of State.

2006

On November 7, 2006, Dave Heineman won election to the office of Governor of Nebraska. He defeated David Hahn, Barry Richards, and Mort Sullivan in the general election.

Governor of Nebraska, 2006
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Dave Heineman	73.7%	430,578
	Democratic	David Hahn	24.1%	141,091
	Nebraska	Barry Richards	1.5%	8,953
	Democratic	Mort Sullivan	0.6%	3,782
Total Votes				584,404
Election results via Nebraska office of the Secretary of State.

2002

On November 5, 2002, Mike Johanns won re-election to the office of Governor of Nebraska. He defeated Stormy Dean and Paul Rosberg in the general election.

Governor of Nebraska, 2002
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Mike Johanns Incumbent	68.4%	325,453
	Democratic	Stormy Dean	27.8%	132,348
	Nebraska	Paul Rosberg	3.8%	18,294
Total Votes				476,095
Election results via Nebraska office of the Secretary of State.

Term limits

See also: States with gubernatorial term limits

Nebraska governors are restricted to two consecutive terms in office, after which they must wait four years before being eligible to run again.

Nebraska Constitution, Article IV-1

The Governor shall be ineligible to the office of Governor for four years next after the expiration of two consecutive terms for which he or she was elected.

Partisan composition

The chart below shows the partisan breakdown of Nebraska governors from 1992 to 2013.

Divisions

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Governor of Nebraska has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

State budget

Role in state budget

See also: Nebraska state budget and finances

The state operates on a biennial budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in July.
2. Agency requests are submitted to the governor by September 15.
3. On or before January 15, the governor submits his or her proposed budget to the Nebraska State Senate. The deadline is February 1 for newly elected governors.
4. The Senate adopts a budget in May. Two-thirds of elected members must vote for the budget in order for it to pass.

Nebraska is one of 44 states in which the governor has line item veto authority.

The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget. In turn, the legislature is statutorily required to adopt a balanced budget.

Governor's office budget

The budget for the governor's office in Fiscal Year 2024-2025 was $2,211,929.

Compensation

See also: Comparison of gubernatorial salaries and Compensation of state executive officers

The salaries of elected executive officials are set by the Nebraska State Legislature as mandated by the state constitution. Article IV, Section 25 states the following:

The officers provided for in this article shall receive such salaries as may be provided by law. Such officers, or such other officers as may be provided for by law, shall not receive for their own use any fees, costs, or interest upon public money in their hands.

2023

In 2023, the officer's salary was $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2021

In 2021, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2020

In 2020, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2019

In 2019, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2018

In 2018, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2017

In 2017, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2016

In 2016, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2015

In 2015, the governor received a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2014

In 2014, the governor earned a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2013

In 2013, the governor earned a salary of $105,000, according to the Council of State Governments.

2012

In 2012, the governor was paid an estimated $105,000 according to the Council of State Governments.

History

Partisan balance 1992-2013

See also: Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States and Ballotpedia:Who Runs the States, Nebraska

Partisan breakdown of the Nebraska governorship from 1992-2013

From 1992-2013, in Nebraska there were Democratic governors in office for the first seven years while there were Republican governors in office for the last 15 years.

Across the country, there were 493 years of Democratic governors (44.82%) and 586 years of Republican governors (53.27%) from 1992 to 2013.

Over the course of the 22-year study, state governments became increasingly more partisan. At the outset of the study period (1992), 18 of the 49 states with partisan legislatures had single-party trifectas and 31 states had divided governments. In 2013, only 13 states had divided governments, while single-party trifectas held sway in 36 states, the most in the 22 years studied.

The chart below shows the partisan composition of the Office of the Governor of Nebraska, the Nebraska State Senate and the Nebraska House of Representatives from 1992 to 2013.

SQLI and partisanship

The chart below depicts the partisanship of the Nebraska state government and the state's SQLI ranking for the years studied. For the SQLI, the states were ranked from 1-50, with 1 being the best and 50 the worst. Because Nebraska has a nonpartisan legislature, the state did not have any government trifectas during the years studied. From 1992-1998 it had a Democratic governor and from 1999-2013 it had a Republican governor. Nebraska finished high in SQLI rankings, finishing in the top-10 during both Democratic and Republican governorships. It dipped out of the top-10 from 1999-2004, but returned in 2005. Its highest ranking, finishing 2nd, occurred from 2011-2012.

Chart displaying the partisanship of the Nebraska government from 1992-2013 and the State Quality of Life Index (SQLI).

Historical officeholders

There were 10 Governors of Nebraska Territory from 1854-1867.

List of officeholders from 1854-1867
#	Name	Tenure
1	Francis Burt	1854
2	Thomas B. Cuming	1854-1855
3	Mark W. Izard	1855-1857
4	Thomas B. Cuming	1857-1858
5	William A. Richardson	1858
6	J. Sterling Morton	1858-1859
7	Samuel W. Black	1859-1861
8	J. Sterling Morton	1861
9	Algernon S. Paddock	1861
10	Alvin Saunders	1861-1867

There have been 40 Governors of the state of Nebraska since 1867. Of the 40 state governors, 26 were Republican, 12 were Democrat, and two were Democrat/Populist.

List of officeholders from 1867-present
#	Name	Tenure	Party
1	David Butler	1867-1871	Republican
2	William H. James	1871-1873	Republican
3	Robert W. Furnas	1873-1875	Republican
4	Silas Garber	1875-1879	Republican
5	Albinus Nance	1879-1883	Republican
6	James W. Dawes	1883-1887	Republican
7	John M. Thayer	1887-1891	Republican
8	James E. Boyd	1891	Democratic
7	John M. Thayer	1891-1892	Republican
8	James E. Boyd	1892-1893	Democratic
9	Lorenzo Crounse	1893-1895	Republican
10	Silas Holcomb	1895-1899	Democratic/Populist
11	William A. Poynter	1899-1901	Democratic/Populist
12	Charles H. Dietrich	1901	Republican
13	Ezra P. Savage	1901-1903	Republican
14	John H. Mickey	1903-1907	Republican
15	George L. Sheldon	1907-1909	Republican
16	Ashton C. Shallenberger	1909-1911	Democratic
17	Chester H. Aldrich	1911-1913	Republican
18	John H. Morehead	1913-1917	Democratic
19	Keith Neville	1917-1919	Democratic
20	Samuel R. McKelvie	1919-1923	Republican
21	Charles W. Bryan	1923-1925	Democratic
22	Adam McMullen	1925-1929	Republican
23	Arthur J. Weaver	1929-1931	Republican
21	Charles W. Bryan	1931-1935	Democratic
24	Robert Leroy Cochran	1935-1941	Democratic
25	Dwight Griswold	1941-1947	Republican
26	Val Peterson	1947-1953	Republican
27	Robert B. Crosby	1953-1955	Republican
28	Victor E. Anderson	1955-1959	Republican
29	Ralph G. Brooks	1959-1960	Democratic
30	Dwight W. Burney	1960-196	Republican
31	Frank B. Morrison	1961-1967	Democratic
32	Norbert T. Tiemann	1967-1971	Republican
33	J. James Exon	1971-1979	Democratic
34	Charles Thone	1979-1983	Republican
35	J. Robert Kerrey	1983-1987	Democratic
36	Kay A. Orr	1987-1991	Democratic
37	E. (Earl) Benjamin Nelson	1991-1999	Democratic
38	Mike Johanns	1999- 2005	Republican
39	Dave Heineman	2005-2015	Republican
40	Pete Ricketts	2015-2023	Republican
41	Jim Pillen	2023-present	Republican

State profile

Demographic data for Nebraska
	Nebraska	U.S.
Total population:	1,893,765	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	76,824	3,531,905
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) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here 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 census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Nebraska

Nebraska voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Nebraska, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nebraska had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Nebraska coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Nebraska
• United States congressional delegations from Nebraska
• Public policy in Nebraska
• Endorsers in Nebraska
• Nebraska fact checks
• More...

Contact information

Lincoln Office/State Capitol
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 94848
Lincoln, NE 68509-4848
Phone:402-471-2244
Fax:402-471-6031

West-Central Office
Craft State Office Bldg.
200 South Silber, Room 022
North Platte, NE 69101

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Office of the Nebraska Governor