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Missouri ballot proposes tough standard for constitutional amendments
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Missouri voters have recently passed constitutional amendments on abortion rights, marijuana legalization, sports betting, and Medicaid expansion, all through citizen initiatives.
- Proposed Amendment 4 would require citizen initiatives to win a majority in all eight congressional districts, not just a simple statewide majority, making it the strictest such standard in the U.S.
- Supporters argue the measure ensures statewide geographic consensus and prevents urban areas from dominating outcomes, while critics say it undermines majority rule and direct democracy.
- The proposal only affects citizen initiatives, leaving legislatively referred amendments subject to a simple statewide majority, creating a dual standard unique to Missouri.
- A coalition is working to place a countermeasure on the November ballot to protect citizen initiatives by requiring only a statewide majority and restricting legislative interference with voter-approved measures.
