LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – Nebraska voters overwhelmingly passed two medical marijuana initiatives during Tuesday’s general election.

Two measures — one that legalizes medical marijuana and another that creates an entity to regulate it — both passed with ease, showing that more than 65% of Nebraskans voted in favor of the initiatives.

Crista Eggers of Gretna, whose son suffers from debilitating seizures, has been at the forefront of the campaign to get the issue on the ballot for more than a decade, spoke to 6 News Tuesday evening.

“I don’t think there are words to describe what tonight feels like after more than a decade of healthcare providers’ patience, fighting and educating and advocating for access to cannabis for their loved ones,” Eggers said. “To see all that on the ballot and Nebraskans finally making their voices heard – I don’t know if there are words.”

ELECTION 2024

To draw attention to the issue, advocates had to organize a months-long petition drive, collecting more than 230,000 signatures between the two petitions. Still, the victory for the measures’ proponents doesn’t come without some hint of concern, as they still await a judge’s decision on whether or not some of those signatures are tainted.

On Monday, Lancaster County District Court Judge Susan Strong took the case under advisement and asked for the remaining documents to be filed quickly so the state Supreme Court has time to hear the expected appeal.

A decision must be made before results are certified on December 2. If the judge determines that enough signatures have been contaminated — about 3,500 — it’s possible Tuesday’s results could be declared invalid.

Organizers with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana tell 6 News the overwhelming results from voters should speak for themselves.

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