It seems the future of medical marijuana and school choice in Nebraska could rest with voters on the November ballot.
Secretary of State Bob Evnen provided an update Friday, reporting that three petitions are nearing the end of their signature verification process by county election offices. Those ballot measures include:
- Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Protection initiative petition
- Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation initiative petition
- Private Education Scholarship partial referendum
These petitions have not been technically certified yet. However, the three remaining initiative and referendum petitions have met the 100% signature threshold required for verification and certification, and subsequently, will qualify for the general election ballot once verification and certification has been completed.
Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana
Both petitions seeking to enact new law surrounding medical cannabis needed to collect valid signatures from at least 7% of registered voters in Nebraska and valid signatures from at least 5% of registered voters in 38 counties.
Secretary Evnen reports the Patient Protections petition has collected 89,051 valid signatures and has met the 5% distribution requirement in at least 51 counties, and the Medical Cannabis Regulation petition has collected 89,005 valid signatures and has met the 5% distribution requirement in at least 51 counties. While both petitions have collected enough valid signatures to be certified, they have not met the 110% threshold provided under state law to cease verifying signatures. County election offices are verifying the remaining signatures.
“It’s a very good day for so many people. It’s a win for the patients in Nebraska that we’ve been fighting a long time for,” said Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM) Campaign Manager Crista Eggers in reaction Friday. ”
Eggers tempered her excitement, nodding at the potential for legal challenges like what ultimately fell the NMM campaign in 2020 — when a court decided the petition violation the state’s “single subject rule.”
“For now we are unofficially certified,” said Eggers. “And we’re looking for that formal certification, hopefully end of next week… but we’re prepared for anything that happens.”
Eggers, whose young son suffers from chronic seizures that can be treated with medical cannabis, said he was the first person she shared the news of the campaign’s success with.
“I got to go up to his school, look him in the eyes, and answer the question he has asked every single day of his life for four years now. I got to finally give him the answer of, ‘Yes, buddy. We did,” Eggers detailed the emotional moment.
Eggers added “there’s a lot of happy tears today” in reference to the many families involved in the campaign’s several attempts over the years.
“They’re the ones that went out there and have collected signature after signature, over and over and over again. So from our hearts here at NMM to the state of Nebraska, we want to thank them. Thank them for not giving up, not stop fighting. Today is a good day,” she said, with a sigh of relief.
Support Our Schools Nebraska
The petition campaign aiming to place the issue of school-choice in Nebraska before voters on the November ballot also appears to be crossing the finish line.
The referendum petitions seeking to repeal a new law needed to collect valid signatures from at least 5% of registered voters in Nebraska and valid signatures from at least 5% of registered voters in 38 counties.
The Private Education Scholarship partial referendum has collected 62,042 valid signatures and has met the 5% distribution requirement in at least 57 counties. The petition has collected enough valid signatures to be certified but has not met the 110% threshold provided under state law to cease verifying signatures. County election offices are verifying the remaining signatures.
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office must certify the November general election ballot by September 13. All petitions will be processed and the results announced by that date.