More than half of the 49 seats in the Nebraska Legislature will be decided Tuesday, with one Omaha-area race drawing particular attention because it could influence the chamber’s balance of power.
State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn is seeking reelection in District 4 against Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek, a registered nonpartisan candidate. The two faced each other in 2022. Von Gillern is also considered a potential future speaker of the Legislature, according to the candidates’ campaign coverage.
A nonpartisan Legislature with a partisan majority
Nebraska’s Legislature is officially nonpartisan and has a single chamber. The League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha describes the system as intended to represent residents across the state rather than political parties.
“The intent is for it to be a representation of all the people within the state of Nebraska,” said Jan McKenzie, board president of the League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha.
Despite the nonpartisan structure, Republicans have held a supermajority since 2024. They currently control 33 of the 49 seats, according to the candidates’ discussion of the chamber’s makeup. The results of the legislative races will determine whether that majority continues and what its size will be.
Von Gillern said the majority has enabled senators to advance tax policy and other measures while still working across the political spectrum. He described disagreements during earlier stages of legislation as common, but said senators generally find bipartisan support when bills reach final consideration.
“I told somebody the other day, we kind of fight like cats and dogs on general file and select, but when we get to final reading and the final vote on a bill, generally we land in a good place and we get good bipartisan support,” von Gillern said.
District 4 candidates present different concerns
Maxwell-Ostdiek said the Legislature’s current majority has weakened oversight and the constitutional checks between the legislative and executive branches. She pointed to senators’ use of veto overrides and their relationship with the governor as areas of concern.
“With the Republican majority, we’ve actually seen the senators not assert themselves with the laws they already passed, with the veto overrides. They’ve not been coming back and asserting themselves with the governor on any number of issues. And it’s very disappointing to watch,” Maxwell-Ostdiek said.
Maxwell-Ostdiek said she would work with members across the political spectrum on the state’s budget shortfall, the cost of living and other issues. She also said voters want the Legislature to move beyond party politics.
- 49 seats make up the Nebraska Legislature.
- Republicans currently hold 33 seats and have had a supermajority since 2024.
- District 4 voters will choose between von Gillern and Maxwell-Ostdiek on Tuesday.
The legislative election is part of Nebraska’s general election on Nov. 3. The results will establish the membership of the next Legislature and determine the size of the majority that will organize the chamber and select its leadership.
