Missouri Supreme Court Approves Respect Missouri Voters Initiative for November Ballot

The Missouri Supreme Court placed a measure on the November 3 ballot that would make it more difficult for the legislature to overturn voter-approved initiatives. The court reversed a decision from Cole County Judge Daniel Green, who had blocked the Respect Missouri Voters initiative from going to voters. The proposed constitutional amendment would require 80% of the legislature to vote in favor of altering any statutory or constitutional changes passed through the initiative petition process, with those changes needing to be ratified by a statewide vote. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court rejected Green's ruling and allowed the initiative to proceed. Judge Ginger Gooch stated that the arguments presented by Secretary of State John Hoskins regarding potential constitutional violations were not sufficient to deem the petition inadequate. The proposal will appear as Amendment 6 on the ballot. Supporters of the initiative, including Eric Bronner, expressed that the decision is a victory for Missouri voters and emphasized the importance of allowing the public to have the final say. The initiative would also prevent legislators from proposing constraints on the initiative petition process. Additionally, voters will consider other constitutional amendments, including a near-total ban on abortion and the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund. The Supreme Court also ruled that a referendum to overturn a 2025 congressional map will be included on the November 2026 ballot.