The 1940 Nebraska lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940, and featured incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor William E. Johnson, a Republican, defeating Democratic nominee and Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature William H. Diers.[1]
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Democratic primary
Candidates
- William H. Diers, Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature and member of the Nebraska Legislature from District 24[2]
- John B. Elliott, Jr., former independent candidate for lieutenant governor in 1938
- Peter Mehrens
- Arthur L. Neumann, former president pro tempore of the Nebraska Senate from 1935 to 1936 and member of the Nebraska Senate from 1927 to 1937 from Oakland, Nebraska[3]
- Nate M. Parsons, former Nebraska Lieutenant Governor for a short term to fill the vacancy from November 8, 1938, to January 5, 1939, after winning the special election in 1938.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | William H. Diers | 28,171 | 23.85 | |
| Democratic | Peter Mehrens | 25,999 | 22.02 | |
| Democratic | Arthur L. Neumann | 22,705 | 19.23 | |
| Democratic | Nate M. Parsons | 21,936 | 18.58 | |
| Democratic | John B. Elliott, Jr. | 19,283 | 16.33 | |
Republican primary
Candidates
- Frank A. High
- William E. Johnson, incumbent Nebraska Lieutenant Governor
- John B. Peterson
- Harry L. Reed, insurance agent and property manager in Lincoln, Nebraska[4]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William E. Johnson (incumbent) | 55,364 | 38.57 | |
| Republican | Harry L. Reed | 40,426 | 28.16 | |
| Republican | John B. Peterson | 24,017 | 16.73 | |
| Republican | Frank A. High | 23,744 | 16.54 | |
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William E. Johnson (incumbent) | 330,313 | 60.22 | |
| Democratic | William H. Diers | 218,161 | 39.78 | |
| Total votes | 548,474 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||