Lincoln voters consider charter amendments and election petition reforms

Lincoln voters are facing three charter amendment petitions that propose significant changes to local governance. The petitions seek to align municipal election cycles with statewide cycles starting in 2028, establish term limits for City Council members at two consecutive four-year terms, and alter voter eligibility for city elections.

Civic Nebraska has expressed opposition to the proposed timeline for election alignment, arguing that the transition could prematurely term-limit current officials. They advocate for a longer runway to protect the original, voter-approved timelines.

Separately, Nebraska state leaders met to discuss the integrity of the petition process. Secretary of State Bob Evnen noted that the state’s practice of verifying every signature has successfully identified fraudulent efforts, including recent arrests in Lancaster County involving out-of-state individuals.

Governor Jim Pillen suggested transitioning from a per-signature payment model for circulators to a pay-per-hour model to discourage fraudulent collection efforts. While officials noted the high cost and time required for signature verification, any changes to how circulators are compensated would require legislative action in January.