The Green Party has been told that it submitted enough valid signatures to qualify in Nebraska this year. However, the Secretary of State is equivocating on whether he will place the party’s candidates for Secretary of State and State Auditor on the ballot. The question will probably be resolved on August 14.

Nebraska law permits a party to be qualified in just a single congressional district, or a single county. Nebraska has 3 U.S. House districts. During 2005 and 2006, the Green Party successfully completed a petition in each one of the state’s 3 U.S. House districts. Since the party is now a qualified party in all three districts, and those three districts comprise the entire state, it seems obvious to most neutral observers that the party is qualified statewide.

In 2004, the Green Party qualified with three separate U.S. House district petitions, and the Secretary of State acknowledged that the party was then qualified statewide. However, this year, the same Secretary of State is not so sure that the party is qualified for statewide office. This is peculiar, since he recognized the Constitution Party (called the Nebraska Party in that state) for the 2006 election, based on the party’s vote totals in two Public Service Commission races in 2004. Public Service Commissioners are elected from districts; they are not statewide offices.