Nebraska Leaders Call for Changes in Petition Circulation Amid Fraud Investigations
Nebraska’s approach to petition circulation is under scrutiny as recent fraud allegations prompt state officials to seek legislative changes. Governor Jim Pillen and Secretary of State Bob Evnen are at the forefront of this initiative, aiming to reform the compensation model for petition circulators.
During a press conference, Pillen and Evnen, alongside county election officials, addressed the issue of alleged petition fraud that has recently come to light. Investigations by the Nebraska State Patrol and local law enforcement are underway, examining both statewide and local petition efforts due to suspicions of fraudulent activities.
Evnen highlighted the extensive review of over 767,000 signatures submitted for 17 petitions in the upcoming election cycle. In Lincoln alone, a significant number of signatures, over 13,000, were flagged for potential fraud, resulting in the arrest of seven paid circulators.
The governor is advocating for a shift from the prevalent pay-per-signature model to an hourly wage system. “Moving to an hourly compensation model reframes the circulator’s role, encouraging thorough and accurate and lawful conversations with everyday Nebraskans rather than warp speed, warp speed quota chasing,” Pillen stated.
This controversial model was employed by On the Ballot LLC for three Lincoln charter amendment petitions initiated by the Good Government Lincoln group. The company is a subcontractor of Vanguard Field Strategies, an entity linked to GOP consultant Axiom Strategies, known for its involvement in Nebraska’s ballot initiatives.
Vanguard’s recent activities include field services for the Fairness for Girls petition, which is also under investigation. The America First party has voiced concerns over the political connections, specifically pointing to Good Government Lincoln’s ties with Axiom.
“These circulators did not hire themselves,” remarked America First Chairman John Cartier. “Someone selected the vendors, someone supervised the work, someone was responsible for quality control, and experienced political professionals ultimately submitted these petitions.”
The question of accountability for organizations hiring circulators remains open, as Evnen suggested it would form part of the legislative discussions. He emphasized, “No more paying circulators by the signature.” Proposed changes would also mandate circulators to be U.S. citizens, prohibit felons from circulating petitions, and require training and jurisdictional consent.
This is not Nebraska’s first attempt at reforming petition circulation. In 2008, legislation was enacted requiring circulators to be state residents, banning per-signature pay, and setting age restrictions. However, the prohibitions on paid circulators were lifted in 2015.
Governor Pillen referenced former state Sen. DiAnna Schimek’s efforts with LB39, advocating for a return to those stricter regulations. He criticized the current system, stating, “The process of bounty signature gathering is sabotaging legitimate petition initiative efforts. It’s as simple as that. It’s not the Nebraska way.”
Political candidates have also weighed in, with Republican Secretary of State candidate Scott Petersen supporting Pillen’s stance. Petersen’s Democratic opponent, Sarah Slattery, while not in favor of banning paid petitioners entirely, advocates for greater scrutiny and regulation.
“I personally don’t think you should be able to circulate, get signatures for something that you can’t even vote on because you’re not a Nebraska citizen, right?” Slattery commented. She supports the idea of an hourly wage for circulators.
However, not all agree with the proposed changes. Grant Friedman of the ACLU of Nebraska voiced concerns, suggesting that these measures could hinder Nebraskans’ participation in the initiative process. “We have everything from you know your outside million dollar-funded, all the way down to grassroots people here, everyone’s a volunteer,” he noted.
The ACLU is prepared to monitor and challenge any legislation impacting paid circulators, as it previously succeeded in overturning Nebraska’s ban on out-of-state circulators in 2009. Friedman emphasized that any restriction on access to the process is a limitation on First Amendment rights and the initiative power.
