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| Nebraska State Senate District 17 | ||
| Current incumbent | Joni Albrecht | |
| Population | 37,541 | |
| Race | 61.87% White, 2.15% Black, 21.34% Hispanic, 12.15% Native American, 1.82% Asian | |
| Voting age | 71.6% age 18 and over | |
Nebraska's seventeenth state senate district is represented by Joni Albrecht.
As of the 2010 census, a total of 37,541 civilians reside within Nebraska's seventeenth state senate district. Nebraska state senators represent an average of 37,272 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 34,924.
Members of the Nebraska State Senate serve four-year terms with term limits. It is unique in that it is the only American state legislature that is unicameral. Half of the seats up for election every second year. Nebraska legislators assume office the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January.
Members are selected in nonpartisan elections. Rather than separate primaries held to choose Republican, Democratic, and other partisan contenders for a seat, Nebraska uses a single nonpartisan primary election, in which the top two vote-getters are entitled to run in the general election. There are no formal party alignments or groups within the Legislature. Coalitions tend to form issue by issue based on a member's philosophy of government, geographic background, and constituency. However, almost all the members of the legislature are affiliated with the state affiliate of either the Democratic or the Republican Party and both parties explicitly endorse candidates for legislative seats.
To be eligible to serve in the Nebraska Senate, a candidate must be:
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $12,000/year | $144/day for members residing 50 miles or more from the capitol; $51/day for members inside the 50-mile radius. |
The Nebraska State Senate is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Nebraska Term Limits Act in 2000. That initiative said that Nebraska senators are subject to term limits of no more than two four-year terms.
The first year that the term limits enacted in 2000 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 2008.
If there is a vacancy in the legislature, it is up to the Governor to select a replacement. If a vacancy happens in the last 60 days before a general election, the replacement appointed by the Governor serves the remainder of the term until a new representative is elected. If the vacancy happens more than 60 days before the general election, the replacement serves the remainder of the unfilled term until the next general election.
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for May 12, 2020. The filing deadline is March 2, 2020.
Elections for the Nebraska State Senate were held in 2016. The primary election took place on May 10, 2016. The general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was February 16, 2016, for incumbents. Challengers were required to file by March 1, 2016. Incumbent Dave Bloomfield did not seek re-election because of term-limits.
Joni Albrecht defeated Ardel Bengtson in the Nebraska State Senate District 17 general election.Nebraska State Senate, District 17 General Election, 2016
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Joni Albrecht |
60.53% | 6,825 |
| Ardel Bengtson | 39.47% | 4,451 |
| Total Votes | 11,276 | |
| Source: Nebraska Secretary of State | ||
Nebraska State Senate, District 17 Primary, 2016
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Joni Albrecht |
62.59% | 2,977 |
| Ardel Bengtson |
31.46% | 1,496 |
| Louis Benscoter | 5.95% | 283 |
| Total Votes | 4,756 | |
Elections for the office of Nebraska State Senate consisted of a primary election on May 15, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 1, 2012. Incumbent Dave Bloomfield defeated Van Phillips in the general election. Bloomfield and Phillips defeated Darrick Barclay and Ron Hartnett in the May 15 Nonpartisan primary to advance to the general election. A total of $135,708 was raised by 2012 candidates in the district, with Phillips outspending Bloomfield by a margin of $66,142 to $62,612. Hartnett raised $6,954 and Barclay raised $0, before both were defeated in the primary election.
Nebraska State Senate, District 17, General Election, 2012
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Dave Bloomfield Incumbent |
61% | 6,577 | |
| Nonpartisan | Van Phillips | 39% | 4,203 | |
| Total Votes | 10,780 | |||
Nebraska State Senate District 17 Nonpartisan Primary, 2012
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Dave Bloomfield Incumbent |
52.9% | 1,851 |
| Van Phillips |
28.8% | 1,009 |
| Ron Hartnett | 14.2% | 496 |
| Darrick J. Barclay | 4.1% | 144 |
| Total Votes | 3,500 | |
From 2004 to 2016, candidates for Nebraska State Senate District 17 raised a total of $448,570. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $32,041 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.
Campaign contributions, Nebraska State Senate District 17
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $135,215 | 3 | $45,072 |
| 2012 | $135,708 | 4 | $33,927 |
| 2008 | $111,483 | 3 | $37,161 |
| 2004 | $46,242 | 3 | $15,414 |
| 2000 | $19,922 | 1 | $19,922 |
| Total | $448,570 | 14 | $32,041 |
