# Omaha City Council

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 | Juanita Johnson | 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."
Table of Recent Members :
| Election Year | Position 1 | Position 2 | Position 3 | Position 4 | Position 5 | Position 6 | Position 7 |
| 1957 | W. P. Garvey | Albert L. Veys | A. V. Sorensen | Warren R. Swigart | James J. Dworak | Harry Trustin | Sam W. Reynolds |
| 1957 | W. P. Garvey | N.P. Dodge | A. V. Sorensen | Warren R. Swigart | James J. Dworak | Harry Trustin |
| 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 |
| 1973 | John Hlavacek | John Miller | Ray F. Slizewski | Monte Taylor | Steve Rosenblatt | Jerry Hassett | Betty Abbott |
| 1977 | Steve Rosenblatt | Jerry Hassett | Richard Takechi | Mary Kay Green | Tim Rouse | Leo Kraft | Warren R. Swigart |
| | District 1 | District 2 | District 3 | District 4 | District 5 | District 6 | District 7 |
| 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 |
| 1985 | Joe Friend | | Subby Anzaldo | | Richard Takechi | | 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 |
| 1993 | Lormong Lo | Brenda Council | Subby Anzaldo | Paul Koneck | Cliff Herd | Lee Terry | Frank Christensen |
| 1997 | Lormong Lo | Frank Brown | Subby Anzaldo | Paul Koneck | Cliff Herd | Lee Terry | Marc Kraft |
| 1997 | Lormong Lo | Frank Brown | Bob Sivick | Paul Koneck | Cliff Herd | James Monahan | Marc Kraft |
| 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 |
| 2009 | Pete Festersen | Ben Gray | Chris Jerram | Garry Gernandt | Jean Stothert | Franklin Thompson | 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 |
| 2017 | Pete Festersen | Ben Gray | Chris Jerram | Vinny Palermo | Colleen Brennan | Brinker Harding | Aimee Melton |
| 2021 | Pete Festersen | Juanita Johnson | Danny Begley | Vinny Palermo | Don Rowe | Brinker Harding | Aimee Melton |
| 2021 | Pete Festersen | Juanita Johnson | Danny Begley | Ron Hug | Don Rowe | Brinker Harding | Aimee Melton |
* ↑ March 10, 1958: Resigned from city council after moving out of city limits.
* ↑ February 8, 1958: Selected by City Council to fill vacancy.
* ↑ First woman elected to the Omaha City Council.
* ↑ November 16, 1976: Appointed by City Council to become interim mayor.
* ↑ December 14, 1976: Selected by City Council to fill vacancy.
* ↑ First Japanese American elected to the Omaha City Council.
* ↑ First African American elected to the Omaha City Council.
* ↑ First time two women elected to the Omaha City Council simultaneously.
* ↑ First time two women elected to the Omaha City Council simultaneously.
* ↑ January 23, 1987: Became acting mayor after recall of Mayor Mike Boyle.
* ↑ April 20, 1988: Appointed by City Council to become interim mayor.
* ↑ February 6, 1987: Appointed by City Council to become interim mayor.
* ↑ May 27, 1988: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 3 seat.
* ↑ March 24, 1987: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 7 seat.
* ↑ March 25, 1988: Became acting mayor because Bernie Simon was ill with cancer.
* ↑ June 1, 1994: Resigned from office.
* ↑ First African American woman elected to the Omaha City Council.
* ↑ December 10, 1996: Resigned from City Council after being elected to Douglas County register of deeds.
* ↑ May 17, 1994: First Hmong American to be appointed to a City Council in the United States.
* ↑ January 7, 1997: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 5 seat.
* ↑ February 19, 2000: Resigned from city council to work for Mayor Hal Daub.
* ↑ January 4, 1999: Resigned from city council after being elected to U.S. Congress.
* ↑ February 15, 2000: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 3 seat.
* ↑ December 22, 1998: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 6 seat.
* ↑ March 1, 2010: Resigned after stroke and heart attack.
* ↑ April 13, 2010: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 7 seat.
* ↑ January 5, 2021: Resigned from city council after being elected to Nebraska Legislature.
* ↑ December 22, 2020: Selected by City Council to fill vacant District 5 seat.
* ↑ August 1, 2023: Omaha City Council votes to kick jailed Vinny Palermo off the council, 6-0.
* ↑ September 12, 2023: Omaha City Council votes to appoint Ron Hug after kick jailed Vinny Palermo off the council, 6-0.