Nebraska is one step closer to joining the growing number of states with legalized medical marijuana. Two ballot measures aimed at establishing a regulated medical cannabis market in the state were officially certified by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen on Friday, paving the way for voters to decide the issue in the November 2024 election. This comes after a turbulent journey marked by legal challenges and allegations of signature fraud.
The push for medical cannabis in Nebraska is led by the advocacy group Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), who successfully gathered nearly 115,000 signatures, surpassing the required threshold of 86,500. Despite facing two previous failed attempts, NMM’s campaign manager Crista Eggers expressed confidence, stating, “We look forward to November, when the people’s voice on this issue will finally be heard.” If approved by voters, Nebraska would join a majority of U.S. states that have already implemented regulated marijuana programs.
The road to certification, however, has been riddled with controversy. Former state Senator John Kuehn, co-founder of the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana, filed a lawsuit on Thursday in an attempt to block the measures from appearing on the ballot. Kuehn argued that the Secretary of State’s office did not provide sufficient time for review and challenge of the petition, claiming it contains numerous invalid signatures. His lawsuit, filed just one day before certification, seeks to invalidate the signatures on both petitions, potentially undermining the integrity of the entire process.
Adding to the complexities, Michael Egbert, a Grand Island man involved in gathering signatures for the petition, was charged with falsifying signatures. According to the Nebraska Examiner, prosecutors allege that Egbert submitted signatures from deceased residents, as well as signatures with incorrect information such as misspelled names and inaccurate dates of birth. Egbert is accused of lying in the affidavit of a circulator on a petition and is scheduled for arraignment on October 2, just weeks before the election.
NMM has responded to the allegations, stating, “NMM provides extensive training to all petition circulators. Circulators are held to an extremely high standard and are required to strictly follow all legal requirements for collecting signatures. Any circulators caught violating the law should be held responsible for their actions.”
Despite these controversies and legal challenges, the Secretary of State certified the ballot initiatives, leaving NMM hopeful. The organization continues to mobilize support for the measures while navigating the ongoing legal and political battles.
The upcoming election in Nebraska will be closely watched as voters decide whether to embrace medical marijuana, a decision that could have significant implications for the state’s healthcare system, economy, and societal attitudes.
