KY3: Statewide organization against initiative petition reform process launches its own campaign

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Missouri Lawmakers are working to make changes to the initiative petition process. But those opposed to any reform are fighting back. Respect MO Voters is an organization working to protect that constitutional right.

“This is an attempt to restore power to the people,” said Respect MO Voters volunteer Gene Davison.

He says the ‘Show Me State’ has laws in place to engage voters.

“Missouri, for a century, has had the right of citizens to petition the government. So that when politicians aren’t responsive to the will of the people, the people can take the cause straight to the ballot themselves,” he explained.
But he believes that constitutional right is being challenged.

“The politicians don’t want us to have that right. They’re introducing a similarly worded ballot that would destroy any attempt to ever pass another initiative petition in Missouri,” he said.

Lawmakers are in Jefferson City this week for a special session on redistricting and initiative petition reform. This week the house approved a plan to require citizen-initiated petitions to receive a majority vote in each of the state’s eight congressional districts to pass.

“I come from a very conservative portion of the state. We’re governed extremely well. I’d like to see that happen across the rest of the state,” said Branson state Representative Brian Seitz.
He says the legislature is working to protect voters.

“It’s important that the people’s voices be heard. I think that we’re doing that in both the initiative petition reform and in the redistricting,” he said.

Davison says Respect MO Voters is also working to protect voters.

“This is really a grassroots movement. It’s not a top down movement. It started with a volunteer who worked on initiative campaigns and said why are they overturning what we’re voting for,” he said.

Wednesday the organization launched a campaign in cities all across the state to collect the signatures needed to get an initiative petition of it’s own on next year’s ballot.

“It will ensure that ballot language is clear and accurate. It will be concise. It will prohibit politicians from putting misleading items on the ballot so that they confuse voters. We want voters to know what they are actually voting for. The other thing it will do is stop politicians from overturning things that are passed by the will of the people,” explained Davison.

You can read the full article and watch the segment on KY3 here.