Bill to change Missouri’s Ballot Initiative Process Advances

(MisosuriNet) Some Missouri Republican lawmakers are working to make it harder for voters to get an initiative on the ballot.

A bill aim at changing the ballot initiative process advanced Monday evening in the House of Representative.

It would require signatures of 10-percent from all Missouri’s congressional districts from the current requirement of 10-percent of voters from two-thirds of the state’s congressional districts in order to get a measure on the ballot.

It’s being seen by many as reaction to some liberal ballot measures that voters approved over the past two election cycles.

Since 2018, ballot initiatives in our state have led to voters overturning a right-to-work law, legalizing medical marijuana and expanding eligibility for Medicaid.

Representative David Smith from Boone County says the change would only make an already difficult process even harder.

Republican lawmakers say changes are needed because the current ballot initiative process has given too much power to outside interest groups.

The sponsor of the measure, Republican Mike Henderson of St. Francois County says the change will still be up to Missouri voters.