Editing Omaha, Nebraska (section)

==Government==
{{Main|Government of Omaha}}
[[File:Omaha NE city building.jpg|thumb|City Building in Downtown Omaha]]

Omaha has a [[Mayor-council government|strong mayor]] form of [[government]], along with a city council elected from seven districts across the city. The [[Mayor of Omaha|mayor]] is [[Jean Stothert]], who was elected in May 2013, re-elected May 10, 2017, and re-elected again May 11, 2021. The longest-serving mayor in Omaha's history was [[James Dahlman|"Cowboy" Jim Dahlman]], who served 20 years over eight terms. He was regarded as the "wettest mayor in America" because of the flourishing number of bars in Omaha during his tenure.<ref>Folsom, B.W. (1999) ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=TfUOh3TEtX0C No More Free Markets Or Free Beer: The Progressive Era in Nebraska, 1900–1924] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115123939/https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=TfUOh3TEtX0C&dq |date=January 15, 2016 }}''. Lexington Books. p. 61. Retrieved 9/27/08.</ref> Dahlman was a close associate of [[political boss]] Tom Dennison.<ref>Luebke, F.C. (2005) ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=fpYH47KCwOoC Nebraska: An Illustrated History] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115161429/https://books.google.com/books?id=fpYH47KCwOoC&dq |date=January 15, 2016 }}''. University of Nebraska Press, 2005 p. 246.</ref> During Dahlman's tenure, the city switched from its original strong-mayor form of government to a [[city commission government]].<ref>[http://casde.unl.edu/history/counties/douglas/omaha/ "Nebraska: Our towns: Omaha, Douglas County"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720095220/http://casde.unl.edu/history/counties/douglas/omaha/ |date=July 20, 2011 }}, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Retrieved 9/23/08.</ref> In 1956, the city switched back.<ref>Daly-Bednarek, J.R. (1992) ''The Changing Image of the City: Planning for Downtown Omaha, 1945–1973.'' University of Nebraska Press. p. 156.</ref>

The [[city clerk]] is Elizabeth Butler.<ref>{{cite press release |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Elizabeth Butler to Succeed Buster Brown as Omaha City Clerk |url=https://www.cityofomaha.org/latest-news/391-elizabeth-butler-to-succeed-buster-brown-as-omaha-city-clerk |location= |publisher=City of Omaha |agency= |date=March 17, 2017 |access-date=January 7, 2022 |archive-date=January 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107202507/https://www.cityofomaha.org/latest-news/391-elizabeth-butler-to-succeed-buster-brown-as-omaha-city-clerk |url-status=live }}</ref> The City of Omaha administers twelve departments, including finance, [[Omaha Police Department|police]], human rights, [[Omaha Public Library|libraries]] and planning.<ref>[http://www.cityofomaha.org/city-departments "Departments"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902024607/http://www.cityofomaha.org/city-departments |date=September 2, 2012 }}, City of Omaha. Retrieved August 10, 2012.</ref> The Omaha City Council is the legislative branch and has seven members elected from districts across the city. The council enacts [[local ordinance]]s and approves the city [[budget]]. Government priorities and activities are established in a budget ordinance approved annually. The council takes official action through the passage of ordinances and resolutions. Nebraska's constitution grants the option of [[home rule]] to cities with more than 5,000 residents, meaning they may operate under their own charters. Omaha is one of only three cities in Nebraska to use this option, out of 17 eligible.<ref>Senning, J.P. (2007) "What municipal home rule means today: Nebraska's three home rule charters", ''National Municipal Review, 21''9. pp 564–568.</ref> The City of Omaha is considering [[Consolidated city-county|consolidating]] with Douglas County government.<ref>Powell, C. (2002) [https://web.archive.org/web/20030915220113/http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/mayor/merger/Powell%20Report.pdf "Draft: A Brief Analysis of City/County Government Consolidations"], City of Omaha. Retrieved 8/29/07.</ref>

Although registered [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] outnumbered [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] in the [[Nebraska's 2nd congressional district|2nd congressional district]], which includes Omaha, Democratic presidential candidate [[Barack Obama]] opened three campaign offices in the city with 15 staff members to cover the state in fall 2008.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-camp-targets-omaha/ "Obama Camp Targets Omaha: Obama Makes A Play In Nebraska, One Of Only Two States That Can Split It's Electoral Votes"], [[CBS]]. Retrieved 9/27/08.</ref> Mike Fahey, the Democratic mayor of Omaha, said he would do whatever it took to deliver the district's electoral vote to Obama; and the [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|Obama campaign]] considered the district "in play".<ref>Bratton, A.J. [http://journalstar.com/news/local/hundreds-visit-obama-s-omaha-headquarters/article_90df43df-8fea-5b02-87bb-421bee1bfefc.html "Hundreds visit Obama's Omaha headquarters"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329150136/https://journalstar.com/news/local/hundreds-visit-obama-s-omaha-headquarters/article_90df43df-8fea-5b02-87bb-421bee1bfefc.html |date=March 29, 2019 }}, Associated Press. September 10, 2008. Retrieved August 10, 2012.</ref> Former Nebraska [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] [[Bob Kerrey]] and then-U.S. Senator [[Ben Nelson]] campaigned in the city for Obama,<ref>[http://www.ketv.com/politics/17458608/detail.html "Senators To Campaign In Omaha For Obama"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927135339/http://www.ketv.com/politics/17458608/detail.html |date=September 27, 2011 }}, KETV. September 12, 2008. Retrieved 9/27/08.</ref> and in November 2008 Obama won the district's electoral vote. This was an historical win, as Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to win an electoral vote in Nebraska since 1964, only made possible by [[Congressional District Method|Nebraska's split electoral vote system.]]<ref>[https://archive.today/20081110070009/http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10481441 "Obama wins electoral votes in Omaha"], ''Omaha World-Herald''. November 8, 2008. Retrieved 11/11/08.</ref>

In 2011, Nebraska lawmakers moved Offutt Air Force Base and the town of Bellevue{{Mdash}}an area with a large minority population{{Mdash}}out of the Omaha-based 2nd district and shifted in the Republican-heavy Omaha suburbs in Sarpy County. The move is expected to dilute the city's urban Democratic vote.<ref name=2nd>{{cite news |author=Schulte, Grant |title=Nebraska Redistricting Maps Approved |agency=Associated Press |date=May 27, 2011 |url=http://www.yankton.net/articles/2011/05/27/news/doc4ddf21f03ad0b578942267.txt |access-date=August 10, 2012 |archive-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708051349/http://www.yankton.net/news/article_2e67fc01-517b-5b72-806b-8f32122b9faa.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 2nd district sent its single electoral vote for [[Joe Biden]] in the 2020 election.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Searcey |first=Dionne |date=November 7, 2020 |title=Could Omaha Swing the Race? In 2020, Nothing Is Impossible |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/us/biden-nebraska-electoral-college.html |access-date=November 8, 2020 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108205404/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/us/biden-nebraska-electoral-college.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Biden's victory, by more than 20,000 votes, shows Omaha's and the 2nd district's continuing trend toward Democratic politics in recent years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Election Results |date=September 27, 2019 |url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/2020-elections |access-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328032605/https://sos.nebraska.gov/elections/2020-elections |url-status=live }}</ref>