The City of Omaha will hold its general election on May 13 following the April 1 primary election. Offices up for election this year include all seven city council seats and the mayoral office.
Only two city council seats and the mayoral race featured more than two candidates. Incumbents largely advanced, with little shake up set for city power.
Omaha’s city elections are nonpartisan, with up to two candidates advancing to the general election from the primary.
All eyes are on the mayoral office, as incumbent Republican Jean Stothert seeks her fourth consecutive term against Democratic Douglas County Treasurer John Ewing.
Stothert and Ewing advanced with Stothert getting 36% of the vote compared to Ewing’s 33%.
Stothert was first elected in 2013, becoming Omaha’s first female mayor by defeating Democratic incumbent Jim Suttle with 56% of the vote. In 2017, she faced a much closer race, winning by just four points over Democratic challenger Heath Mello. In 2021, she easily won re-election with 64% of the vote.
Those running against Stothert in the primary included Ewing, former fire chief and Republican state senator Mike McDonnell, Democratic public health advocate Jasmine Harris, and independent community organizer Terry Brewer. While early polling suggested McDonnell and Stothert advancing, McDonnell received 19%, falling well short of advancing.
As for city council races, only districts two and four had competitive primaries. All other city council races only had one to two candidates running, meaning they automatically advanced to the general election.
In Central Omaha-based district one, council president Pete Festersen and community advocate Mark Brannen automatically advanced as the only two candidates.
In North Omaha-based district two, which Central resides in, incumbent Juanita Johnson received 15% of the vote and lost re-election, placing third behind North 24th Street Business Improvement District Director LaVonya Goodwin, who received 16% of the vote, and former councilman Ben Gray, who received 27% of the vote. Gray and Goodwin advanced to the general.
In Midtown’s district three, incumbent Danny Begley and community advocate Michael Pilypaitis automatically advanced to the general.
In South Omaha-based district four, appointed incumbent Ron Hug and challenger Andrew Adams advanced to the general. Hug received 46% of the vote, while Adams received 21%. Perennial candidate Gilbert Ayala received 20%, and community organizer Johnathan Flaco Renteria received 12%, dropping them from the race.
In Southwest Omaha-based district five, incumbent Don Rowe advances to the general unopposed. He had no challengers in his bid for a second term.
In Westside-based district six, longtime incumbent Brinker Harding advanced after receiving no challengers.
In Northwest Omaha-based district seven, incumbent Aimee Melton and challenger Tim Carter automatically advance to the general.
