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Nebraska death penalty foes challenge ballot measure

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska death penalty opponents allege in a lawsuit that a ballot measure to reinstate the punishment is invalid because Gov. Pete Ricketts wasn't listed as a sponsor.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Lancaster County District Court argues that Ricketts should have been named because of his efforts to organize the Nebraskans for the Death Penalty campaign.

Nebraskans for the Death Penalty announced last month that it had collected nearly 167,000 signatures, more than three times the minimum number needed to place the issue on the November 2016 ballot. The drive was launched after lawmakers overrode Ricketts' veto and abolished capital punishment.

The lawsuit says petition signers should have been told the "true and actual sponsors" of the referendum drive because it could have influenced their decision.

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