Should voters in Nebraska be able to determine whether or not the state expands gambling in 2022? That might seem like a no-brainer for anyone with a child’s working knowledge of US politics, but for Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen, it wasn’t quite so cut-and-dry.
Sec. Evnen is scared of the will of the people that he unilaterally pulled a ballot initiative asking Nebraska voters to expand gambling from this year’s ballot. He thought the measure was worded incorrectly and, somehow, would lead to rogue tribal gaming operations.
While the Secretary, no doubt, had nothing but good intentions when it came to removing the initiative from the ballot, the Nebraska Supreme Court thought otherwise. In a 4-3 decision, the Court ruled that Sec. Evnen had exceeded his authority in pulling the measure from the ballot and that it must be returned.
This decision was music to the ears of the folks behind the Keep the Money in Nebraska (KMN) foundation that is spearheading the effort to bring regulated gambling to the Cornhusker State. This group is keen on keeping Nebraska players from crossing state lines and gambling in nearby Iowa. In a statement reported on by Casino.org a spokesperson for KMN said, “We’re thrilled that the 475,000 Nebraskans who signed the petitions get the chance to vote on the initiatives this fall. On a bigger scale, the decision affirms the importance of the referendum process within Nebraska politics.” He added that Evnen’s office was to draw the ballot numbers yesterday, and that it was set to draw ballot numbers as a result. He asserted, Once we have that information, we’ll be able to inform our voters on how to continue to support the initiatives during the election this fall. Nebraskans have made it very clear that want to keep their money in Nebraska.”
At this point, all anyone can do is hope for the best from the Nebraska voters.