OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tea Rohrberg recounted an incident in Omaha, Nebraska, where she unwittingly signed a petition she believed supported abortion rights after being approached outside her county’s treasurer’s office. Rohrberg, a supporter of abortion access, later discovered she had signed a petition from Protect Women and Children, advocating to codify Nebraska’s new 12-week abortion ban into the state constitution. Feeling misled, she took steps to officially remove her name and signed a petition from Protect Our Rights, which seeks to safeguard abortion rights.

Rohrberg’s experience is one of many. The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office reported receiving 91 affidavits by late Friday from voters seeking to retract their signatures from abortion-related petitions. The majority sought removal from petitions advocating abortion bans, citing misleading tactics.

Accusations of deceptive practices abound between opposing groups. Allie Berry, campaign manager for Protect Our Rights, accused organizers supporting the 12-week ban of deliberately misleading voters. Conversely, Sandy Danek, Executive Director of Nebraska Right to Life, stated similar claims from anti-abortion allies against abortion rights petition circulators.

Nebraska is one of several states where ballot initiatives concerning abortion rights are contentious. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to diminish federal abortion protections, Nebraska’s Republican-led government moved to impose strict abortion regulations. Efforts included a failed total abortion ban and, more recently, a 12-week ban with limited exceptions.

While anti-abortion groups continue to push for stricter measures, including recognizing embryos as people, support for abortion rights remains significant among Nebraska voters. Recent surveys indicate a majority favor legal abortion in most cases, particularly to safeguard maternal health.

The petition to enshrine a 12-week abortion ban in Nebraska’s constitution is largely funded by wealthy individuals and groups, including Senator Pete Ricketts. The Nebraska Catholic Conference has also actively supported these efforts, despite acknowledging challenges in gaining public support for more stringent bans.