Nebraska Shifts from 2016 to 2020

The state elected the same congressmen and the senators have not changed, both are Republicans. But, county by county, many changes took place. some 90 000 more Democrats showed up to vote than in 2016. Still, the 39% of votes was not enough to beat Trump at 58% and the electors seem to vote their party no matter what. Yet, there are independents, as seen by the shifts. And really, it was city folks in Omaha that made the change this time. The one elector for Biden.

The scale reads from -8% on the left to +12 on the right. The two dark blue counties on the right were the ones that voted the one elector for Biden. The law splitting electors (3 regions) has not been around but since the late 1900s and has been in danger of disappearing on and off. The state legislature has been a Republican majority basically forever. It is totally fair to split votes in this manner, and the statewide winner still gets the other two electors, of the five total.

The counties surrounding Lancaster (the long blue box in the East) may eventually be able to vote another Democratic elector. The congressman there is still not in danger of losing, but 2022 may be different. The district includes much of the Eastern third of the state.

The far left bluish county is around Scot's Bluff, and only shifted towards blue, Trump got 11000 and Biden 4000. That's still a lot of Democrat leaning people in ranch county. They do not care much for the federal government out there.

The two really red counties that increased Trump votes are Sherman and Wheeler. They have populations of 3000 and 800. The shift is not significant, as Nebraska has 1.9 million people. The urban areas of Omaha and Lincoln have the minority population. Lancaster is still 90% white. Liberals live there because of the university and jobs related to it and the government etc. 

Demographics statewide are more difficult to count, as Hispanics are not properly counted. There is a significant number of Hispanic farm workers as well workers in meat processing and other food plants.