Good Government Lincoln resubmits signatures in effort to change Lincoln elections

Good Government Lincoln submitted over 27,000 signatures for three Lincoln charter amendments – for the second time.

This comes after more than 13,000 signatures were previously turned in, but suspected as being fraudulent. Five paid circulators were arrested in connection to the suspected fraud.

Currently, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Lancaster County Attorney and Nebraska Attorney General’s office are investigating the three former petitions alongside four statewide petitions.

The circulators charged were connected with the On the Ballot, LLC, who is connected to Vanguard Field Strategies, a subsidiary of Axiom Strategies.

Axiom and GOP consultants are tied to the Good Government Lincoln group, with three of its employees – Jessica Flanagain, Daniel Bass and Zoe Ganzman – listed as sponsors.

The three petitions aim to create charter amendments that, if successful, would alter Lincoln elections. Former state tax commissioner and state Sen. Tony Fulton is leading the effort.

One petition is hoping to expand voting to certain residents outside of Lincoln for certain elections. Those targeted residents live in Lincoln’s “extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction,” which is the three-mile area surrounding the city.

State Sen. Beau Ballard previously proposed similar legislation to let people outside of Lincoln vote in city elections. He withdrew his amendment shortly after.

The group is also seeking two four-year term limits for Lincoln City Council members and to realign the timing of city elections with statewide elections. That alignment of elections would begin in 2028.

“The support we’ve seen from the people of Lincoln to overcome the obstacles we faced with our initial turn-in has been phenomenal,” Fulton said in a statement. “The voters are ready for a government that’s more accountable, more representative, and has more voter participation. Voters should have a say in November on these important issues and today is the first step to making that happen.”

Nebraska Public Media News was unable to reach Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen in time for publication.