County-City Building in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Jeff Motz/KFOR News)LINCOLN–(KFOR/KOLN Sept. 1)–Looks like there is a push from the City of Lincoln to have the Nebraska Supreme Court dismiss a lawsuit from Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers over the three Good Government Lincoln charter petitio ns, saying he does not have a legal right to force them into place on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. According to KFOR’s media partner, 10/11 News, the city on Monday evening responded by asking the state’s high court to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning Hilgers could not bring the same challenge again. The city also state that it has no clear obligation to place petitions on the ballot this year and that Hilgers does not have the legal right to interfere with its decision. Justices on the state supreme court will decide the next steps in the matter. Good Government Lincoln submitted the first group of petition signatures in July, but more than 65% of them were rejected by the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s Office, with about 70% of those rejected allegedly having fraudulent signatures. That’s resulted in the arrest of at least six people from outside of Nebraska circulating those petitions. Good Government Lincoln turned in a second batch of signatures on Aug. 19. More than 9,000 signatures were submitted for each of the three proposed city charter amendments introduced by former state senator Tony Fulton. Each of the petitions was certified by Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen and given to the Lincoln City Clerk.  The petitions include changes to the city’s elections, including allowing those living just outside Lincoln’s city limits to vote in municipal elections and putting in term limits to the Lincoln City Council. Hilgers sent a letter to City Attorney Yohance Christie on Aug. 25 asking whether the Lincoln City Council or City Clerk intended to submit each of the three petitions to the election commissioner by the statutory deadline for the issues to appear on the ballot. Christie said there is a legal process the city must follow, including two readings before the City Council with the opportunity for public comment. There’s simply not enough time, he said Friday afternoon. In a statement later that day, Christie said the petitions missed the deadline and will be placed on the May 2027 ballot. ...read more read less