JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The 2022 Midterm Election is six days away, and Missourians across the state will have some constitutional amendment questions to answer on the ballot.
No matter where you live, each voter will be asked five questions towards the end of their ballot. Amendments 1, 3, 4 and 5 along with a constitutional convention question will be on ballot Nov. 8.
Three of those amendments were added by the General Assembly after the legislation was passed earlier this year. Amendment 3 was added by the Legal Missouri 22 campaign after getting enough signatures to put the initiative petition on the ballot. This referendum asks voters if recreational marijuana should be legal for those 21 and older.
Voters will also be asked if the state should have a constitutional convention, something that hasn’t been done since the 1940s.
“That question has to be asked every 20 years,” said Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft.
The last time voters approved a constitutional convention was 1942. If approved next Tuesday by voters, delegates get to revise the state’s rules and regulations.
“If they want to suggest minor changes or if they want to completely rework Missouri’s constitution, any suggestions they have they would vote on, and then they would bring to the people of the state at a general election,” Ashcroft said.
The question reads, “Shall there be a convention to revise and amend the constitution?”
Voters will also see Amendment 4 on their ballot, no batter where they live. The referendum asks if the Kansas City Police Department should receive an increasing funding.
“The Hancock Amendment prohibits the State of Missouri from mandating that political subdivisions do something or expend new funds without providing the necessary resources from them to do that,” Ashcroft said.
Although, the question doesn’t specifically mention “Kansas City,” it’s the only police department in the state that has a state board of commissioners appointed by the governor, other than the mayor. If passed, the city would have to spend 25% of its general revenue on KCPD, compared to the 20% it’s required to spend now. The legislation was passed by the General Assembly, but due to how large the increase is, voters have to approve it.
The question reads, “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to authorize laws, passed before December 31, 2026, that increase minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure such police force has additional resources to serve its communities?
Amendment 5 on the ballot will ask voters if the Missouri National Guard should have its own department.
“There are some people that believe that the State of Missouri would be better if instead the TAG {The Adjutant General} being under the Department of Public Safety, the National Guard was in its own department.”
The question reads, “Shall the Missouri National Guard currently under the Missouri Department of Public Safety be its own department known as the Missouri Department of the National Guard, which shall be required to protect the constitutional rights and civil liberties of Missourians?”
The final referendum added by the General Assembly is Amendment 1 which looks at expanding the state treasurer’s investment options. If passed, it would give the state treasurer the ability to invest in municipal securities that are bonds to help funds things like schools and roads. The resolution passed by lawmakers also would change certain bond durations from five years to seven.
The question reads, “Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
Allow the General Assembly to override the current constitutional restrictions of state investments by the state treasurer; and Allow state investments in municipal securities possessing one of the top give highest long term ratings or the highest short term ratings?”
The question on the ballot added by Legal Missouri 22 reads, “Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
Remove state prohibitions on purchasing, possession, consuming, using, delivering, manufacturing, and selling marijuana for personal use for adults over the age of 21Require a registration card for personal cultivation with prescribed limitsAllow persons with certain marijuana-related non-violent offenses to petition for release from incarceration or parole and probation and have records expungedEstablish a lottery selection process to award licenses and certificatesIssue equally distributed licenses to each congressional districtImpose a six percent tax on the retail price of marijuana to benefit various programs
Earlier this year, lawmakers also approved no-excuse absentee voting, which is currently underway through Monday. Ashcroft is unsure if this early voting option will mean a higher voter turnout.
“If you look at other states, the data suggest that people who use that early voting, if you will, for two weeks, it doesn’t get more people to vote, it just shifts when they are voting,” Ashcroft said. “I’m really interested to see what the turnout turns out to be.”
Remember, Missouri voters need a government-issued photo ID to vote. If on Election Day, you don’t have an ID or you forget yours at home, but you’re a registered voter, you can vote with a provisional ballot.
Ashcroft expects to have preliminary election results three or four hours after polls close Tuesday night.
Click here to visit the Secretary of State’s website to see the 2022 ballot measures.