Lincoln vote on gay rights won’t be in November

By   /   August 16, 2012  /   8 Comments

Lincoln residents won’t be voting on a gay rights ordinance in November – that much is for sure. Beyond that, the future is cloudy. 

Diane Gonzolas, an aide to Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler, said today that after discussions with Councilman Carl Eskridge, the Beutler administration has decided the issue won’t be placed on the November statewide general election ballot.

Diane Gonzolas, an aide to Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler, said today that after discussions with Councilman Carl Eskridge, the Beutler administration has decided the issue won’t be placed on the November statewide general election ballot.

Eskridge is out of town this week, Gonzolas said, and when he returns next week the Beutler administration will discuss “where we go from here.” Until then, she said, the mayor will have no comment.

Earlier this year, Eskridge introduced an ordinance that would have extended civil rights protection on the basis of sexuality or gender identity, but it was promptly referred to a vote of the people, with supporters of the referendum gathering 10,000 signatures – four times as many as they needed.

After that, the mayor said he’d like to see the vote as soon as possible.

However, the gay rights issue became even more divisive this summer when a Lincoln woman reported she was assaulted, bound and had anti-gay slurs carved into her skin. Police are still investigating that case, but have said they have no suspects.

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Deena Winter

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1709212272 Kirk Welch

    Just more of the same NE. RED State Garbage. I wouldn’t give ya a used condom for the whole lot of NE politicians. We had a couple of good people in the Legislature, they retired. Can’t blame them.

  • http://twitter.com/GerardHarbison Gerard Harbison

    Oh, I’m pretty sure they have one suspect.

  • Watching_From_Lincoln

    Would that be you, Gerard? Or are you trying to imply that Charlie some how managed to incise herself, then bind herself? If so, put up or shut up.

  • Watching_From_Lincoln

    Sad that it’s confirmed that Lincoln has at least 10,000 bigoted Homophobes. I expect so much more from my native city and its diverse melting pot of residents.

  • ProgressiveOasis

    I’m confident Lincoln voters will support the change. Lincoln is a growing progressive oasis and like all thngs that grow it will experience growing pains associated with it.

  • SusanSmithforLegislatureD11

    10,000 signatures were gathered to vote on the issue YET the Mayor and a city councilman decided the vote will NOT take place in the general election? Are you serious? Why does it seem like our elected officials have the right to override the system? Maybe the reporter of the article could tell us exactly what the procedure is and if the Mayor has the right to even make this decision.

  • racefish

    That makes no sense. Why put it off? Chances are it will be voted down anyway.

  • http://www.facebook.com/al.micek.3 Al Micek

    It will never pass is the reason it won’t be on the ballot, Beutler and Eskridge know it as well.