Anti-affirmative-action petitions turned in; verifying to begin

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10373495

Published Friday July 4, 2008
Anti-affirmative-action petitions turned in; verifying to begin
BY MARTHA STODDARD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — Leaders of the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative called their anti-affirmative-action push one of the most successful petition drives in recent state history. But it's not yet known whether their proposed ban will go before voters in November.

"The citizens demand the opportunity to vote on the use of race and gender preferences and discrimination in state hiring, state contracts and state education," said Marc Schniederjans, treasurer of the group that said it submitted more than 167,000 signatures Thursday.

Success isn't guaranteed for the proposed constitutional amendment despite turning in what would be the second-largest number of petition signatures this decade.

The recent record for total petition signatures submitted — 172,432 — belongs to a 2002 drive to allow video slot machines in bars, restaurants, keno parlors and racetracks, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

But that proposal never made it to voters. A judge's ruling, later upheld by the Nebraska Supreme Court, kept the issue off the 2002 ballot.

Two years later, casino gambling supporters collected 159,169 signatures on the most popular of four related petitions. All four reached the 2004 ballot, but voters rejected the two key proposals, and casino gambling remains illegal.

FULL story at link.