1997 Omaha mayoral election

none January 2025 September 2023 1997 Omaha mayoral election Flag of Omaha, Nebraska.svg Presidential no 1994 Omaha mayoral special election 1994 (special) 2001 Omaha mayoral election 2001 1997 5 13 Image:Hal daub (1).jpg 150x150px Hal Daub 79232E 55,481 50.34% 3x4.svg Brenda Council 002957 54,746 49.66% Mayor Hal Daub Republican Party (United States) Hal Daub Republican Party (United States) The 1997 Omaha mayoral election was held on May 13, 1997. Incumbent Mayor Hal Daub narrowly defeated City Councilwoman Brenda Council to win re-election. Primary election Candidates Hal Daub, incumbent Mayor Brenda Council, City Councilwoman Lou Lamberty, former Douglas County Commissioner Campaign Daub was first elected in a 1994 special election to succeed Mayor P. J. Morgan, who resigned in 1994, defeating City Councilwoman Brenda Council. Daub ran for a full term in 1997.Kelley Matt Cocktail Party Begins Daub Campaign Omaha World-Herald January 31, 1997 19 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166028607/ February 17, 2025 Lou Lamberty, a former Douglas County Commissioner, announced that he would run against Daub on January 13, 1997, criticizing Daub as a "micromanage[r]" and arguing that the city "need[s] a mayor who will work to unite the community—not divide it."Lee Jennifer Dukes Democrat Lou Lamberty Will Seek Mayor's Office Omaha World-Herald January 13, 1997 1, 2 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166029079/ February 17, 2025 Lamberty initially consolidated the support of the state and local Democratic Party,Kotok C. David Race by Ms. Council Could Split Democrats Omaha World-Herald January 24, 1997 1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166029476/ February 17, 2025 but Council announced that she would seek a rematch against Daub on February 3, 1997,Lee Jennifer Dukes Ms. Council's Aim if Mayor: Restore Faith Omaha World-Herald February 4, 1997 1, 7 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166030028/ February 17, 2025 prompting many Democrats to support her campaign instead.Kotok C. David Democrats Must Face Primary Fight for Mayor Omaha World-Herald February 4, 1997 1, 2 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166030177/ February 17, 2025 Crime emerged as an issue in the campaign, heightened by allegations by Lamberty that crime in Omaha was up and that Daub had "refused to release these statistics because it is an election year . . . and these statistics confirm that the crime plan the mayor outlined last week is misguided and two years too late." Daub and Omaha Police Department Chief Jim Skinner argued, in turn, that Lamberty had obtained inaccurate numbers as the result of a glitch in the department's system.Kotok C. David Lamberty Says Crime Up; Daub Disputes Accuracy Omaha World-Herald March 4, 1997 1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166030970/ February 17, 2025 Council responded that, during the 1994 election, Daub criticized the department's inaccurate numbers, and that he needed to accept responsibility for the alleged inaccuracy.Kelley Matt Ms. Council Joins Fray Over Crime Statistics Omaha World-Herald March 8, 1997 33 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166031354/ February 17, 2025 Ultimately, though Daub took first place in the nonpartisan primary, Council defeated Lamberty for second place, advancing to the general election against Daub. In conceding defeat, Lamberty endorsed Council, noting, "Brenda and I shared a common goal, and that was to get a new mayor in this city."Lee Jennifer Dukes Third-Place Lamberty Throws His Support to Brenda Council Omaha World-Herald April 2, 1997 8 https://www.newspapers.com/image/892498543/?match=1&clipping_id=166030392 February 17, 2025 Results 1997 Omaha mayoral primary resultsDouglas County, Nebraska, City Primary, April 1, 1997 Douglas County Election Commission 1997 https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/1997/Primary/SP97ResultsDetail1997-04-01.pdf February 17, 2025 Hal Daub (inc.) Nonpartisan candidate 29,388 40.13% Brenda Council Nonpartisan candidate 20,108 27.45% Lou Lamberty Nonpartisan candidate 14,879 20.32% 73,375 100.00% General election Campaign The general election campaign between Daub and Council quickly turned negative, with the two campaigns attacking each other over law enforcement and crime. Several weeks after the primary, a letter that Council had sent to the Nebraska Board of Pardons in 1993 asking for clemency for David Rice was sent to media outlets. In the letter, Council argued that Rice, a former member of the Black Panther Party, should be considered for parole. Daub's campaign denied sending the letter to the press. The letter was condemned by Senator Bob Kerrey, former Senator Jim Exon, Governor Ben Nelson, and former Governor Frank B. Morrison, with Morrison arguing that Daub was "conducting his campaign" in a "dangerous" way by "politicizing law enforcement."Letter about inmate again haunts Council Lincoln Journal Star April 29, 1997 4B https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/166034244/ February 17, 2025 The controversy over crime statistics continued, with an aide to Daub ultimately resigning after facing allegations from deputy police chiefs that he had published inaccurate crime statistics and ordered the department to withhold financial information from the City Council.Mayoral aide resigns after failing polygraph test Grand Island Independent May 6, 1997 8A https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-island-independent/166034789/ February 17, 2025 The Omaha World-Herald ultimately endorsed Daub for re-election, noting that, setting "aside the soap opera quality of the past few days," it "recommend[ed] his re-election, based on the soundness of his goals, his effectiveness in pursuing them and his vision."The Better Choice: Hal Daub Omaha World-Herald May 9, 1997 22 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166034943/ February 17, 2025 Daub narrowly won re-election over Council, winning by just 735 votes, and including undervotes, fell just shy of an absolute majority of votes cast.Kotok C. David No Recount Needed: Daub Win Is Official Omaha World-Herald May 28, 1997 13 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/166035439/ February 17, 2025 Results 1997 Omaha mayoral election general election resultsCity of Omaha, Nebraska, General Election, May 13, 1997 Douglas County Election Commission 1997 https://www.votedouglascounty-ne.gov/elections/1997/General/SG97ResultsDetail1997-05-13.pdf February 17, 2025 Hal Daub (inc.) Nonpartisan candidate 55,481 50.34% Brenda Council Nonpartisan candidate 54,746 49.66% 110,227 100.00% References Category:1997 United States mayoral elections Category:1997 Nebraska elections 1997