Show me the signatures!

Petition circulators turn in more than 100K signatures
 

When NSEA and a coalition of not-for-profit organizations launched the Support Our Schools Nebraska petition drive in early June, organizers set a lofty goal of gathering 90,000 signatures in 90 days. At the petition launch press conference, leaders in education—including NSEA President Jenni Benson and Millard Education Association President Tim Royers—took turns at the mic asking for public school educators and their allies for help. And did they deliver!

Almost immediately following its launch, Support Our Schools Nebraska began promoting petition signature gathering events in every corner of the state. This summer, volunteers and circulators logged thousands of hours gathering signatures from Nebraskans to ensure that voters will get a say on LB753’s tax scheme that diverts tax dollars to private schools.

The incredible momentum and energy of the petition drive attracted some out-of-state, bad-faith actors who poured tens of thousands of dollars into Nebraska, hoping to keep its own taxpayers from voting on the issue in 2024. Betsy DeVos, a Michigan billionaire politician, has largely funded the effort.

Opponents sent aggressive blockers to harass and intimidate Support Our Schools Nebraska volunteers. The shameful tactics and threats from opponents only fueled the desire of circulators and voters.

In all, organizers turned in more than 100,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office in late August—about 40,000 more than the roughly 60,000 valid signatures needed to make the 2024 ballot. Watch for updates on the status of this ongoing effort at NSEA.org and in The Voice.