Nebraska is set to vote on two key cannabis initiatives during the November presidential elections after each passed the threshold of signatures needed to place them on the ballot.
In a statement published last week, Nebraska’s Secretary of State, Bob Evnen, provided an update on the status of three referendum petitions in the final stages of signature verification by election officials.
Among these are the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Patient Initiative, and the Nebraska Medical Regulation Initiative.
The former would seek to protect medical cannabis patients and their cargivers from facing legal recourse due to their medical cannabis usage.
Meanwhile, the second initiative seeks to create a state Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate medical cannabis businesses across the state.
According to Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, which has been the driving force behind both bills, it has submitted around 114,000 signatures for each of the two petitions.
To qualify, signatures must be collected from 7% of registered voters in at least 5% of registered voters in 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.
In its statement, Evnen’s office confirmed that both had met the 100% signature threshold required for verification and certification, but these had not yet been fully certified.
“Our office is providing this update to keep voters informed of where county election offices are in the signature verification process,” Secretary Evnen said.
“Election workers are checking every voter’s signature on the remaining petitions, and we will have petitions verified before the September 13 deadline to certify the November ballot.”
The patient protection initiative has reportedly collected 89,051 valid signatures, meaning it has surpassed the necessary 100% threshold (87,126), but has not yet topped the 110% needed to ‘to cease verifying signatures’ early.
Similarly, the regulation initiative has collected 89,005 valid signatures.
In a statement, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana said: “Although our fight is not over, we are one step closer to the day that patients in our state will have compassionate access to medical cannabis.
Campaign Manager Crista Eggers added: “After years of hard work, we are beyond excited that Nebraskans will finally have the opportunity to have their voices heard on this issue in November.
“Our fight has been long, it has been hard, but we have never given up. Today, we celebrate that very soon, patients in this state will have access to medical cannabis treatment. We want to thank all of the Nebraskans who dedicated countless hours and days of their lives to make this possible, and we look forward to the final certification by the Secretary of State in the coming days.”
