Election 2023
Analysis: Record spending and turnout but same result in Lincoln mayor’s race
LINCOLN — The costliest mayor’s race in Lincoln history may have motivated record turnout for a Capital City election, but all that campaign spending and outside advertising barely budged the result from four years ago. With all but about 700 provisional ballots counted, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Nebraska’s top elected Democrat, increased her lead and […]
Democrat Leirion Gaylor Baird takes GOP’s best shot, beats Geist to win Lincoln mayor’s race
LINCOLN — Months of TV, digital and snail-mail advertisements painting the Capital City as some kind of criminal wasteland, and waves of billboards backing change in city leadership, weren’t enough to help Republicans boot Nebraska’s top elected Democrat from office. Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, a Democrat, won re-election Tuesday over former State Sen. Suzanne […]
Nebraska lawmakers narrowly advance trans health care bill after internal chaos
LINCOLN — Chaos erupted on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature on Thursday after a last-minute effort to consider an “olive branch” amendment on a bill to restrict some gender-affirming care for minors. Legislative Bill 574, proposed by State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, would restrict puberty blockers, hormone therapies and genital or non-genital surgeries […]
Lincoln mayoral candidates Gaylor Baird and Geist trade jabs over which is best for business
LINCOLN — Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird told more than 200 people at a candidate forum Thursday that her opponent, former State Sen. Suzanne Geist, is bad for business, while Geist described Lincoln under Gaylor Baird’s watch as a harder place to do business than it should be. Gaylor Baird said Geist’s legislative record could cost […]
Some Nebraska doctors fear ‘collateral damage’ from proposed near-total abortion ban
LINCOLN — As debate begins on a Nebraska proposal to ban nearly all abortions in the state, some medical professionals are worried about how exceptions in the law would be utilized. Legislative Bill 626, proposed by State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, would outlaw abortions at around six weeks when cardiac activity can be detected. […]
Debate begins this week on Nebraska abortion ban timed to cardiac activity
LINCOLN — A legislative bill that supporters and opponents agree would outlaw abortions in Nebraska before many women know they’re pregnant heads into Wednesday’s first round of debate with just enough votes to overcome cloture — 33 — but no wiggle room. State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston appears to have held together a coalition […]
Next steps for voter ID in Nebraska: No notary required, narrower focus on verification
LINCOLN — Nebraska state senators are setting aside the most controversial parts of two legislative proposals to implement voter ID and writing something new and “narrower.” The chair of a key legislative committee says the Legislature’s next proposal to verify the IDs of Nebraska voters will not require a notary to sign ballots by mail, […]
Pillen appoints Carolyn Bosn, former Lancaster County prosecutor, to replace Geist in Legislature
LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen picked former prosecutor Carolyn Bosn on Thursday to replace one of law enforcement’s favorites in the Legislature, State Sen. Suzanne Geist. Pillen said he knew and trusted Bosn’s “extraordinary public servant heart” because she grew up in his hometown of Columbus. He said their families have known each other […]
Gaylor Baird increases lead over Geist in latest vote count
LINCOLN — Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird grew her lead over State Sen. Suzanne Geist in the city’s mayoral primary election Wednesday by adding results from another 6,254 early voting ballots. The updated unofficial count left the mayor just short of the 50% mark that political observers have said signals an incumbent’s strength, with 49.6% […]
State Sen. Suzanne Geist resigns from Nebraska Legislature to run full-time for Lincoln mayor
LINCOLN — State Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln announced Wednesday that she was resigning from the Legislature, telling supporters in a campaign video that she is “all in” on her May 2 general election race to unseat Nebraska’s top Democrat, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird. Geist finished second to Gaylor Baird in Tuesday’s three-way primary election. […]
Geist to take on Lincoln Mayor Gaylor Baird in general election
LINCOLN — Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird faces the test of her political career on May 2 after she and State Sen. Suzanne Geist advanced in Tuesday’s nonpartisan primary race. The mayor, as expected, secured the largest portion of votes, 49% as of the final unofficial count Tuesday night. Geist finished second, with 34%. Nonprofit […]
Lincoln mayor’s primary pits top Nebraska Dem against dueling wings of GOP
LINCOLN – The barbed tone of the Lincoln mayor’s race hints at the statewide political stakes of Tuesday’s primary election. Incumbent Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird is running for a second term. She is Nebraska’s highest-profile elected Democrat. Mike Johanns is the last Republican elected Lincoln mayor, serving from 1991-1998. Republicans Suzanne Geist, a state senator, […]