Three citizen-led ballot initiatives will appear on Missouri’s November ballot. They are:
- Amendment 2 — Amend Missouri’s constitution by legalizing sports betting in Missouri
- Amendment 3 — Amend Missouri’s constitution by removing Missouri’s ban on abortion and guaranteeing a woman’s right to have an abortion and access to contraceptives without governmental interference
- Proposition A — Amend state law by raising Missouri’s minimum wage and requiring all employers to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked
The Missouri Secretary of State’s office has certified all three, saying they’ve met the minimum requirement of valid signatures collected from voters.
Reactions to the approved ballot questions are pouring in. Mary McCleod, President of the League of Women Voters of Missouri, praised the approval of Amendment 3.
“Missouri currently bans abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape, incest or the health of the mother,” McCleod said in a statement. “I think a large majority of Missouri voters oppose that extreme ban and will vote to restore reproductive freedom and protect women’s health on Nov. 5.”
Supporters of bringing sports betting to Missouri are also celebrating, including St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III.
“Missouri is now just one step away from joining most other states in legalizing sports betting and being able to provide millions of dollars to Missouri classrooms,” DeWitt said. “On behalf of all six of Missouri’s professional sports teams, I would like to thank everyone who signed a petition to get this on the ballot. A vote for Amendment 2 in November is the right thing to do for both Missouri public schools and our favorite sports teams.”
Labor and workers’ rights groups are sounding off as well on Proposition A’s certification.
“Allowing workers to earn paid sick days and increasing the minimum wage is a huge step in the right direction,” said Lora Gulley, Director of Community Mobilization/Advocacy at General Health in St. Louis. “Developing a pro-family economy is good for the entire state and I’m ready to work hard this fall to ensure Missouri voters understand the opportunity we have to pass Proposition A and enable more families to thrive.”
One citizen ballot question did not get enough signatures, though – one that would have granted a gaming license to a proposed casino on the Osage River near the Lake of the Ozarks. Plans had already been drawn up for a casino resort, hotel, and convention center that would have been located just off U.S. Highway 54 below Bagnell Dam. Organizers will have to try again in two years or hope that Missouri lawmakers craft their own proposal.
Citizen-led ballot initiatives only need a simple majority, 50%-plus, in order to pass.
There are also two proposed constitutional amendment that were passed by the Missouri House and Senate earlier this year: Amendment 6 would secure funding for salaries and benefits for sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys; and Amendment 7 would mandate that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections in Missouri and would also ban rank-choice ballots, in which voters would rank where a candidate appears on a ballot by preference. Candidates on Missouri’s ballots are currently listed based on the order they registered to run for office.
The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 5th.
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