Amendment 4 destroys 118 years of Missouri tradition
This August, politicians in Jefferson City want to take away your voting power.
A promise was written into the Missouri Constitution 118 years ago: “The people reserve power to propose and enact or reject laws and amendments to the constitution by the initiative, independent of the general assembly.”
The initiative process is our ultimate check and balance. When politicians refuse to listen, it gives voters the power to step in and fix things. Signatures from hundreds of thousands of Missourians throughout the state are collected to place an amendment or proposition on the ballot for the people’s vote. Citizen-led initiatives brought changes such as term limits, legalized marijuana, crack down on lobbyist gifts to politicians, limits on taxation without voter approval, minimum wage increase, and expansion of Medicaid.
Amendment 4 ruins that balance. It changes the rules to make it nearly impossible for citizen initiatives to pass. By forcing a vote to win a majority in all eight congressional districts, a tiny minority of Missouri voters in just one area could cancel out a landslide statewide win.
Former Governor John Ashcroft warned against this back in 1992, vetoing a similar attack: “It is through the initiative process that those who have no influence with elective representatives may take their cause directly to the people.”
Politicians are trying to kill this check on their power. Learn more about Amendment 4 at RespectMOVoters.org/a4, and on August 4 vote NO on Amendment 4.
Thank you.
Nancy Zeliff
Skidmore MO
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