1990 Nebraska gubernatorial election

1990 Nebraska gubernatorial election

← 1986 November 6, 1990 1994 →

Nominee Ben Nelson Kay A. Orr Party Democratic Republican Running mate Maxine Moul Jack Maddux Popular vote 292,771 288,741 Percentage 49.91% 49.23%

County results Nelson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Orr:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election Kay A. Orr Republican Elected Governor Ben Nelson Democratic

Elections in Nebraska
Federal offices Presidential elections 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 Presidential primaries Democratic 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Republican 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024 U.S. Senate elections 1867 1869 1870 1875 1877 1880 1883 1886 1888 1889 1893 1895 1899 1899 sp 1901 1901 sp 1905 1907 1911 1913 1916 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1934 sp 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1952 sp 1954 1954 sp 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 2018 2020 2024 2024 sp 2026 U.S. House of Representatives elections 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1889 2nd sp 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1899 6th sp 1900 1902 1904 1905 1st sp 1906 1908 1910 1911 3rd sp 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1st sp 6th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1st sp 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1951 3rd sp 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 1st sp 2024
State government State elections 2010 2014 2018 2020 Gubernatorial elections 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026 Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1970 Secretary of State elections 2022 Attorney General elections 2022 State Legislature elections 2018 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2000 Initiative 416
Lincoln Mayoral elections 2019 2023
Omaha Mayoral elections 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2017 2021
Government
v t e

In the 1990 Nebraska gubernatorial election, Democratic challenger Ben Nelson narrowly defeated first-term Republican incumbent Kay Orr for the governorship of the state of Nebraska.

Orr's popularity had suffered due to changes in the state's income-tax structure enacted in 1987, which were seen as a violation of her pledge not to increase taxes. The impending construction of a low-level radioactive-waste repository in north central Nebraska also occasioned discontent with her administration. In the Republican primary, she easily defeated "perennial candidate" Mort Sullivan,^[1] but her winning margin was significantly smaller than expected.

Seven Democrats, four of them regarded as serious contenders, vied for their party's gubernatorial nomination. School funding, abortion, and the question of whether to establish a state lottery were among the issues that figured in the campaign. The primary election was so close that it took 48 days to declare Nelson the winner, by a margin of 41 votes.

The contest between Orr and Nelson was generally seen as an unusually negative one. Orr accused Nelson of questionable business dealings; Nelson accused Orr of violating the public trust. Each accused the other of negative campaigning. Salient issues included the 1987 tax changes; the radioactive-waste site; and a bill shifting a large portion of school funding from local property taxes to the state general fund, which included increases in the sales and income taxes, and which had passed over Orr's veto.

When the election was held, Nelson defeated Orr by a margin of 4,030 votes, with 49.91% of the vote to her 49.23%. It was suggested that a winter storm on the day of the election might have contributed to Orr's defeat, by reducing turnout among elderly and rural voters.