Latest News from the Governor's Office

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Governor, Secretary of State and Election Officials Host News Conference on Ballot Petition Process

LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen, Secretary of State Bob Evnen, and county election officials stood side-by-side to address recent investigations into ballot petition efforts. In addition to discussing how fraudulent signatures were uncovered, they also discussed potential measures for ensuring that signature gathering is made more secure going forward.

“I want to thank everyone for all the incredible work done by our local county election commissioners across Nebraska. It’s a heavy lift and a lot of responsibility to make sure that all of that is reviewed and all the numbers run,” said Gov. Pillen. “At the end of the day, election integrity is about protecting the voice of every legal Nebraska voter and making sure every Nebraskan knows that when they get out and vote, their voice is heard and they have 100% confidence in it.”

Nebraska currently utilizes a multi-layer process designed to detect and eliminate fraudulent signatures long before any ballot initiative reaches certification. Local election staff perform rigorous line-by-line references, matching petition signatures directly against the state’s centralized voter registration database to verify active voter status, residential addresses, and dates of birth. Through this systematic verification process, election officials are consistently able to flag irregularities.

“We owe a great debt of gratitude to our county election officials,” said Sec. Evnen. “They are the ones who performed the signature verification process, and they are the ones who detected the fraudulent signatures among the submitted petitions. Their work ensured that only valid signatures were accepted and only petitions which had sufficient valid signatures were certified.”

Over 767,000 signatures, across 17 submitted petitions, were reviewed by county and state election officials this year.

Upon receiving petitions, the Secretary of State’s office assigns each page a unique identification number. Over 85,000 petition pages were paginated this year, before routing them to local counties. By law, county officials have only 40 calendar days to complete signature verification, continuing until they reach 110% of the required threshold for each petition. Whenever fraud is suspected, county election officials notify the Secretary of State’s office and are encouraged to contact law enforcement.

The news conference highlighted the significant administrative strain that high volumes of questionable entries place on local election offices during tight statutory review windows.

“Douglas County processed nearly 349,000 total petition signature lines and found suspected fraud in the same petitions as other counties, using the same prescribed steps and verification processes,” noted Douglas County Election Commissioner Danielle Jensen. “Because of the high volume of pages with suspected fraud, three weeks of employee overtime was required to complete the petitions on schedule, which resulted in a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

Despite these operational pressures, election leadership reaffirmed that the verification safeguards worked exactly as intended by identifying the fraudulent signatures before they could ever reach the ballot.

“The bottom line here is that the Nebraska system works,” said Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet. “It was and is successful in identifying fraudulent signatures, which then are not counted toward the thresholds needed to put measures on the ballot.”

While Nebraska’s backend verification successfully caught the largest attempted electoral fraud in state history, Gov. Pillen emphasized that catching bad actors at the finish line is not enough. To protect taxpayers and prevent election staff from being overwhelmed, proactive reforms must be implemented to stop fraud on the front end before bad signatures make it onto a petition page.

“As election officials, our role is to give purpose to the efforts of those Nebraskans that have signed a petition. We must also safeguard the petition process so that all Nebraskans have confidence in them,” said Todd Wiltgen, Lancaster County election commissioner.

During the news conference, Gov. Pillen emphasized his stance against out-of-state special interests and their ability to purchase access to the Nebraska ballot through pay-per-signature financial incentives. To nullify that impact, Gov. Pillen said it was important to remove aggressive quotas, thereby reducing the flood of invalid or fraudulent entries that tend to swamp local election offices during tight statutory review windows.

In addition, he stood in support of moving from a piece-rate system to an hourly compensation system. The goal of this transition is to remove direct financial incentives for meeting rapid daily requirements, and instead encourage thorough, accurate, and lawful conversations with everyday Nebraskans rather than high-speed quota chasing.

“Enforcing line-by-line verification, removing financial incentives, and supporting our dedicated county officials will continue to ensure that our ballots remain secure, transparent, and driven strictly by Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen.

Gov. Pillen speaks on integrity in the ballot petition process, thanking county election officials for discovering fraudulent signature pages

Sec. Evnen recognizes county election workers for their role in verifying signatures and detecting the fraudulent petition pages

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Carla Felix, DWEE, (402) 471-4223

Gov. Pillen Highlights Plainview’s Effort to Improve Drinking Water Infrastructure

PLAINVIEW, NE — Plainview is the second community in Nebraska to be recognized by Governor Jim Pillen for its efforts in improving water infrastructure for residents.  He was joined by Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) Director Jesse Bradley at a news conference highlighting the use of state funding resources to support critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the state.

Plainview is partnering with DWEE to finalize financial assistance for a new wellfield project through Nebraska’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) program. Plainview’s existing water supply wells have elevated nitrate levels. The new wellfield will provide a safe and reliable source of drinking water for Plainview’s residents.

“Nebraska’s State Revolving Fund is a powerful example of state and local government working together to solve real problems,” said Gov. Pillen. “This is an important investment in the future of Plainview and the health and safety of its residents – and we’re able to do it in a way that is responsible and affordable for the city.”

The State’s Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF programs provide low-interest loans and loan forgiveness to communities for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects, respectively. Plainview’s project is expected to cost $8 million. Through the SRF program, Plainview will receive 42% loan forgiveness, with the remaining financed at a 2% interest rate. This is expected to save Plainview residents over $10 million in repayments over the life of the financing. 

Plainview Mayor Bob Smith said the SRF program has kept communities moving forward and has helped provide Nebraskans great places to live.

“The City of Plainview has been dealing with nitrate in our drinking water for many years. The solution to fix this problem, likewise, has been many years in the making,” Smith said. “We’re grateful for the use of the SRF funds to finance our project. It lessens the financial burden on our city as we bring safe drinking water to our citizens and plan for our future.”

DWEE Director Jesse Bradley highlighted Plainview’s historical commitment to improving its wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. The city had previously received $1 million in SRF assistance to construct wastewater lagoons and other critical infrastructure needs.

“These projects are investments in reliable drinking water, wastewater treatment, and the protection of Nebraska’s water resources,” noted Bradley. “While this benefits the state as a whole, these infrastructure improvements also support the community’s long-term stability and growth.”

Since their inception, Nebraska’s SRF programs have provided more than $1.75 billion in assistance across 713 loans to 326 communities. DWEE expects to fund roughly 40 new projects over the next two years, totaling approximately $220 million. These programs operate as a revolving fund, so repaid dollars continuously cycle back into the program to benefit additional communities.

“The state’s involvement in infrastructure development is critical to helping our communities grow. This issue is important and I commend the leadership in this room for tackling it head on” added Gov. Pillen

Last month, Gov. Pillen and Dir. Bradley met with city officials in Ogallala to announce SRF funding assistance for upgrades to its wastewater treatment facility. Information about the funding for that project.

Gov. Pillen highlights Plainview’s effort to improve drinking water infrastructure

DWEE Dir. Bradley speaks about SRF program at Plainview news conference 

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Announces and Encourages Use of AI Chatbot on State Website, Nebraska.gov

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen has announced the addition of a new feature on the state’s primary website – a resident-assistance chatbot. The Nebraska Navigator as it is known, went live on Sept. 1. Installation on the newly designed website marks the second phase of the AI chatbot project, which began as a pilot involving the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

“Results from the DMV pilot project were very impressive and now we’re ready to expand its use to even more people,” said Gov. Pillen. “This project aligns with my administration’s goals of providing improved service delivery to citizens, streamlining state resources and meeting the needs of people through the newest forms of technology.”

The first phase of the project started in December 2025, with Ask the DMV. Previously, visitors to the DMV’s website would have to navigate the site on their own to find the information they were seeking. Using artificial intelligence, Ask the DMV was able to direct users to answers much more quickly and efficiently.

In addition, the chatbot was available 24/7 and able to assist users in a variety of languages. Results from the initial pilot demonstrated strong public interest and measurable benefits:

• A 20% reduction in call volume
• More than 188,000 questions received
• 19% of interactions occurring between midnight and 6 a.m., well outside regular business hours
• Service provided in 50 languages
• An increase in online transactions and a corresponding decrease in in-person transactions month over month

The Nebraska State Records Board is funding the statewide AI chatbot using transactional funds generated when residents pay for online government services through Tyler Technologies Nebraska. Upon reviewing the results of the DMV pilot project, the Records Board moved quickly to support a statewide model.

Testing has been a significant part of the pre-launch process.  State teams evaluated the program using more than 5,000 questions. It went live with a 95% success rate. Public beta testing will help refine the system.

That phase is expected to continue into October. During that time, visitors to Nebraska.gov are encouraged to try out the Nebraska Navigator and provide feedback about their experience.  The results will help inform when the program is able to be implemented at an agency level. 

Additional information about the DMV pilot project

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Hosts USDA Secretary Rollins for Nebraska Cattle Industry Roundtable

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins Monday evening for a roundtable discussion with Nebraska cattle producers to address key economic and environmental challenges facing the cattle industry. The event followed a visit by the USDA Secretary to the Nebraska State Fair where she announced a platform of initiatives aimed at addressing beef prices for consumers, expanding the nation’s cattle herd, as well as processing capacity.

During the one-hour meeting hosted in the Governor’s Hearing Room at the State Capitol, Gov. Pillen and Sec. Rollins heard from nearly 15 invited ranchers from across the state who offered their perspectives, as well as suggestions for supporting their industry.

“We want to ensure that Sec. Rollins hears directly from Nebraska cattlemen. Agriculture is the lifeblood of our state, and when our cattle industry thrives, all of Nebraska thrives,” said Gov. Pillen. “Agriculture is the top of the spear of our economy and if our producers are doing well, everybody is doing well.”

During the meeting and speaking later to invited media, Sec. Rollins outlined the USDA’s Ranchers First Initiative, a federal effort aimed at rebuilding the nation’s cattle herd, which now sits at a 75-year low.

“We hear this over and over, that if we lose more ranches, if this trend continues, then we will lose freedom in this country. Where there is beef, there is freedom. If we’re not able to feed and fuel ourselves, we will no longer know the American dream,” Rollins said.

The USDA’s actions build on the department’s October 2025 Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry and are designed to provide ranchers with additional risk management tools while addressing processing capacity and market concerns. The five-point plan includes expanding support and resources for new ranchers, including veterans; expediting recovery from natural disasters; a heifer retention program for boosting breeding herds; prioritizing the availability of American beef in schools, hospitals, prisons and other institutions; and strengthening small and regional processing facilities.

“I’m grateful to Sec. Rollins for being here to listen directly to our ranchers. I know how hard she is fighting for America’s producers and in particular, Nebraska’s,” said Gov Pillen. “I am proud to partner with her as we plow ahead together to strengthen our ag economy.”

Gov. Pillen and Sec. Rollins Discuss with Ranchers at a Roundtable

Sec. Rollins speaks with reporters alongside local ranchers following a roundtable discussion

Gov. Pillen highlights the importance of backing Nebraska ranchers and thanks Sec. Rollins for her support 

CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Announces Appointments to Boards & Commissions

LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced appointments made to boards and commissions from May 1, 2026 through July 31, 2026.

A list of current board and commission openings can be found on the Governor’s website (Current Openings for Boards and Commissions), along with instructions on completing an application.

Board of Educational Lands and Funds

Jeffrey White – Norfolk

Board of Engineers & Architects

Trenton Reed – Lincoln

Board of Emergency Medical Services

Joel Cerny – Schuyler

Robin Darnall – Harrisburg

Dale Dibbs – Kearney

Todd Hovey – McCook

Carolyn Moore – Valentine

Dion Neumiller – Broken Bow

Deborah Wiens - Omaha

Board of Public Roads Classifications & Standards

Chris Jacobsen – Broken Bow

James McDonald – David City

Barbara Keegan – Hemingford

Kent Andersen - Lemoyne

Bruce Filipi - Milligan

Nathan Sorben - Waverly

Conveyance Advisory Committee

Josh Josoff – Omaha

Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education

Beth Forney - Alliance        

Corn Development, Utilization & Marketing Board

Michael Bergen – Aurora

Matt Sullivan - Superior

County Attorney Standards Advisory Council

Michael Adamowicz – Lincoln

Patrick Condon – Lincoln

Michael Friend – Bennington

Shawn Hagerty - Omaha

Donald Kleine – Omaha

Crime Victim’s Reparations Committee

Weysan Dun – Omaha

Mike Jones – Papillion

Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee

Paula A Dodds – Omaha

Shane Hunter - Omaha

Matthew Kasik – Lincoln

Kristene Larsen - Lincoln

Mark Shriver - Omaha

Alexis Schweitzer – Lincoln

Joseph Valenti - Omaha

Tiffany Wilson - Lincoln

Dry Pea and Lentil Commission

Logan Govier – Broken Bow

Tyler Hughes – Imperial

Economic Forecasting Advisory Board

Matthew Miltenberger – Omaha

Grape & Winery Board

Michael (Mick) McDowell – St Paul

Jennifer Reeder – Lincoln

Health Information Technology Board

Ronald Klein – Norfolk

Stephen Salzbrenner – Omaha

Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision

Bob Denton – Lincoln

Susan Penner – Lincoln

Interstate Compact for Juveniles

Abbie Christian – Lincoln

Jail Standards Board

Brad Alexander – Plattsmouth

Jacci Brown – Champion

Vonnie Cotant – Gering

Keith Harvat – Omaha

Jesse Jensen – Madison

Marc A Leonardo - Omaha

Nebraska Board of Geologists

Nancy Mann – Lincoln

Nebraska Children’s Commission

Clarice Jackson – Omaha

Nancy Lyon – Kearney

Nebraska Commission on Problem Gambling

Jonathan Gayer – Lincoln

Kelly Lambert – Trumbull

Claudia Moore – Omaha

Nebraska Craft Brewery Board

Nathan Hoeft – Hastings

Nikolai Knezovich – Lincoln

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission

Nicholas Baxter – Omaha

Daniel O’Neill – North Platte

Aly Williams - Fremont

Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission

Arla Meyer - Lincoln

Nebraska Hall of Fame Commission

Sara B Crook – Peru

Johnny Rodgers - Omaha

Lisa Roskens - Omaha

Nebraska Information Technology Commission

Paul Biodrowski – Papillion

James Ediger – Aurora

Richard Haugerud – Lincoln

Nebraska-Ireland Commission

Rodney Kempkes – Omaha

Dr Eric J Neuman – Omaha

Nebraska Natural Resources Commission

Donald Batie – Lexington

Devin Brundage – Gothenburg

Brad Dunbar – Omaha

Larry Mohrman – Columbus

Walter Strauch - Mitchell

Rich Walters - Kearney

Nebraska Real Estate Commission

Michael George – Plattsmouth

Nebraska State Colleges Board of Trustees

Angela Stenger - Norfolk

Reentry Continuity Advisory Board

Diane Good – Omaha

State Board of Health

Dr Micah Kohles – Louisville

State Records Board

Sean Blocher – Elkhorn

Beau Reid – Waterloo

Workforce Development Board

Jordan Diedrich – Gering

Gregory Hamm – Fort Calhoun

Brandon Kelliher – North Platte

Heath Mello – Omaha

Eric J Stueckrath – Omaha

Wyuka Cemetery Board of Trustees

Brad Brodersen - Lincoln