Nebraska sports betting petition faces fraud investigation

A criminal investigation is underway in Nebraska following allegations of widespread signature fraud in a petition drive to legalize online sports betting. The campaign, led by Tax Relief Nebraska, submitted over 201,000 signatures to qualify for the November 2026 ballot, significantly exceeding the required 127,000.

However, Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen flagged more than 13,000 petitions as potentially fraudulent. Investigations revealed that approximately 68% of the flagged petitions contained suspected fraudulent signatures, while over 20% involved individuals who may not be registered Nebraska voters. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office has arrested several individuals, with some facing felony election fraud charges.

Secretary of State Robert Evnen has expressed frustration with the state’s petition process and indicated he will work on legislation to address these issues, including potentially prohibiting per-signature payments to circulators. Despite the investigation and arrests, organizers from Tax Relief Nebraska maintain they are “very confident” that enough valid signatures remain to qualify the referendum for the ballot.