# Suzanne Geist

Suzanne Geist (née Henderson; born November 21, 1961) is an American politician who served as a member of the state legislature in the U.S. state of Nebraska from 2017 until her resignation in 2023. She graduated from Pine Bluff High School in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1980. Afterwards, she attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism and broadcasting in 1984.
In 2016, Geist was elected to represent the 25th Nebraska legislative district, which encompasses the northeast quarter of Lancaster County including the city of Waverly and the eastern portions of the city of Lincoln.
Geist was a candidate in the 2023 Lincoln, Nebraska mayoral election. One day after the primary election, she announced that she would resign as a state senator the subsequent day in order to focus her attention on the mayor's race. She proceeded to lose the general election on May 2, 2023.

## Anti-abortion advocacy

Geist co-sponsored a ban of abortion without exception for rape or incest in 2022 in the Nebraska Legislature. In 2022, she was the sponsor of a bill that would restrict medical abortion, including prohibiting delivery by mail and establishing misdemeanor criminal offenses for doctors violating the provisions. Neither of these bills passed within the legislature.
Nebraska's current law banning a subset of abortion procedures referred to in the law as "dismemberment abortion" was sponsored and prioritized by Geist in the 2020 legislative session.
Geist attended "Statesmen Academy" training from the Family Policy Foundation, an anti-abortion group which trains politicians to participate in American culture war.

## Electoral history
### 2016

Nebraska's 25th Legislative District Election, 2016 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Suzanne Geist | 4,004 | 36.05% |
| | Democratic | Jim Gordon | 3,592 | 32.34% |
| | Republican | Les Spry | 1,696 | 15.27% |
| | Republican | Dale Michels | 1,441 | 12.97% |
| | Independent | David Tagart | 351 | 3.16% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,106 | 100.00% |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Suzanne Geist | 12,899 | 55.61% |
| | Democratic | Jim Gordon | 10,258 | 44.23% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 23,194 | 100.00% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

Nebraska's 25th Legislative District Election, 2020 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Suzanne Geist (incumbent) | 10,407 | 71.34% |
| | Democratic | Stephany Pleasant | 4,151 | 28.45% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 14,588 | 100.00% |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Suzanne Geist (incumbent) | 16,443 | 66.53% |
| | Democratic | Stephany Pleasant | 8,207 | 33.21% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 24,716 | 100.00% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2023

Lincoln, Nebraska, Mayoral Election, 2023 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Leirion Gaylor Baird (incumbent) | 29,216 | 49.80% |
| | Republican | Suzanne Geist | 19,377 | 33.03% |
| | Republican | Stan Parker | 10,071 | 17.17% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,664 | 33.38% |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Leirion Gaylor Baird (incumbent) | 44,496 | 54.65% |
| | Republican | Suzanne Geist | 36,727 | 45.11% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 81,415 | 46.11% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |