Petition drives to put medical marijuana on the November ballot have come up short.

Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen announcing today that a pair of voter initiatives did not get the number of required signatures.

Evnen says both petitions had just shy of 78,000 names but needed nearly 87,000: that's 9,000 short.

The petitions also came up short of the requirement calling for valid signatures from 5 percent of voters in at least 38 counties.

One petition was 12 counties short, the other 11 short.

Crista Eggers, with Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana, says the results are far more than devastating, but adds the group will immediately get to work on another petition drive for 2024.

Among the key opponents of the push to legalize medical marijuana are Gov. Pete Ricketts and Husker football legend Tom Osborne.