Lincoln, Nebraska, is holding a citywide primary on April 9, 2019, and its general election on May 7. Offices on the ballot include the mayor, four of seven city council seats, three of seven school board seats, and one of five elected airport authority seats. The filing deadline for school board candidates was March 1, while city candidates had until March 7 to file. Although candidates had the option to file with political party affiliations listed, the elections and positions are all officially nonpartisan.

 

Mayor Chris Beutler is term-limited and cannot seek re-election. Although his position was officially nonpartisan, Beutler was affiliated with the Democratic Party in the 2015 election. Five candidates filed for the seat in the 2019 election, including two current city council members—at-large council member Leirion Gaylor Baird and District 1 council member Cyndi Lamm. Two candidates filed as Democrats, one as a Republican, and two as nonpartisan. Their party affiliations will not appear on the ballot.

 

The District 3 city council member, Jane Raybould, was the only incumbent to file for re-election. District 1 incumbent Lamm is running for mayor, and the current District 2 and 4 members both announced in late 2018 that they would not seek another term. A total of 11 candidates filed for election, an average of 2.75 candidates per seat. The four seats up for election are by-district seats, meaning the council member represents a specific geographic district within the city. The city council also has three at-large seats, which will be up for election in 2021.

 

Two of the three school board incumbents up for election filed for another term. District 4 incumbent Annie Mumgaard and her challenger, Paul Claus, are competing in the only contested election. District 2 incumbent Connie Duncan is unopposed and Bob Rauner was the only candidate to file for the open District 6 seat.

 

One seat on the airport authority board of directors is up for election. Incumbent Nick Cusick faces challenger Aurang Zeb. The airport authority is charged with making policy and budget decisions for Lincoln Airport and Lincoln Enterprise Park.

 

Lincoln is the second-largest city in Nebraska and the 71st-largest city in the U.S. by population.