LINCOLN, NE. — The fate of a Respect Nebraska Voters ballot initiative is now in the hands of the Nebraska Supreme Court.
The movement is suing Secretary of State Bob Evnen's office after he denied the group's ballot initiative from appearing in November.
The initiative, if passed, would raise the number of state senators needed to change laws passed by Nebraska voters — from two-thirds to four-fifths.
Evnen said the initiative was too broad and didn't follow the state's single-subject rule for petitions.
"It also has other provisions related to substantive law, the laws the legislature can pass, the way the judicial branch would evaluate those laws, and in my judgment, those are not the same," Evnen said. "Those are different subjects."
Respect Nebraska Voters says it will challenge Evnen's ruling in the Nebraska Supreme Court.
Sierra Salgado Pirigyi, the organization's co-communications chair, released a statement in part:
"This is yet another attempt by our politicians to interfere with our constitutional right to make our voices heard at the ballot box, ..." Salgado Pirigyi wrote. "We are confident that this initiative will ultimately be placed on the November 2026 ballot."
Evnen said the measure could still appear on the ballot, pointing to a past example.
"What happened with the marijuana initiative — they brought another initiative subsequently," Evnen said. "That one did get on the ballot, and that one did pass."
Secretary Evnen says the November ballot will be finalized by Sept. 11.
With this deadline looming, Evnen says he expects the Nebraska Supreme Court to rule "very quickly."
