Two special elections in Nebraska were held on November 2, 1954, alongside a regular election. The Class I election was to finish Hugh A. Butler's term, with Samuel W. Reynolds appointed to the vacancy on July 3, 1954. The Class II election was to finish Kenneth S. Wherry's term, with

Eva Bowring Eva Bowring (née Kelly; January 9, 1892January 8, 1985) was a U.S. Senator from Nebraska. Bowring was born in Nevada, Missouri. In 1928, she married Arthur Bowring. They made their home at the Bowring Ranch near Merriman in Cherry County, Nebr ...

as incumbent at the time of the election. Both seats were held by Republicans, with

Roman Hruska Roman Lee Hruska () (August 16, 1904April 25, 1999) was an American attorney and politician who served as a Republican U.S. senator from the state of Nebraska. Hruska was known as one of the most vocal conservatives in the Senate during the 1960 ...

winning the Class I election and

Hazel Abel Hazel Abel (née Hempel; July 10, 1888July 30, 1966) was an American educator and politician in the U.S. state of Nebraska, who served as a member of the United States Senate for fifty-four days in 1954. She was the first woman elected to the Sena ...

winning the Class II election.

Class I

In the 1952 election, incumbent Senator

Hugh A. Butler Hugh Alfred Butler (February 28, 1878July 1, 1954) was an American United States Republican Party, Republican politician from Nebraska Life and career Hugh Butler was born on a farm near Missouri Valley, Iowa on February 28, 1878. He graduated ...

was re-elected to a third term. Following his death on July 1, 1954, Samuel W. Reynolds was appointed to the vacant seat.

won the special election to complete Butler's term, defeating James F. Green.

Democratic primary

Candidates

*James F. Green, president of the Omaha-Douglas County Health Board

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

, Representative for Nebraska's 2nd district

Results

Class II

In the 1948 election, Kenneth S. Wherry was re-elected to a second term. Following his death on November 29, 1951, Fred A. Seaton was appointed to the seat until the

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

the following year, when

Dwight Griswold Dwight Palmer Griswold (November 27, 1893April 12, 1954) was an American publisher and politician from the U.S. state of Nebraska. He served as the 25th governor of Nebraska from 1941 to 1947, and in the United States Senate from 1952 until his ...

was elected to finish Wherry's term. He died on April 12, 1954, and

was appointed to the vacancy, the first woman to represent Nebraska in the Senate.

(on the ballot as Mrs. George P. Abel), became the first woman elected to the Senate from Nebraska on November 2, 1954. She resigned on December 31, 1954, to give the incoming Senator Carl Curtis a seniority advantage. Curtis was appointed the following day.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Mabel Gillespie Mabel Gillespie (October 13, 1894 – November 24, 1982) was a farmer, teacher, journalist, and politician in Nebraska. In 1925, she was the first woman to be elected as a Nebraska state legislator when she served the first of her six terms. Sh ...

, former State Senator for the 7th district *William H. Meier, Democratic candidate for Nebraska's 1st district in 1946

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

, vice president of the State Republican Central Committee *Hugh Carson, State Senator for the 29th district *

Howard M. Baldrige Howard Malcolm Baldrige or H. Malcolm Baldrige (June 23, 1894 – January 19, 1985) was a Republican politician from Nebraska. Biography Early life and ancestors Baldrige was born on June 23, 1894 in Omaha, Nebraska,Welch 301 the son of Nebrask ...

, Former Representative of

Nebraska's 2nd congressional district Nebraska's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Nebraska that encompasses the core of the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area. It includes all of Douglas County, which includes Omaha, as well as the s ...

Results

References

{{1954 United States elections Nebraska 1954 Nebraska 1954 1954 Special Nebraska Special United States Senate Special United States Senate 1954