Nebraska will have two new political parties after efforts meet signature threshold

LINCOLN — Nebraska will likely have two new political parties as efforts by two groups met the petition signature threshold, the state Secretary of State’s Office announced Friday. 

The office, in a press release, said Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen has sent letters to organizers of the America First Party and Nebraska Working People Party notifying them of next steps. 

Both efforts needed to collect around 6,700 signatures to become an official party. 

Now, each party has 20 days to submit a party constitution, bylaws and list of officers to the Secretary of State’s Office. The deadline for party organizers to submit those documents is Aug, 27, after which they can officially become state parties. 

The person behind the Nebraska Working People Party effort is registered Democrat Robin Richards, according to paperwork submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office. The sponsor for the America First Party is Omaha Tribe Attorney General John Cartier, who is treasurer of the campaign for Legal Marijuana NOW Party’s U.S. Senate nominee Mike Marvin. 

A new political party could be coming to Nebraska; state Democratic Party officials call foul

State Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb accused Nebraska U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts of being behind the effort to establish the Nebraska Working People Party, saying “there’s only one reason to launch a new party this late, divide the vote and create chaos. Voters see through spoiler games funded by special interests.” 

The stated purpose of the Nebraska Working People Party 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.” 

Party fever: Another political party is gathering signatures to get on Nebraska’s ballot

Republicans objected to efforts to establish the America First Party, pointing to Cartier’s connection to Marvin. Republicans have accused Marvin of helping registered nonpartisan U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn, thinking he was going to drop out of the race. Marvin is staying in the Senate race. 

The America First Party’s stated 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.”

It’s unclear which races will get candidates from these two new parties. If the parties meet the deadline to submit organization documents, they must name candidates for the Nov. 3 general election by Sept. 1.