In the first decade of the twentieth century, Missouri joined a number of states during that era, many located west of the Mississippi River, in creating an initiative petition and referendum (IP) process, through which Missouri’s citizens could directly enact changes to Missouri’s constitution and statues. Between 1910 and 1922, Missouri voters placed close to 100 initiatives on the ballot, approving approximately 45% of the measures. These included a limitation on state and local taxes, state legislator term limits, and Medicaid expansion.
Recent years have seen the IP process at the center of competing interests. While current state law requires that a petition receives a minimum number of signatures to make the ballot (currently 170,215 signatures for constitutional amendments and 106,384 signatures for statutory amendments), including a minimum number of signatures in six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts, many have called for reforming the IP process, including raising the minimum standards for ballot placement. Others view the IP process as essential to Missourian’s ability to act where its General Assembly has not or will not act. These tensions are currently demonstrated by the General Assembly’s passage this year of a Senate Joint Resolution to ask the voters to overturn an abortion rights amendment passed by voters through the IP process last November; and by some public interest groups recent filing of proposed IPs to address the legislature’s statutory revision to the state’s sick leave law, which also passed last year through Missouri’s IP process.
Ultimately, the IP process requires a number of steps from start to finish, including submission to the Secretary of State (SOS) and Attorney General, a notice and comment period, signature gathering, and publication (https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/IPProcessOverviewFlyer-2026Cycle.pdf).
Initiative Petitions Filed in 2026 Election Cycle
Through the end of July, there have been 112 IPs (constitutional amendments) filed with the SOS for the 2026 election cycle. Of those, twenty-two have been rejected and seven withdraw. To date, there have been no referendum petitions (amending state law) filed.
The IPs filed thus far touch on a number of topics, including:
· IP reform aimed at bolstering the IP process, including prohibiting the General Assembly’s ability to overturn constitutional and statutory provisions approved through the IP process and the allowing for electronic signatures;
· IPs addressing the General Assembly’s recent repeal of Missouri’s sick leave law, including allowing local municipalities to set minimum wage and sick leave while prohibiting state preemption of the same, enacting work output restrictions, and adding to the list of protected classes shielded from discrimination in housing, employment, and places of public accommodation.
· IPs relating to motor vehicle, including the direct sales of motor vehicle from manufacturer to consumer;
· IPs relating to education, including a prohibition on using public funds to benefit nonpublic schools, K-12; and
· Various other issues, including those relating to tobacco taxes, firearm regulations, rent caps, elected office, and marriage.
If you have questions regarding the IP process or landscape, please contact us.