Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers has announced a statewide investigation into "several thousand signatures" on ballot initiative petitions, just hours before the deadline to include them on the November ballot. The investigation, which is ongoing, aims to ensure the integrity of the election process and restore confidence in the system.

As part of the investigation, at least one Grand Island man, Michael K. Egbert, has been charged with allegedly collecting over 200 fraudulent signatures. Egbert, who was hired to collect signatures for a marijuana initiative, is accused of fabricating wrong dates of birth and listing deceased voters on the petitions. He now faces charges of false swearing to a circulator's affidavit on a ballot petition.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen had provisionally qualified the campaign for medical marijuana, which required about 86,500 valid signatures. However, it was discovered that the count did not include the signatures collected by Egbert, which were flagged as fraudulent from the beginning and not counted towards the total. The fate of the petition is still undecided as of midday Friday.

Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet confirmed that the irregular signatures identified on the medical marijuana petitions were related to voters with incorrect dates of birth, deceased individuals, and misspelled names. All of these irregularities were detected during the meticulous signature verification process.

The ongoing investigation by the Attorney General's Office aims to scrutinize other irregularities on various circulating petitions related to abortion, private K-12 school vouchers, and paid sick leave. Hilgers emphasized that the process applies equally and fairly to all petitions, and any evidence of signature fraud would be thoroughly investigated, regardless of the petition's subject matter.

Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign manager, Crista Eggers, expressed gratitude for the investigation and stated that circulators are held to a high standard and must strictly adhere to legal requirements when collecting signatures. She emphasized the importance of holding any circulator who violates the law accountable for their actions.

The outcome of this investigation could impact the implementation of new laws if the petitions are placed on the ballot and fraudulent signatures are eliminated. Attorney General Hilgers reiterated that the integrity of elections transcends ideology and party lines, highlighting the significance of ensuring that Nebraskans have confidence in the state's election system.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen has until the end of the day to make a decision regarding the inclusion of the medical marijuana initiative on the November ballot. The investigation by the Attorney General's Office will continue beyond this deadline, as they work diligently to complete their comprehensive review of the petition signatures.

Overall, Nebraska's Attorney General, Mike Hilgers, remains committed to uncovering any irregularities and restoring faith in the election process, highlighting the importance of maintaining the integrity of the state's democracy.