KCTV 5: Respect Missouri Voters launches statewide campaign
On Wednesday, Respect Missouri Voters held launch parties across the state to kick off a campaign looking to protect the state’s Initiative Petition process. It’s in response to state lawmakers repealing measures voters have passed, like paid sick leave. It also comes as lawmakers are in Jefferson City for a special session to redraw the congressional district map and change the state’s IP process.
“They seem to think that the voters don’t know what they’re doing,” said Pam Whiting, a volunteer for Respect Missouri Voters. “In fact, some of the legislators have said that. I find that very disrespectful.”
Whiting is one of over 700 volunteers in the KC area who have signed up to collect signatures to add an initiative petition to the 2026 ballot. The campaign is looking to collect 300,000 signatures over the next few months.
“All day today, we collected signatures in Jefferson City, we are getting our supplies to our signature gatherers tonight, and we also have people signing our petition tonight,” said Amy Slaybaugh, Respect Missouri Voters’ Western Missouri Field Director. “People are very excited to feel like they have a voice.”
If they succeed, the ‘Respect Missouri Voters’ state constitutional amendment will be added to the ballot. It looked to “ban Missouri politicians from overturning initiatives that voters have already passed, attacking citizens’ ability to use the initiative process, and deceiving voters with confusing ballot language”.
Signed petitions must be given to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office no less than six months before the election. For the 2026 election cycle, the submission deadline for signatures is 5 p.m. on May 3, 2026.
MO Governor Mike Kehoe called state lawmakers back to the capital for a special session this month to redraw the state’s congressional district map and to amend the state’s initiative petition process with legislation. According to the governor’s office, he is looking to do the following:
Bans foreign nationals from contributing to committees for or against a statewide ballot measure.
Establishes a criminal election offense for fraudulently signing or gathering signatures for a statewide ballot measure.
Provides that a statewide ballot measure be passed only if a majority of voters statewide and a majority of voters in each congressional district vote to adopt the proposed measure.
Requires that before a statewide ballot measure is certified for signatures to be gathered, there shall be an opportunity for public comment.
Requires that the full text of a statewide ballot measure be printed and available to voters at all election sites and polling places.
You can read the full article and watch the segment on KCTV5 here.
