Lincoln, Neb. — The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is investigating allegations of fraudulent signatures on petitions submitted to the Lancaster County Election Commission.
The investigation centers around petitions that allegedly contained fraudulent signatures. Investigators believe circulators have been involved in collecting fraudulent signatures, having those signatures notarized, and submitting the petitions for ballot measures.
Arrest warrants were obtained for suspects believed to have falsely sworn to information on petition circulator affidavits, which is a felony under Nebraska law. LSO has worked closely with federal partners at the U.S. Marshals Service in locating the suspects. Five suspects have been located and arrested in Nevada, Florida, Washington D.C., and Missouri. Several more are outstanding.
The investigation is focused solely on violation of Nebraska state statutes and is separate from the election process. Information regarding the validity of petitions, whether signatures should be counted, and whether a measure ultimately qualifies for the ballot fall under the authority of the appropriate election officials.
LSO is working with multiple law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, including the Lancaster County Attorney’s Office and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Governor Jim Pillen had this reaction to allegations of paid signature fraud:
“Like most Nebraskans, I am deeply troubled by the reports breaking today of historic fraud in connection with signature-gathering campaigns in recent weeks.
“The Legislature made a terrible decision in 2015 when it repealed the prohibition on paid signature gathering. The results have been Nebraskans being harassed on the street by in-state and out-of-state signature gatherers, skyrocketing payouts per signature, and outright criminal activity.
“I call on the Legislature to reform this system and to restore the ban on pay-per-signature. I’m grateful to the law enforcement who are protecting our election system and investigating this election fraud, and expect those responsible at every level to be held accountable to the fullest extent under the law.”
The Office of the Attorney General issued a statement on the allegations of petition fraud:
“The Office of the Attorney General takes petition fraud allegations seriously and will work with partnered agencies to root it out wherever it may be found and bring those who commit it to justice. We are committed to protecting the integrity of the petition process and maintaining public trust. When credible information arises, we dedicate the resources needed to examine each situation thoroughly. Our office enforces election laws without bias, fear, or favor.”
