Nebraskans will vote on medical marijuana initiatives, referendum on school choice bill

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Two medical marijuana petitions and a referendum on a school choice bill will be on the ballot in Nebraska this fall.

Secretary of State Bob Evnen said Friday that each of the petitions has enough valid signatures.

Under state law, election officials must verify 110% of the signatures needed before they can stop, so Evnen has not officially certified the petitions.

“Our office is providing this update to keep voters informed of where county election offices are in the signature verification process,” Evnen said. “Election workers are checking every voter’s signature on the remaining petitions, and we will have petitions verified before the September 13 deadline to certify the November ballot.”

SEE ALSO: Opponents say pro-abortion rights petition violates Nebraska’s single-subject rule

The initiatives on medical marijuana, which would legalize and regulate medical cannabis, needed signatures from 7% of the state’s registered voters.

They each received at least 89,000 valid signatures.

The petition to repeal a law that provides state funding to private school scholarships needed to be signed by 5% of the state’s voters.

It has collected at least 62,000 valid signatures.

SEE ALSO: Foes of Nebraska school choice bill submit more than 86,000 signatures in repeal effort

Each petition has also met the requirement of being signed by 5% of voters in at least 38 counties.

The medical marijuana petitions met that threshold in 51 counties, and the school choice bill met it in 57 counties.

Evnen has already certified two petitions on abortion and one on paid sick leave.