Nebraska Received Over 23,000 Signatures for Two New Parties
Two separate groups filed signatures with the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office this week to qualify as official political parties before the November 2026 general election. Both efforts cleared the required threshold on paper, but verification is still pending.
The Nebraska Working People Party submitted an estimated 8,000 to 12,000 signatures on Tuesday, July 15, 2026, according to a Secretary of State spokesperson. The America First Party submitted 15,523 signatures the following morning. Nebraska law requires roughly 6,700 valid signatures to establish a new official party.
15,523 signatures filed by the America First Party, more than twice Nebraska’s ~6,700-signature threshold
If the Secretary of State’s Office verifies the signatures, both parties gain the legal right to place candidates on Nebraska’s November ballot. Nebraska currently recognizes four official parties: Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, and Legal Marijuana NOW.
Democrats Accuse the Working People Party of Being a Spoiler Operation
The Working People Party effort is drawing sharp accusations from Nebraska Democrats. The sponsor listed on paperwork is Robin Richards, a registered Democrat who lost a write-in campaign in Legislative District 12 earlier this year. After that loss, Richards endorsed the incumbent in that race.
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb publicly blamed U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts for backing the Working People Party effort.
“Nebraska is fighting to end corrupt one-party Republican rule, and these sore losers would rather cash a billionaire’s check than put their egos aside and help protect democracy for all.”
Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair, July 2026
Kleeb’s charge is an attribution, not a confirmed financial link. No public disclosure documents have yet surfaced showing direct Ricketts funding.
The America First Party’s sponsor, John Cartier, is the Omaha Tribe’s Attorney General. He also serves as treasurer for the Legal Marijuana NOW Party’s U.S. Senate nominee. Nebraska Republican Party Chair Mary Jane Truemper said Republicans respect the right to gather signatures but remain focused on electing Republicans in November.
What You Can Do Now
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Track the signature verification timeline. Contact the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office directly at (402) 471-2554 or visit sos.nebraska.gov to ask when verification results for both parties will be made public. Verification timelines affect ballot access deadlines.
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Contact your Nebraska state senator. If you believe Nebraska’s ballot access threshold is too low or too high, call the Nebraska Legislature’s public hotline at (402) 471-2271 and ask your senator to review party qualification rules before the next session.
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Review Nebraska’s campaign finance disclosures. If you want to follow the money behind either new party effort, search sponsor names at the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission to see whether any funding has been reported.
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Register to vote or update your registration. New party lines on the November ballot mean more choices. Confirm your registration status and party affiliation at sos.nebraska.gov/elections before Nebraska’s registration deadline.
Sources
Nebraska Examiner: Two New Nebraska Party Signature Drives Submitted to Secretary of State Nebraska Secretary of State: Official Political Party Requirements and Election Law Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission: Campaign Finance Search