Press Release: Nebraska Democratic Party holds State Convention to elect officers, delegates to the National Convention and electors

Delegates at the Nebraska Democratic Party State Convention on Sunday elected State Party Officers and State Central Committee Members. 

The Convention body also elected Delegates, Standing Committee Members and Pages to the Democratic National Convention.

Five Democratic Electors were elected with our party making history electing the first Native American, Ponca Chairman Larry Wright, and African American, Precious McKesson, to cast votes when our congressional candidates Kate Bolz (CD1) and Kara Eastman (CD2) also make history by winning these seats and electoral votes for Vice President Biden.

The NDP’s State Convention was an online event, the first time in the state party’s history, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We continue to build our party with rural, urban and suburban voters, recognizing the history we can make together by electing the first women — Kate Bolz and Kara Eastman — to serve Nebraskans in CD1 and CD2 along with securing the “blue dot” for Vice President Biden,” said Chair Jane Kleeb. 

“Building on the 73 percent win rate for Nebraska Democratic candidates in 2018, we are confident with our innovative Block Captain program and grassroots outreach we will continue to elect strong members to the state Legislature, county commissions and other local offices critical to the issues Democrats care about — from climate change, to health care and addressing structural racism.”

State Party Officers:

Jane Kleeb, Chair, Hastings

Kleeb was re-elected to a third term leading the Nebraska Democratic Party marking the longest-serving woman Chair in State Party history. The State Chair also serves as a Member of the Democratic National Committee.

Paul Theobald, First Associate Chair, Osmond

The First Associate Chair also serves as a member of the Democratic National Committee.

Pastor Janet Banks, Second Associate Chair, Lincoln

Pastor Banks will make history as the first African American woman to hold this position.

Ronald Kaminski, DNC National Committeeman, Omaha

Kaminski was re-elected to a third term. 

Charlene Ligon, DNC National Committeewoman, Bellevue

Ligon replaces Patty Zieg, who did not seek re-election.

The new terms for the Chair, First and Second Associate Chair positions begin in January 2021. The terms for National Committeeman and National Committeewoman begin after the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

National Delegates, Committee Members and Pages:

The NDP sends 33 Delegates to the National Convention along with three Standing Committee Members and two Pages. 

The National Convention is scheduled to take place in Milwaukee, WI on August 17-20, 2020.

The Automatic Delegates to the National Convention are the current State Party officers including Chair Jane Kleeb, First Associate Chair Richard Register, National Committeewoman Patty Zieg and National Committeeman Ron Kaminski.

Chair Jane Kleeb will also serve as the Delegation Chair.

The Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) Delegates are state Sens. Sara Howard, Steve Lathrop, and Patty Pansing-Brooks.

Elected to the national convention as At-Large Delegates are Bud Pettigrew, NSEA President Jennifer Benson, Matthew Cavanaugh, Tiffany Hobbs-Banks, Jo-el Chiles and Sharlette Schwenninger.

Delegates elected at the Congressional District level to the national convention are: 

CD1 — Lancaster County Commissioner Sean Flowerday, Gina Frank, William Forsee, Charlene Ligon, Joe Nigro, Lancaster County Commissioner Christa Yoakum and Joe Shaw.

CD2 — Spencer Danner, Preston Love Jr.,Trevor Fitzgerald, Benjamin Cass, Dee Austin, Dulce Sherman, Kimara Snipe, Gladys Harrison and Lacey Merica.

CD3 — James R. “Doc” Moore, Paul Theobald, Cynthia LaMere and Judith A. Vohland.

Elected as alternate Delegates to the national convention were Janet Chung (CD1) and Clarence “C.J.” King (CD2).

Elected as Standing Committee Members to the National Convention are:

Rules Committee: Senator Adam Morfeld

Platform Committee: Shirl Mora James

Credential Committee: Nebraska AFL-CIO President Sue Martin

Appointed as Pages to the National Convention: Ron Rivera and Fatima Flores-Lagunas.

Electors:

Chosen as members of the Electoral College, known as “electors”, are:

At-Large: Roger Wess

At-Large: Peg Lippert

CD1: Ponca Tribal Chairman Larry Wright

CD2: Precious McKesson

CD3: Kathy Moore Jensen

Electors cast ballots to elect the president of the United States and vice president of the United States in the 2020 presidential election. There are 538 electors from the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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