Two new political parties approved ahead of Nebraska’s midterm elections

Nebraskans may see new political candidates under two new political parties on their November ballots. The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office has cleared the way for the Nebraska Working People Party and the America First Party to form ahead of Nebraska’s midterm elections.

Both groups met the required deadline and number of valid signatures to create a new political party. Organizers needed to collect signatures from at least “one percent of the total votes cast for governor at the most recent general election for such office” – or around 6,726 – from Nebraska voters. The groups also had to collect around 2,200 signatures from each of the state’s three Congressional districts.

The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office said Friday that Nebraska Working People Party organizers submitted completed petitions on July 14 and America First Party Organizers submitted completed petitions on July 15. Both petitions reached the statutory thresholds, and verification ceased once each petition reached 110% of the required number of signatures in each congressional district and overall.

Now that they have cleared the signature requirements, Nebraska state law allows the new political parties – even if they weren’t formed in time to participate in the primary election – to place their own candidates on the general election ballot, essentially letting the parties bypass primary elections.

First, though, the parties must submit a party constitution, bylaws and list of officers to the Secretary of State’s office by Aug. 27. If they do not submit those documents by that date, they will not be certified.

The new political parties will then join Nebraska’s current four: Republican, Democratic, Libertarian and Legal Marijuana NOW. Voters can also choose to not be registered with a political party, otherwise known as being a nonpartisan.

The new parties also must file a new candidate filing form by Sept. 1, according to Nebraska law. They also must have a petition of nomination containing the names of at least 25 registered voters from their new parties.

A copy of the affidavit filed with the office on June 25 shows Robin Richards, a registered Democrat who attempted to run as a write-in candidate for Legislative District 12 in the primary, said the Nebraska Working People Party’s purpose is to "provide Nebraska voters with a political organization dedicated to advancing the interests of working families, middle-class Nebraskans, rural communities, small businesses, farmers, ranchers, and individuals seeking practical solutions to improve economic opportunity, strengthen communities, and promote responsive and accountable government."

A new website for the party said the group’s guiding principles focus on quality, affordable healthcare, fair wages for workers, full funding for public schools, clean air and water, and affordable housing.

A copy of the affidavit filed by John Cartier, a registered nonpartisan and the attorney general for the Omaha Tribe, said the America First Party’s purpose is to “provide voters with a political organization committed to putting Americans and Nebraskans ahead of all others by cracking down on out-of-control government spending and wasteful foreign aid, getting tough on illegal immigrants, standing up against abortion, and rigidly defending the Second Amendment.”

That party also has a new website that has principles focused on putting America and Nebraska first, limiting government and government spending, securing U.S. borders, protecting life and family and defending the Second Amendment.

But both new parties are dogged by accusations that they’re being formed to place “spoiler” candidates in Nebraska’s competitive midterm races.

When petitions started circulating for the Nebraska Working People Party in late June, leaders with the Nebraska Democratic Party claimed the new group was the effort of top Republicans like Pete Ricketts, one of Nebraska’s U.S. Senators up for reelection this November, likely facing independent Dan Osborn. NDP Vice Chair Ron Kaminsky said the effort is being funded by Republicans “because all this new party wants to do is help Pete Ricketts, Jim Pillen, Mike Flood and Brinker Harding win their elections.”

Requests for comment sent to Ricketts’ and Flood’s respective campaigns were not returned. But Nebraska GOP Chair Mary Jane Truemper told Nebraska Public Media News that, “No ‘top’ Republican would ever try to undermine our nominees.”

"Nebraska Republicans are focused on electing Republicans. We respect everyone’s right to file petitions, but our focus remains clear: to win in November with Republicans up and down the ballot," Truemper said.

After the America First Party started circulating petitions, Truemper told the Nebraska Examiner that “rigging primaries wasn’t enough for Jane Kleeb.”

“Now her Nebraska Democrats are behind a fraudulent ‘America First Party,’ filed by progressive lawyer and Dan Osborn associate John Cartier, designed to trick conservative voters into splitting their vote,” Truemper said.

Kleeb said the party wasn’t aware of the formation of the America First Party.