LINCOLN— Lancaster County election officials have referred more than 13,300 petition signatures to law enforcement after identifying them as suspected fraudulent during the review of three Good Government Lincoln petitions seeking to change Lincoln's election system. The petitions, which proposed moving city elections to even-numbered years, imposing City Council term limits, and expanding voting eligibility for some residents outside city limits, fell well short of the required 4,981 valid signatures for each measure.

Campaign leader Tony Fulton said he supports the investigation and prosecution of anyone responsible for fraudulent signatures while continuing efforts to restart signature gathering before the September 1 certification deadline.

The article also draws comparisons to the 2024 medical cannabis petition investigation, in which election officials uncovered fraudulent signatures that led to criminal charges against a petition circulator and a notary. Supporters of the medical cannabis campaign argue the current petition controversy should receive the same level of scrutiny from state officials, questioning why Attorney General Mike Hilgers has not publicly taken the same aggressive approach. The Nebraska Supreme Court is still considering appeals related to the 2024 medical cannabis petition case.

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