Nomination by Petition
Being placed on the ballot by petition gives nonpartisan candidates an opportunity to run for partisan offices in a general election since those candidates are unable to be nominated by a political party during a primary election. Nominations by petition also allow candidates to replace other candidates when a vacancy occurs. Candidates who are nominated by petition will have the words "By Petition" printed beside their name on the ballot to signify how the candidate was nominated.
Partisan Offices
- A registered voter who was not a candidate in the primary election may have his or her name placed on the general election ballot by filing petitions.
Nonpartisan Offices
- A candidate who was defeated in the primary election or a registered voter who was not a candidate in the primary election may have his or her name placed on the general election ballot if a vacancy exists on the ballot and the candidate files for office by petition.
- A vacancy shall exist for the general election under the following circumstances.
- The number of candidates for office is less than twice the number of positions to be filled and a person ceases to be a candidate for the office for which he or she filed a candidate filing form in the primary election.
- No person was nominated for the office in the primary election.
- One of the candidates who received a certificate of nomination as a result of a primary election is ineligible, disqualified, deceased, or for any other reason unable to assume the office for which he or she was a candidate.
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- A candidate wishing to file for office by petition must complete, sign, and file a Petition Release Form with the Election Commission.
- Contents of Release Form
- Candidate's Name
- Election Name
- Office Sought
- Registered Address
- Party Affiliation
- Number of Petition Signatures Required
- Name of Political Subdivision
- Requested Number of Petition Pages
- Candidate Signature
- Election Commission Employee Signature
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- The potential candidate has until September 1st to submit petition pages and pay his or her filing fee (if required) in order to be placed on the ballot for the General Election.
- Qualified Petition Signers
- The petition signers must be registered voters of the same political district as the candidate seeking nomination.
- Required Number of Signatures
- Partisan Offices
- If the office is elected by voters of the entire state, then the number of signatures required must be at least 4,000. In addition, at least 50 signatures must be obtained in one third of the counties in Nebraska.
- If the office is elected by voters of a county or political subdivision, then the number of signatures required must be at least 20% of the number of votes cast for Governor or President in the most recent general election within the county or political subdivision, not to exceed 2,000 signatures.
- If the office is elected by voters of a county, then the number of signatures required cannot exceed one fourth of the total number of votes cast for that office in the most recent general election.
- Nonpartisan
- If the office is not the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska or a Class III school district, then the number of signatures required must be at least 10% of the number of votes cast for Governor or President in the most recent general election within the district or political subdivision, not to exceed 2,000 signatures. If the district is comprised of two or more counties, then at least 25 signatures must be obtained in each county that has at least one hundred voters in that political subdivision.
- If the office is the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, then the number of signatures required must be at least 10% of the number of votes cast for Governor or President in the most recent general election within the regent district, not to exceed 1,000 signatures. If the district is comprised of two or more counties, then at least 25 signatures must be obtained in two-fifths of the counties that are part of that regent district.
- If the office is a Class III school district, then the number of signatures required must be at least 20% of the votes cast in the most recent general election for the person receiving the most votes for that office.
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If there are sufficient signatures, the Election Commission will notify the candidate that he or she has met the signature requirement to be placed on the ballot. The candidate must file his or her acceptance of the nomination with the Election Commission within five days of receiving notice, otherwise, his or her name will not be printed on the ballot.
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A candidate who successfully gathers enough petition signatures will have his or her name placed on the ballot with the words "By Petition" printed beside his or her name.
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