Records show dozens of petition circulators “harassing” Nebraskans

Statewide petition season is nearly over, bringing with it a close to petition circulators crowding outside of government offices, farmers markets and businesses hoping to collect signatures.

Thursday was the deadline for groups to turn in petition signatures in hopes to get their initiatives and constitutional amendments in front of voters for November’s general election. There’s still a July 15th deadline for people to submit around 6,700 petition signatures to form a new party ahead of the election, which has brought claims of spoiler candidates and misleading party names. And people in Lincoln will likely see several petitions circulating until early fall from organizers who want to reshape the city’s elections.

Records obtained from the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office show a growing concern among Nebraskans in the months leading up to the July 2 deadline to submit petition signatures. The office received 47 complaints between March and late June over petition circulators’ alleged behavior – some of which included reports of circulators throwing rocks, repeatedly trespassing on private property, giving misleading petition descriptions and being confrontational.

One complaint submitted by someone in Lancaster County said a circulator outside of the Lancaster County Treasurer’s Office near 48th and Vine streets urinated on the building, which was later confirmed by security footage. According to the Secretary of State’s Office record, the circulator had already been removed by Lincoln Police just a few days earlier but was allowed to return. The 48th and Vine streets Treasurer’s office was a common location that received complaints about petition circulators. Several reports said petition circulators made it difficult to enter and exit the office.

Another location that received complaints was Lincoln’s SouthPointe Pavilions outdoor mall. Several reports filed with the Secretary of State’s Office by mall employees said circulators continued to return and stand outside of businesses even though the mail is private property and the circulators had been asked repeatedly to leave. In one report filed in mid-May, a store employee said two petition circulators approached her while she was on her lunch break, sitting in her car.

“Eventually, the principal circulator and another circulator got into their car, then pulled up in front of the employee’s vehicle, laid on the horn, flipped her off and screamed profanities at her,” the report indicated. “Trader Joe’s and SouthPointe have been having a huge problem with circulators on their property. Employees are tired of dealing with circulators. Mall security is tired of dealing with circulators.”

Several complaints received by the Secretary of State’s Office were from female callers who said they were harassed, pressured and yelled at by male circulators. In a report filed in late April, a parent said their 17-year-old daughter was followed by a petition circulator after leaving a Lincoln fast-food chain. The parent said the teenager told the circulator, “No thank you, sir,” several times before getting in her car and locking her door. The circulator allegedly continued speaking to the girl before she left and drove back to school, where she reported the interaction to the school resource officer.

Several people who made reports with the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office said they believed the circulators were from outside the area, or even outside of the state, since they would ask people how to get to other Nebraska towns. A person from Douglas County wrote in their report, “I hope you will do something about these people who are being paid by outside sources.”

A report from someone in Dodge County said she was approached by a circulator outside of Menard’s.

“After a brief conversation about me not wanting to sign it, I mentioned that my guess is that

when she agreed to collect signatures, she probably signed something saying that she would not engage voters,” the complaint said. “When I pulled my phone camera to document this, she went nuts; hitting me with her clipboard and throwing rocks.”

The complainant said the circulator’s boss came over and removed her, but they were still planning on filing a police report with Fremont Police.

In another report submitted by a Scotts Bluff County store manager, they said they were dealing with several circulators that are “aggressive about getting signatures and are aggressive when asked to leave.” The caller said they had been in contact with local police.

Most complaints were lodged against the three petitions that were turned into the Secretary of State’s Office in the last week: Online Sports Wagering petitions, Fairness for Girls petition and the Protect Nebraskans’ Initiative and Referendum Powers petition. All three are expected to make the statewide November ballot, considering the large number of signatures collected.

A spokesperson for the Online Sports Wagering petition said they take complaints very seriously and follow up on reports they receive. In some cases, the group has removed problematic petition circulators and a series of retraining is done with other circulators.

Forty-six people from Cass, Dodge, Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy counties submitted paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office to ask that their names be removed from petitions they signed. Most were from individuals wanting to remove their names from the Fairness for Girls petition, saying they were misled about what the petition’s initiative was.

An organizer with the Fairness for Girls petition didn’t return a request for comment.