Nebraska 2016 ballot measures

2016 Nebraska Ballot Measures
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One statewide ballot measure was certified to appear on the Nebraska ballot on November 8, 2016. Voters defeated the measure, thereby repealing the death penalty ban implemented by LB 268 and reinstating the death penalty in the state of Nebraska.

Nebraska allows citizen initiatives in the form of initiated state statutes, initiated constitutional amendments, and veto referendums. Nebraska petition signature requirements are determined by calculating a percentage of the registered voters at the time of petition filing deadline. Statutes must collect enough signatures to equal seven percent of registered voters, amendments must collect signatures equal to 10 percent, referendums that do not suspend the targeted law until the election require signatures equal to five percent, and referendums that do suspend the targeted law until the election require signatures equal to 10 percent. In 2016, initiative supporters had to gather 81,136 signatures for statutes, 115,909 signatures for amendments, 57,955 signatures for veto referendums that would not have suspended the law, and 115,909 signatures for veto referendums that would have suspended the law. Signatures had to be collected by four months prior to the next general election, on July 8, 2016.

The Nebraska Legislature has the power to place constitutional amendments on the ballot when both houses of the legislature approve the amendment by a 60 percent majority vote. The legislature can call for a special election if 80 percent of the members of the legislature approve such an election, otherwise the measure appears on the next general election. Once on the ballot, the amendment must be approved by a majority of the votes for that issue and also receive approval from 35 percent of those voting in the election for any office. The state legislative session ran from January 6, 2016, to April 20, 2016.

Historical facts

See also: History of Initiative & Referendum in Nebraska and List of Nebraska ballot measures

• Between 1996 and 2016, 72 measures have appeared on the ballot in Nebraska.
• From 1996 to 2016, there has been an average of about seven measures on the ballot in even-numbered years.
• Between 1996 and 2016, 38 of 72 measures, or 53 percent, were approved and 34 of 72 measures, or 47 percent, were defeated.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Referendum 426	Death Penalty	Asks voters whether to repeal or maintain LB 268, which eliminated the state's death penalty	d

Cost per required signatures

See also: Ballot measure signature costs, 2016 and CPRS analysis

The cost of an initiative or veto referendum petition drive can be measured in two key ways:

1. According to the total cost of gathering the required signatures to put the initiative or veto referendum on the ballot
2. According to the total cost divided by the number of signatures required to qualify the measure for the ballot or Cost Per Required Signature (CPRS).

This data for Nebraska initiatives and information about what petition drive companies were used are below:

Ballot Measure:	Topic:	Petition company	Cost	Signatures	CPRS
Nebraska Referendum 426	Death penalty	Lincoln Strategy Group	$597,144.25	113,883	$5.24
Averages:	N/A	Lincoln Strategy Group	$597,144.25	N/A	$5.24

Not on the ballot

See also: Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot

The 2016 regular session of the Nebraska State Legislature ended on April 20, 2016, and the legislature did not put any measures on the 2016 ballot. One citizen initiated veto referendum was on the ballot.

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Horse Track Gaming Regulations Initiative	Gambling	Permits gaming devices and all games of chance at "racetrack locations within cities of the first, primary, or metropolitan classes in Nebraska" and establishes the Nebraska Gaming Commission to regulate the industry
CISS	Horse Track Gaming Taxation Initiative	Gambling	Establishes an annual tax on gross gaming revenue "generated by authorized operators of games of chance at permitted racetrack locations and directs the distribution of tax receipts from such gaming tax"
CICA	Horse Track Initiative Amendment	Gambling	Allows citizens to petition to allow all forms of gambling to be conducted with horse racing in the state
CICA	Child Custody Initiative	Divorce and custody	Outlines updated guides for the Nebraska judicial system to determine "the best interest of the child while returning the decision making to the families with specific guidelines"
LRCA	Increased Term Lengths and Limits Amendment	Term Limits	Increases the length of terms for legislators from four years to six years
CICA	Medical Marijuana Initiative	Marijuana	Legalizes the cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana for medical purposes

External links

• Nebraska Initiative, Referendum, and Referral

See also

• 2016 ballot measures
• List of Nebraska ballot measures
• Laws governing ballot measures in Nebraska
• Campaign finance requirements for Nebraska ballot measures