(Picture credit Lancaster County Election Commissioner)
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office announced Friday afternoon that the Fairness for Girls ballot petition effort qualified for the November ballot. The proposed amendment to the Nebraska Constitution would ban biological males from competing in girls’ sports.
“To appear on the ballot, a constitutional amendment petition requires valid signatures from at least 10% of registered voters in Nebraska and at least 5% of registered voters in 38 counties,” the office said in its release. “The Fairness for Girls Constitutional Amendment petition collected at least 138,613 valid signatures. Petition organizers collected valid signatures from at least 5% of registered voters in 59 counties.”
Organizers for the effort celebrated the news that they had made the ballot.
“Nebraska girls deserve a fair opportunity to earn scholarships, medals, and tournament advancements without being forced to compete against biological males,” former state senator and sponsor Julie Slama said in a statement. “I’m proud of the Nebraskans who signed this petition and took a stand for young women.”
The group announced in late June that it had turned in a record-setting number of signatures, with over 210,000 submitted.
The secretary of state’s verification of the petition came as law enforcement announced earlier this month that it was investigating every statewide ballot initiative for potential fraud. Lancaster County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ben Houchin said his office had found “thousands and thousands” of fraudulent signatures across each of the petition efforts.
The Secretary of State’s Office announced it has verified both the online sports gambling petitions for the November ballot. A fourth initiative, Respect Nebraska Voters, is still having signatures verified.
— John Gage is the executive editor of The Plains Sentinel.