LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Supporters of a higher minimum wage in Nebraska are wasting little time in gathering signatures to place the issue on the November ballot.

The group Nebraskans for Better Wages is aiming to have 83,000 verified signatures by July 3, the deadline to put the question before voters in the general election.

State Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha, a spokesman for the group, says organizers have met their initial targets for the petition drive, and he’s confident they’ll succeed.

The ballot measure would let voters decide whether to incrementally raise Nebraska’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9 by January 2016.

The campaign has received major contributions from union groups. Business groups that oppose the measure are also considering a campaign that would challenge the ballot measure.