Nebraska’s unique ability to split Electoral College votes provided Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris her only swing state victory.
In the 2024 presidential election, Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District— which includes Douglas County and suburban areas of western Sarpy County – stood out as a rare Democratic victory in a sea of Republican wins.
While Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz lost most battleground states to Republican nominees Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, Omaha maintained its status as a “blue dot” in a majority red state.
Maine and Nebraska are the only states with the capability to split Electoral College votes. Nebraska has a total of five electoral votes: two are awarded to the candidate with the most votes statewide, and the other three are awarded to the winner in each of the state’s three congressional districts. A similar process occurs in Maine.
Historically, Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District has been a swing district, capable of flipping between parties. In 2016, Trump was able to secure a landslide victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. In 2020, the district went blue for President Joe Biden.
As the final votes were counted and submitted, Omaha’s Democratic lean in a presidential election dominated by Republican victories in other deciding territories surprised political analysts.
In recent years, Omaha has experienced significant demographic changes. The city’s population has become younger, more diverse and increasingly urban. These social groups, including immigrants, college-educated professionals and young voters, have tendencies to lean Democratic, a reoccurring pattern across the United States.
The Harris campaign, alongside Democratic interest groups, invested millions into Democratic campaign events throughout the district. Their efforts focused on addressing local issues like healthcare, affordable housing and education.
In September, CNN reported, “for all of the pathways for Harris and Trump to reach the White House, the race for 270 electoral votes could come down to Nebraska’s sprawling 2nd District.” This national announcement sparked Democratic volunteers to knock on doors, organize phone banks and hold events to engage undecided voters.
On Oct. 19, Walz, the Minnesota governor, made a second presidential campaign stop in Nebraska. The Harris-Walz campaign hosted a rally that filled a Sarpy County concert venue with Democratic supporters hoping to win a single Electoral College vote.
Then in November, data from the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office showed a total of 159,831 Republicans and 145,590 Democrats registered to vote in the district, with an additional 104,503 nonpartisan voters. The nation’s eye continued to rest on Omaha as a deciding factor.
As of 11:30 p.m. Central time on election night, Vice President Kamala Harris had beat Trump in the district, leaving the Nebraska Electoral College results at Trump with four votes, Harris with one.
Despite Democrats’ success in the district, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin all favored the Republican ticket in 2024. Nationwide, economic uncertainty and dissatisfaction with Democratic policies drove many voters to the polls in favor of the Trump-Vance campaign.
Swing states like Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin—all pivotal in recent elections—saw higher rural turnout and a shift among suburban voters toward Republican candidates. While there was a small swing to Harris in Georgia’s urban areas, especially in counties surrounding Atlanta, these were insignificant compared with Trump’s increased support elsewhere.
Particularly in Nebraska, voter turnout was assisted by a raft of ballot measures including abortion measures and tight congressional races.
