Missouri voters handed Gov. Mike Kehoe and Republican legislators a pair of resounding defeats on Tuesday with ramifications almost certain to be felt in November.
Amendment 4, a key bill passed by the super-majority Republican legislature that would have dramatically changed Missouri’s petition initiative process, was throttled by voters by an overwhelming majority.
The amendment would have required citizen-led constitutional amendments to receive both majority support statewide and in each of the state’s eight congressional districts to pass. As little as 5% of voters could have stalled a ballot initiative.
The effort was spawned by GOP legislators’ dismay with Missouri voters supporting abortion rights at the ballot box in 2024. Since 2018, voters also raised the minimum wage, legalized marijuana, expanded Medicaid and legalized sports betting through the petition process.
Tuesday’s results could signal that state voters are prepared to back abortion rights again in November by rejecting Amendment 3, which would ban abortion in the state in most cases.
The Associated Press called the election against Amendment 4 at 8:08 p.m. “No” votes were leading “yes” votes 81.8% to 18.2%, with about 17% of the vote counted.
An agitated Kehoe said in a press statement, “Unfortunately, special interests succeeded in keeping our Constitution vulnerable with the defeat of Amendment 4.”
“I will continue working to fight for election integrity, transparency, and a system that does not allow our Constitution to be up for sale.”
Amendment 5, which would have gradually substituted the state’s income tax with expanded sales and uses taxes, was declared a loser by the Associated Press just after 8 p.m., a little more than an hour after polls closed.
Quinton Lucas, Kansas City’s African American mayor, called the plan a “voodoo tax scheme” and praised its defeat.
“Tonight’s rejection of Amendment 5 is not only an immense failure for statewide leadership, but also a sign to out-of-state billionaire special interests that Missourians and most Americans have no interest in voodoo tax schemes that would spare civic responsibility for a few elites while raising costs on hardworking families in our state and our country,” Lucas said on Facebook.
After his key policy initiative was thrashed, Kehoe said, “While Amendment 5 did not earn the support it needed, I believe our work is far from over.”
“Missouri voters just made clear they won’t let Republicans rewrite the rules to protect their own power and line the pockets of the ultra-wealthy,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune of Kansas City. “In November, voters have the chance to send another powerful message to Jefferson City Republicans: If you mess with Missourians’ rights, you will pay the political price.”
Scott Charton, a spokesperson for opponents of Amendment 5, said, “The people spoke loudly, clearly and overwhelmingly. Amendments 4 and 5 have been soundly defeated — and buried so deep in citizen rejection that they should never come back.”