Campaign eyes ballot measure to prevent Missouri lawmakers from changing voter-approved initiatives

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A volunteer-led campaign in Missouri is pursuing a ballot initiative this November to prevent lawmakers from changing the initiative petition process and ballot measures approved by voters.

A grassroots campaign in Missouri called Respect MO Voters is pushing for the passage of a multi-faceted ballot initiative for a state constitutional amendment as part of the November 2026 midterm election.

The "Respect Missouri Voters Amendment" would ban politicians from repealing or changing initiatives already passed by voters unless an 80% bipartisan supermajority sends changes to voters to approve.

The initiative seeks to prohibit legislative changes making it more difficult to gather signatures or pass initiatives at the ballot box. It also allows citizens to challenge misleading ballot summaries by asking courts to revise them to be clear, unbiased, fair, accurate, and easy to understand.

The campaign group announced a series of Town Halls across the state as they attempt to gather roughly 300,000 signatures in different areas to get on the ballot in April.

A town hall and petition signature gathering event will be held in Cameron, Missouri, on Tuesday, Jan. 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Cameron Lunch Club Community Center at 1003 West 4th St.

The measure has been endorsed by close to a dozen groups include the Missouri NAACP and Veterans for All Voters.