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Omaha City Council

City council; legislative body of the City of Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

Summary

City council; legislative body of the City of Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

Field	Value
background_color
name	Omaha City Council
coa_pic	[[File:Seal of Omaha, Nebraska.png	200px]]
coa_alt	Seal of Omaha
logo_pic	[[File:Flag of Omaha, Nebraska.svg	200px]]
logo_alt	Councilmanic Flag
house_type	Unicameral deliberative assembly of Omaha
leader1_type	Mayor
leader1	John Ewing
party1	(D)
election1	June 9, 2025
leader2_type	President
leader2	Pete Festersen
party2	(D)
election2	June 2021
leader3_type	Vice President
leader3	Aimee Melton
party3	(R)
election3	May 2023
members	7 officially non-partisan
term_length	4 years
structure1	Omaha City Council in 2023 September.svg
structure1_res	250px
* {{nowrap	{{Color box	#0000FF	border	darkgray}} Democratic }}
* {{nowrap	{{Color box	#ff0000	border	darkgray}} Republican }}
voting_system1	First-past-the-post; Non-partisan Voting (primaries and special elections beginning 1957)
last_election1	May 13, 2025
next_election1	May 2029
session_room	File:City Offices Omaha NE.jpg
session_res	275px
meeting_place	Omaha City Hall, Douglas
website	city.council.city.of.omaha.org

The City Council of Omaha, Nebraska, is elected every four years on a nonpartisan basis. The next election will occur in 2025. Omaha has a strong mayor form of government. Members are elected by district. Currently seven city council districts are represented across the City of Omaha.

Membership

City council members represented seven districts throughout the city of Omaha.

The city council is officially nonpartisan; party affiliations are for informational purposes only. However, registered Democrats hold a majority.

District	Councilman	Party
1	Pete Festersen	D
2	LaVonya Goodwin	D
3	Danny Begley	D
4	Ron Hug	D
5	Don Rowe	R
6	Brinker Harding	R
7	Aimee Melton	R

Additional seats

In 2006 the Nebraska State Legislature began deliberations on adding additional seats to the Omaha City Council. Due to the annexation of Elkhorn by Omaha, the city council has proposed new boundaries for the districts that would split Elkhorn between two districts. Legislative Bill 405, introduced by Elkhorn State Senator Dwite Pedersen, would increase the size of the Omaha City Council to 9 members and realign districts. However, this bill was tabled in March 2007 until the next legislative session.

First Omaha City Council

The first Omaha City Council was convened in 1857. It was composed of A. D. Jones, who resigned March 23, 1857; T. G. Goodwill, who died May 18, 1857; G. C. Bove, H. H. Visscher, Thomas Davis, William N. Byers, William W. Wyman, Thomas O'Connor, C. H. Downs, J. H. Kellom, for whom Kellom School was later named; and John Creighton, whom Creighton University was later named for.

The city council has long taken stances on issues. In 1859 a local newspaper reported that a, "...bill introduced in the Omaha City Council, for the abolition of slavery in this Territory, was called up yesterday, and its further consideration postponed for two weeks. A strong effort will be made among the Republicans to secure its passage; we think, however, it will fail. The farce certainly cannot be enacted if the Democrats do their duty."

Election Year	Position 1	Position 2	Position 3	Position 4	Position 5	Position 6	Position 7	District 1	District 2	District 3	District 4	District 5	District 7
1957	W. P. Garvey		Albert L. Veys	A. V. Sorensen	Warren R. Swigart	James J. Dworak	Harry Trustin	Sam W. Reynolds
N.P. Dodge
1961		Albert L. Veys		Warren R. Swigart	Harry Trustin		H. F. Jacobberger	Ernest A. Adams	William R. Milner	Arthur D. Bradley Jr.
1965		Robert G. Cunningham		Betty Abbott		H. F. Jacobberger		Albert L. Veys	Arthur D. Bradley Jr.	Sam Vacanti	Lynn R. Carey
1969		H. F. Jacobberger		Warren R. Swigart		Albert L. Veys	Arthur D. Bradley Jr.	L. K. Smith		Betty Abbott	John Ritums
1973	John Hlavacek	John Miller		Robert G. Cunningham	Monte Taylor	Steve Rosenblatt	Jerry Hassett	Betty Abbott
Ray F. Slizewski
1977		Steve Rosenblatt	Jerry Hassett		Richard Takechi	Mary Kay Green	Tim Rouse	Leo Kraft		Warren R. Swigart
1981		David Stahmer		Fred Conley		Walt Calinger		Steve Tomasek		Connie Findlay		Sylvia Wagner	Bernie Simon
1983			Fred Conley			Steve Tomasek			Sylvia Wagner
1985	Joe Friend			Walt Calinger		Richard Takechi			Bernie Simon
	Subby Anzaldo		Allen Dinzole
1987			Fred Conley			Steve Tomasek			Jim Cleary
1989		Joe Friend			Subby Anzaldo			Richard Takechi			Steve Exon
1991			Fred Conley			Steve Tomasek			Lee Terry
1993		Joe Friend	Brenda Council	Subby Anzaldo	Paul Koneck		Richard Takechi	Lee Terry	Frank Christensen
	Lormong Lo		Cliff Herd
1997	Lormong Lo	Frank Brown		Subby Anzaldo	Paul Koneck	Cliff Herd		Lee Terry	Marc Kraft
	Bob Sivick		James Monahan
2001		Marc Kraft		Frank Brown		Jim Vokal		Garry Gernandt		Dan Welch		Franklin Thompson	Chuck Sigerson
2005		Jim Suttle		Frank Brown		Jim Vokal		Garry Gernandt		Dan Welch		Franklin Thompson	Chuck Sigerson
2009	Pete Festersen	Ben Gray	Chris Jerram	Garry Gernandt	Jean Stothert	Franklin Thompson		Chuck Sigerson
	Thomas Mulligan
2013		Pete Festersen		Ben Gray		Chris Jerram		Garry Gernandt		Rich Pahls		Franklin Thompson	Aimee Melton
2017	Pete Festersen	Ben Gray	Chris Jerram	Vinny Palermo		Rich Pahls	Brinker Harding	Aimee Melton
	Colleen Brennan
2021	Pete Festersen	Juanita Johnson	Danny Begley		Vinny Palermo	Don Rowe	Brinker Harding	Aimee Melton
	Ron Hug
2025	Pete Festersen	LaVonya Goodwin	Danny Begley	Ron Hug	Don Rowe	Brinker Harding	Aimee Melton

Notes

References

Sloan, K. (2007) [http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=233819 "Omaha council redraws borders,"] ''Omaha World-Herald.'' 2007-02-26. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
City of Omaha. [http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/city_council/default.htm "City Council."] {{Webarchive. link. (September 24, 2008 Retrieved 9/17/07.)
Stoddard, M. (2007) [http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=2334945 "Bill to add two Omaha council districts advances"], ''Omaha World-Herald.'' 2007-02-21. Retrieved 9/17/07.
[http://www.theindependent.com/stories/051007/new_briefs10.shtml "Briefs,"] ''Grand Island Independent.'' Retrieved 9/17/07.
(n.d.) ''[http://www.rootsweb.com/~neresour/andreas/douglas/douglas-p8.html#incorporation Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska Douglas County]'' Produced by Liz Lee for NEGenWeb.
A ''Daily Nebraskian'' newspaper editorial from 1859, as quoted in Bristow, D. (2002) ''A Dirty, Wicked Town: Tale of 19th Century Omaha.'' Caxton Press.
(May 15, 1957). "Rosenblatt Wins; Garvey, Veys Top Council; 7th Place Undecided". Omaha World-Herald.
Thompson, David. (April 6, 1977). "Mrs. Abbott Forecasting Tough Fight". [[Omaha World-Herald]].
Kotok, C. David. (April 3, 1985). "Low Turnout Called Aid To Krejci Against Boyle". [[Omaha World-Herald]].
(November 12, 1965). "Mayor Hails City's Progress in Human Relations". [[Omaha Star]].
"Swigart, Warren R.".
(February 10, 1958). "Council Shift Next Month". Omaha World-Herald.
(May 10, 1961). "5 of Council Would Serve as President". Omaha World-Herald.
Kotok, C. David. (March 7, 1987). "Former Mayor Suffers Heart Attack After Performance Senator Zorinsky Dead at 58". [[Omaha World-Herald]].
Howe, Woodson. (May 12, 1965). "Cunningham Leads List; 4 Are New". Omaha World-Herald.
Kelly, Jean. (May 12, 1965). "Betty Abbott's Future 'Has' to Include a Wig". Omaha World-Herald.
(March 31, 2023). "Councilman Betty Abbott: How the Times Have Changed".
(May 14, 1969). "Four Re-elected to Council". Omaha World-Herald.
Thompson, David. (May 16, 1973). "Voter Dissatisfaction Cited In Defeat of Five Incumbents". Omaha World-Herald.
Kelly, Michael. (November 16, 1976). "Mayor Cunningham: 'I Will Listen to You'". Omaha World-Herald.
(October 30, 1986). "Offical{{sic". [[Omaha Star]].
(December 15, 1976). "New Council Pick Says He Plans To Study Issues". Omaha World-Herald.
Taylor, John. (May 11, 1977). "Council's Names Familiar". Omaha World-Herald.
Robert, John. (May 26, 1977). "More Evidence, Please, Judge". Omaha World-Herald.
Kotok, C. David. (May 13, 1981). "New Council Makes History In Wake of District Elections". Omaha World-Herald.
Levenson, Bob. (May 11, 1983). "Views Mixed on Results From Staggered Election". Omaha World-Herald.
Kotok, C. David. (May 15, 1985). "Boyle Wins Re - Election; Council Gets 2 New Faces". Omaha World-Herald.
Gonzalez, Cindy. (May 27, 1988). "Anzaldo Moves Into the Spotlight On City Council". Omaha World-Herald.
Collison, Kevin. (March 25, 1987). "He'll Ask Simon's Help Councilman Dinzole Seeks District Title". Omaha World-Herald.
Goodsell, Paul. (May 13, 1987). "Jim Cleary Joins Conley, Tomasek On Council; Turn out Is Record Low". Omaha World-Herald.
Kotok, C. David. (May 15, 1991). "Terry to Be Only New Face Council Little Changed After Vote". Omaha World-Herald.
(May 12, 1993). "Twin Win: Morgan, Sales Tax Political Newcomers Defeat Exon, Tomasek in Council Races Ms. Council Gets 78 Percent of Vote To Win City Seat". Omaha World-Herald.
Brennan, Joe. (April 5, 1994). "Friend Resigning, Says He Dreads City Council Job". Omaha World-Herald.
Ruggles, Rick. (February 17, 2000). "Photo Tribute Honors 6 Omahans". Omaha World-Herald.
Janovy, Jena. (December 4, 1996). "Takechi's Last Night Marked With Praise and Appreciation". Omaha World-Herald.
Brennan, Joe. (May 17, 1994). "Lormong Lo Wins Seat on City Council". Omaha World-Herald.
Szalewski, Susan. (July 26, 2011). "Ex-councilman Lormong Lo loved adopted city". Omaha World-Herald.
Kelley, Matt. (January 7, 1997). "Cliff Herd Is Elected To Council Millard Man Also On School Board". Omaha World-Herald.
. (May 13, 1997). ["City of Omaha General (05/13/1997) Election Results"](https://www.votedouglascounty.com/elections/1997/General/SG97ResultsDetail1997-05-13.pdf).
Ruggles, Rick. (January 7, 2000). "Election Will Be Feb. 15 To Fill Anzaldo's Post". Omaha World-Herald.
Ruggles, Rick. (November 11, 1998). "Terry Issues Apology For Implying Council Has Picked Successor". Omaha World-Herald.
Ruggles, Rick. (February 16, 2000). "Sivick Gets Council Slot On 5 - 1 Vote". Omaha World-Herald.
(December 22, 1998). "Monahan Fills Seat On Omaha Council". Omaha World-Herald.
. (May 15, 2001). ["City of Omaha General (05/15/2001) Election Results"](https://www.votedouglascounty.com/elections/2001/General/SG01ResultsDetail2001-05-15.pdf).
. (May 10, 2005). ["City of Omaha General (05/10/2005) Election Results Summary"](https://www.votedouglascounty.com/elections/2005/General/SG05ResultsSummary2005-05-10.htm).
. (May 12, 2009). ["City of Omaha General (05/12/2009) Election Results Summary"](https://www.votedouglascounty.com/elections/2009/General/SG09ResultsSummary2009-05-12.htm).
Tysver, Robynn. (February 11, 2010). "Sigerson resigns from City Council He says his speech hasn't improved enough since a stroke and heart attack". Omaha World-Herald.
O'Brien, Maggie. (April 13, 2010). "'Open-minded' Mulligan gets Sigerson's seat". Omaha World-Herald.
. (May 14, 2013). ["City of Omaha General (05/14/2013) Election Results Summary"](https://www.votedouglascounty.com/elections/2013/General/G13ResultsSummary2013-05-14.htm).
. (May 9, 2017). ["City of Omaha General (05/09/2017) Election Results Summary"](https://www.votedouglascounty.com/elections/2017/General/LG17ResultsSummary2017-05-09.htm).
Ristau, Reece. (November 13, 2020). "With Pahls bound for Legislature, council needs new member". Omaha World-Herald.
Ristau, Reece. (December 23, 2020). "New council member blogged on race, virus". Omaha World-Herald.
(May 11, 2021). "City of Omaha General (05/11/2021) Election Results Summary".
Burbach, Christopher. (August 1, 2023). "Omaha City Council votes to kick jailed Vinny Palermo off the council". Omaha World-Herald.
Burbach, Christopher. (September 12, 2023). "Omaha City Council appoints replacement for Vinny Palermo". Omaha World-Herald.
. (May 13, 2025). ["City of Omaha General (05/13/2025) Election Results Summary"](https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/2025/General/LG25ResultsSummary.pdf).

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