Amendment 4 would modify the citizen initiative petition (IP) process to require a majority of voters in each and every congressional district to approve amendments to the Missouri Constitution rather than a statewide majority. 

Since Missouri adopted the Initiative Petition (IP) process in 1910, voters have approved 133 constitutional amendments.  Only 17% originated with citizen Initiated Petitions - the very process this amendment will change if passed. The other 83% are not affected. They were put on the ballot directly from Missouri legislators.

The purpose of Initiative Petition is a functional citizen check on State Legislators.

No doubt, IP reforms are needed for the citizen initiative process, but Amendment 4 raises the bar so high that it will kill the process rather than fixing the IP process.

A "yes" vote supports amending the Missouri Constitution to:

• require voter approval of citizen-initiated constitutional amendments in all congressional districts, rather than statewide;

• add language regarding penalties for ballot initiative signature petition fraud.

A "no" vote opposes amending the Missouri Constitution, therefore:

• continuing to require voter approval of citizen-initiated constitutional amendments by 51% simple majority statewide, not in each congressional district;

• maintaining existing prohibitions on foreign nationals spending on ballot measures.

• maintaining existing penalties for ballot initiative petition signature fraud in state law.

In 2016, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment limiting future sales taxes on most services.  It passed with a 57% statewide majority.  But it did not win a majority in all 8 congressional districts.  If Amendment 4 had been in effect, it would have failed instead of passing. 

Now on August 4, you are being asked to vote for amendment 4 that will prevent 99.9% of all citizen initiated constitutional changes and to vote on amendment 5 that reverses the 2016 ban on sales tax on services. 

A second reason to vote no is that your Missouri legislators created a double standard where ballot questions that originate in the Missouri State Legislature (the 83% from above) still only require a statewide simple majority of 50% + 1 vote.   

The same legislators put Amendment 4 on the ballot asking you to vote to restrict your power as a voter, but not change the legislators power for constitutional ballot measures.   

If the goal is to protect the Missouri Constitution from unnecessary changes, history shows that the Legislature-not citizen initiatives-has been responsible for the overwhelming majority of constitutional amendments passed since 1910.

A no vote means you want a better plan that improves the IP process rather than killing it.

The last day to register to vote for the August primary election is July 8, 2026.