Petition Musings
Petition Musings
By Cynthia Peterson, President
Deb Dulgar gathering signatures
The Lincoln-Lancaster County League has been involved with both the Protect Our Rights petition since it launched in Nov. 2023, and the LB1402 School Vouchers petition since the kickoff press conference in mid-May 2024.
Protect Our Rights turned in 207,000 petition signatures to the Secretary of State on July 3, needing 123,000 validated signatures to appear on the November ballot. While likely a successful campaign, it was also quiet from the respect that petition circulators and signers kept much of their participation on the downlow because of the very nature of the issue.
Many signing events were private among friends or like-minded individuals—at least that was my own experience, and no one wanted their picture taken either… During the last several weeks for petition signing, potential signers should even make appointments to have a petition circulator come to their homes — especially in smaller more rural communities, so as not to draw attention to their actions.
An opposing petition, Protect Women and Children, gathered almost an equal number of signatures. It’s likely both petitions will be on the ballot and the one with the most votes will win. It will be imperative the voters understand the differences between the two ballot initiatives and vote accordingly. There will be a role here for LWV-LL to provide education on these and other petitions that make it onto the ballot.
Jean McGuire carrying box of petitions
Support Our Schools/LB 1402 referendum petition was much more visible, made necessary by an abbreviated timespan from start on May 10 to finish on July 17. I spoke on behalf of the Nebraska League at the kick-off press conference, and LWVLL’s participation took off from there. My home became a staging area for people to pick up supplies, etc. Both VP-Action Jean McGuire and I served as primary contacts with the Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) and coordinated our volunteers.
LVWLL members took up the volunteer slack in the early days because the majority of the teachers were still in school. Our Leaguers’ actions and participation level did not go unnoticed and unappreciated in this community, especially by NSEA.
We had a very dedicated crew of volunteers and many of us also collected signatures for Protect Our Rights and other issues we were passionate about.
Almost 87,000 signatures were turned in on July 17, over 20,000 more than required, from all over the state.
Our first forays at the local farmers markets were well received. In fact, people were looking for us and lining up to sign. Stationing ourselves next to food vendors also gave us a captive audience while they stood in line.
Not only were signers great supporters of public schools, but the majority seemed very angry that state legislators and the Governor chose to interject themselves into the middle of the referendum process for LB753, negating all the work that we did in 2023 to get it on the 2024 ballot. I don’t think our elected officials anticipated these unintended consequences that may even cost some of the legislators a second term in office.
Initially, several LWVLL members were going to go on to the road to communities within a couple hours of Lincoln. The NSEA political director decided it was more beneficial to keep us in town because we knew what we were doing and most of us were not afraid to talk to everybody we could find, and… we delivered.
NSEA did reach out to us for volunteers for Taste of Omaha because local volunteers were not stepping up. A few members participated.
LWVLL also sponsored two drive-thru signing events in conjunction with the Unitarian Church Lincoln, who has a great parking lot and easy access from a major street… and shade!
The Lincoln Lancaster County League and the petition drive did receive a lot of good of publicity recently, including two stories on KETV out of Omaha, in USA Today. Lincoln Journal Star, and the Nebraska Examiner.
https://www.ketv.com/article/public-school-advocates-make-push-to-gather-signatures-across-nebraska/61537849 (there are two stories under that same link — look farther down the page for the second video.)
Lincoln-Lancaster County League members also collected signatures at the July 4th celebration in Waverly, Nebraska. A lovely couple offered us space on their front lawn along the parade route and provided us with a canopy. We collected a lot of signatures that day. I was also astounded by the number of folks who told us they’d never heard of the support our schools referendum. It just makes you wonder…
Loading LB1402 petitions for delivery to Secretary of State
During this final push week, Lincoln-Lancaster League members took one or two shifts each most days at two public libraries. It’s was VERY HOT towards the end! One library had no shade with the exception of one small tree. It was brutal but no casualties.
It’s no doubt that if we’ve had the full 90 days to gather signatures, our turn-in numbers would likely be closer to last summer’s 117,000. But we all did what we could when we could.
With the exception of veiled threats by a couple of guys in the Haymarket, likely carrying concealed handguns, and a couple of other jerks, everyone I encountered with my petitions was courteous, even if they said no. We all received countless statements of appreciation for our efforts. It’s clear to me that Nebraskans really love their public schools and are very proud of the quality education students receive. Of course, they agree schools could always be better but also added that $10 million annually could be used to fund a lot of improvements.
I had a Catholic nun sign the petition the other day at Gere Library. She indicated to me with a smile on her face that she’d probably be excommunicated, but she thought it was important that voters have their say.
An unhoused individual, a regular at a local library, was disappointed because he believed he couldn’t sign due to voting eligibility concerns. Thanks to guidance from well-informed petition circulators, he corrected his address issues and proudly signed the petition the following day. His determination is a testament to the importance of every voter’s voice being heard in November.
To all those Lincoln-Lancaster League members who signed and/or circulated petitions for school vouchers, abortion rights, medical marijuana, paid sick leave and others, thank you so much for helping the second house of the Legislature have a voice.