Missouri should make it easier, not harder, for voters to get petitions on the ballot Read more at:
Pat Goodwin - Vote411 | Published on 2/27/2023
The citizen initiative petition process is the most direct form of voter participation in our democracy.
This valuable and trusted process has been enshrined in the Missouri Constitution for more than 100 years.
The people resort to the initiative petition, especially regarding changes to the state constitution, only because they feel their voice isn’t being heard.
Women in the Missouri suffragist movement used the then-new initiative petition process in 1913 to get the voting rights question on the ballot, going through the very difficult process of traveling around the state to collect thousands of signatures for a ballot measure.
The League of Women Voters of Missouri is opposed to any effort by the General Assembly to make this process more difficult.
This year, members of the legislature have introduced more than two dozen bills that would make it harder for the people to exercise their right to the initiative petition, proposing various ways to change the process for gathering signatures and/or raise the threshold for passage, such as requiring signatures from more congressional districts than currently needed, or a higher threshold of votes on the ballot for approval. One would require approval by 50% of all registered voters in the state, and not just those who vote in that election (which is probably impossible for any vote).
Ironically, a simple majority of the Missouri House and Senate — no more than 100 votes needed — could approve a resolution to get a proposed change to the initiative petition process on the ballot, and the threshold for voter approval would be a simple majority.
Legislators in favor of these changes express concerns that there are too many amendments to the Missouri Constitution, implying that this is because of the citizen initiative process. The people of Missouri have not abused this right. In more than a century, just 29 citizen-initiated state constitutional amendments have ever been approved, compared to 133 of the 246 amendments put forth by the General Assembly. Many more proposed citizen initiatives never got enough signatures to make it to the ballot.
Some legislators argue that money is coming from outside the state to support ballot measures. But increasing the signature requirement or approval thresholds would make the process even more expensive, impeding efforts by grassroots organizations.
This shouldn’t be a partisan question. The initiative petition has worked for both conservative and liberal causes , showing that it is a valuable and valued part of our heritage and works for Missourians of all different points of view.
When Democrats controlled the Missouri legislature, then-Gov. John Ashcroft, a Republican, said: “It is through the initiative process that those who have no influence with elected representatives may take their cause directly to the people.”
It has always been and still is a difficult process, requiring hundreds of thousands of signatures by voters and a majority result at the polls, so it is not taken lightly. While it would be preferable to use the initiative process to change statutes rather than amending the state constitution, legislators have been quick to reverse voter-approved statutory changes.
Do not underestimate the voters of Missouri. Proof of their knowledge was shown in the example of the November 2018 election, when there were three separate items on the ballot about marijuana. The voters chose wisely and thoughtfully.
If members of the legislature want to improve the process, they should consider making it more efficient for county clerks and election officials to check petition signatures.
To respond to criticism that the people don’t understand ballot issues, it would be of great benefit for the voters to require that language of any ballot issue be clear and not misleading, whether from the General Assembly or by citizen initiative, and perhaps provide nonpartisan pro/con information about every ballot issue in hearings around the state.
Don’t make Missouri’s initiative petition process more difficult. Make it better.
Marilyn McLeod is president of the League of Women Voters of Missouri.
Read more at: https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article272596922.html#storylink=cpy