Nebraska Attorney General Pursues Fees in Lincoln Ballot Case
The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office is asking Lincoln to cover more than $19,000 in legal costs tied to a dispute over three charter amendments. The state Supreme Court had ordered the city to put the measures on the November ballot. A city official characterized the fee request as an attempt to intimidate local leaders politically, while Attorney General Mike Hilgers said seeking costs after prevailing in a court order compelling the city to act is routine.
The dispute traces to a September 9 Nebraska Supreme Court order requiring Lincoln to place three charter amendments on the November ballot. The Attorney General’s Office moved on September 18 to recover costs for 61 hours of work by three solicitors, billed at $375 and $300 hourly rates.
City officials had argued the measures belonged on a May city general election ballot under the Nebraska Constitution, and that a compressed timeline after signature verification left little room before the state’s September 1 deadline. The petitions, backed by Good Government Lincoln and Tony Fulton, addressed election timing, council term limits, and nonresident voting.
The fee request could affect how local officials weigh legal challenges against state agencies, especially when ballot deadlines are tight. Lincoln taxpayers may ultimately bear the cost if the court awards fees, while voters could see the dispute shape perceptions of the amendments. It may also influence future petition campaigns and city-state relations, though the practical outcome depends on the court’s ruling.