‘Respect Mo Voters’ Inform Sedalians of Citizen Initiative Petition Process

“Respect Missouri Voters” sponsored an informational meeting Tuesday at the Heckart Community Center, 1800 W. 3rd Street, in Sedalia, concerning the citizen initiative petition process.

Moderating the meeting was Alex Johnson, field director for Respect Mo Voters. The first half of the town hall meeting was educational, explaining how the initiative petition process works in Missouri. The second half was a training session for those wanting to volunteer to gather signatures of registered voters in the 4th Congressional District.

Johnson noted that Missouri is one of 11 states in the US with no law prohibiting legislators from overturning the will of the people. Also, the citizen initiative petition has been used in Missouri for 118 years.

There are three steps involved in the citizen initiative petition process, including writing the law or amendment, collecting signatures and convincing voters to say yes on Election Day.

Step 2 is currently in progress, Johnson noted.

There are two types of initiative petitions, including a statute or law, which requires signatures of least five percent of the number of voters who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election, and a Constitutional Amendment, which requires signatures of least eight percent of the number of voters who voted in the most recent gubernatorial election.

In the case of a state law that is passed by the voters, 100 legislators can vote to overturn the results.

In the case of a Constitutional Amendment, 100 legislators can place the issue on a future ballot to try and overturn it.

Therefore, Johnson, said, proposing a law requires fewer signatures, but is easier to overturn the will of the people.

For examples, Johnson noted that the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act (state law) passed by voters in 2010, and the Clean Missouri Anti-Corruption Redistricting Amendment passed by voters in 2018, were both later overturned by state legislators.

The Puppy Mill law was overturned in 2011, and the Anti-corruption Amendment was overturned in 2020.

“Ballot candy” was involved in 2020, when the attorney general re-wrote the ballot language to try and confuse voters. And it worked.

Johnson stated that Missouri’s attorney general has re-written ballot language a total of five times recently. Is that really necessary?

Johnson noted that as part of the AG’s rewrite, it states that foreign money is prohibited in initiative campaigns. That is true, Johnson said, but it is already illegal, and adding that to the ballot language is meant to purposely confuse the voter. So be aware of that when you see it on Election Day on the ballot.

As for Amendment 4, citizen-led ballot initiatives must win at least 50 percent of the vote in all eight Congressional Districts to pass.

By contrast, only a simple majority is needed for legislators when they place an issue on the ballot for it to pass an become law.

Currently, Respect Mo Voters has achieved roughly half its signature goal. All of those signatures were gathered by volunteers. But expect paid signature gatherers to arrive on scene as the campaign progresses, Johnson said.

Those who stayed for the second half of the program Tuesday evening received training on how to gather signatures on a petition. “You can leave with the ability to gather signatures,” Johnson promised.

Policy goals for Respect Mo Voters include:

*Banning Missouri politicians from deceiving voters with confusing ballot language

*Banning Missouri politicians from overturning measures that voters have already approved

*Banning Missouri politicians from attacking citizens’ ability to utilize the initiative process.

Get our free mobile app

Johnson told KSIS afterwards that “We have a lot of volunteers in Sedalia that want to get more involved. We want to make sure they have the opportunities to step up and do the work they believe in.”

He added that “I think the initiative process allow people who don’t feel like they’re being represented, to have that voice.”

Johnson said that “it feels really good to see a roomful of dedicated people who know that their voices are powerful and to care enough about the state of Missouri … that they’re not doing it for themselves, they’re doing it for their grandkids and their great grandkids to make sure they still have a voice.”