The Pure Democracy Amendment

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The petition for The Pure Democracy Amendment has been submitted to the Missouri Secretary of State.  It should be a approved for circulation around the third week of April.  If we collect the required number of signatures by May 5, 2024, The Pure Democracy Amendment will be on the ballot in Missouri on November 5, 2024. If The Pure Democracy Amendment is approved by voters at that election, the amendments to the Missouri Constitution included in The Pure Democracy Amendment will take effect 30 days later.  

Note: In the petition submitted to the Secretary of State, the new text being added to the Constitution is underlined and any text being deleted from the Constitution is in [brackets].  (This is the required format.).   This is the full text of the section of the Missouri Constitution dealing with referendums and the initiative (Article III, Sections 49 through 53) as amended by The Pure Democracy Amendment - minus the required formatting and Section numbers:

The people reserve power to propose and enact or reject laws and amendments to the constitution by the initiative, independent of the general assembly, and also reserve power to approve or reject by referendum any act of the general assembly, except as hereinafter provided. 

Initiative petitions proposing amendments to the constitution shall have paper copies signed by and/or electronic statements of support submitted by eight percent of the legal voters in each of two-thirds of the congressional districts in the state, or have paper copies signed by one-third of the members of either house of the general assembly, and petitions proposing laws shall [be] have paper copies signed by and/or electronic statements of support submitted by five percent of such voters, or have paper copies signed by one-third of the members of either house of the general assembly. 

Every such petition shall have paper copies filed with the secretary of state or statements of support submitted electronically not less than six months before they are to be voted on at the next general state election.  Every such petition signed by members of the general assembly shall be filed with the secretary of state not less than sixty days before the next general election or a special election if one is ordered.  A special election may be ordered by a resolution signed by one-third or more of the members of either house of the general assembly and submitted to the secretary of state at the same time petitions for a proposed law or constitutional amendment are submitted to the secretary of state.

Every such petition and/or electronic statement of support shall contain an enacting clause and the full text of the measure. Every signature affixed to paper copies of petitions shall be presumed to be valid unless formal proof that a signature is not valid is offered and, if such proof is contested, confirmed by the appropriate court of law. Petitions for constitutional amendments shall not contain more than one amended and revised article of this constitution, or one new article which shall not contain more than one subject and matters properly connected therewith, and the enacting clause thereof shall be “Be it resolved by the people of the state of Missouri that the Constitution be amended:”. Petitions for laws shall contain not more than one subject which shall be expressed clearly in the title, and the enacting clause thereof shall be “Be it enacted by the people of the state of Missouri:”. 

The governor shall facilitate electronic filing of statements of support by establishing and maintaining a system of 

Online Accounts for Politically Active Citizens.  The governor shall be responsible for ensuring the security of that system and protecting the privacy of citizens utilizing that system.

The secretary of state shall create a suitable form for electronic statements of support and make them available to citizens.

The initiative shall not be used for the appropriation of money other than of new revenues created and provided for thereby, or for any other purpose prohibited by this constitution. Except as provided in this constitution, any measure proposed shall take effect when approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon. When conflicting measures are approved at the same election the one receiving the largest affirmative vote shall prevail. 

A referendum may be ordered (except as to laws necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, and laws making appropriations for the current expenses of the state government, for the maintenance of state institutions and for the support of public schools) either by petitions signed by five percent of the legal voters in each of two-thirds of the congressional districts in the state, or by petitions signed by one-third or more of the members of either house of the general assembly. Referendum petitions shall be filed with the secretary of state not more than ninety days after the final adjournment of the session of the general assembly which passed the bill on which the referendum is demanded. 

The veto power of the governor shall not extend to measures referred to the people. All elections on measures referred to the people shall be had at the next general state election[s], except when one-third or more of the members of either house of the general assembly submit a resolution to the secretary of state ordering a special election.  Any such special election shall be held on the date specified in the resolution.  The date of the special election shall be not less than sixty days after petitions for a referendum have been filed with the secretary of state, nor later than sixty days before the next general state election. Any measure referred to the people shall take effect when approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon, and not otherwise. This section shall not be construed to deprive any member of the general assembly of the right to introduce any measure.  

The total vote for governor at the general election last preceding the filing of any initiative or referendum petition shall be used to determine the number of legal voters necessary to sign the petition. In submitting the same to the people the secretary of state and all other officers shall be governed by general laws.