The Midterm Election is November 8th!
We are less than two weeks away from the 2022 Midterms, so I’ve asked Eric Bohl to jump on the mic with me and breakdown the ballot initiatives so we can all make educated decisions at the polls. I’ve also written a quick glance at everything below.
Stay tuned for more info on my process, graphics, and other important info before November 8th rolls around!
To find a sample ballot for your specific Missouri area, click here.
To see only the statewide ballot initiatives, click here.
Important Terms:
Missouri General Assembly: this is the official name for what is perhaps more commonly known as the Missouri state legislature.
Constitutional Amendment: in order for an amendment to be changed, it must be voted on by the general public rather than the state legislature. This could impact your decision on these measures in different ways, which I’ll explain a bit more when we discuss Amendment 3.
Amendment 1: State Treasurer Investments
A YES vote authorizes the State Treasurer to invest in highly-rated municipal bonds AND authorizes the General Assembly to pass laws to allow the Treasurer to make prudent investments in the future.
A NO vote means that you do not want the State Treasurer to invest in municipal bonds and/or you do not want the General Assembly to pass laws concerning what the Treasurer can/cannot invest in.
What’s important to know:
This amendment was requested by the State Treasurer, and the legislature voted almost unanimously to put it on the ballot (only one dissenting vote). It is mostly unopposed elsewhere in the state. It is not projected to cost the taxpayers any extra money and is hoped to increase state revenue.
Amendment 3: Recreational Marijuana
This one is a bit more nuanced:
Your YES vote means:
You agree that marijuana should be legalized for recreational use for adults over the age of 21;
You agree that this should be done via constitutional amendment, meaning any reform would call for a vote from the general public;
You agree that persons convicted of non-violent marijuana-related charge can petition for their release and/or have their records expunged;
You are OK with the proposed system of issuing licenses to sell or produce marijuana. This includes a lottery-style system of issuing licenses and different classes of licensees (microbusinesses vs. wholesalers, etc).
You are OK with a 6% sales tax that will benefit the state of Missouri. This money will go into a fund titled “Veterans, Health, and Community Reinvestment Fund.”
Your NO vote might mean:
You are opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana for health or other reasons;
You don’t want this to be an amendment and/or you don’t like the wording/length of this amendment (it is 35 pages, which is quite long). You would rather it be more easily reformed by the state legislature or other means;
You disagree with this system for licensing. Many opponents say that this will create monopolies and favor those who are already selling medical marijuana, rather than allowing a completely free market.
You might not agree with where the money is going. Some opponents are distrusting of this general label for the fund and would prefer something more specific.
What’s important to know:
In recent polls, two-thirds of Missourians are in favor of legalization of recreational marijuana use. If you are holding out because you don’t like the amendment structure, it is pretty unlikely that the MO legislature would pass a law for recreational marijuana legalization any time soon. This amendment might be the only shot, at least in the near future. However, that’s not always a great reason to vote yes. It’s important to weigh each of the issues above and decide what you think!
Groups that are advocating for YES on Amendment 3:
Missouri ACLU, NAACP Columbia, NAACP St. Louis City and County, Mizzou College Democrats, The Kansas City Star Editorial Board.
Groups that say NO to Amendment 3:
Missouri NAACP (note that the state organization is opposed, while some individual chapters are endorsing), Governor Mike Parson, the Republican Party, the Libertarian Party, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial Board.
Amendment 4: Police Funding
This one is confusing, because although the ballot language does not mention it, this only affects the police department of Kansas City, Missouri.
Your YES vote means that there will be a minimal funding requirement for certain police departments;
Your NO vote means that things will remain as they are, and the city council of Kansas City, Missouri, may decrease the funding of their police department.
What’s important to know:
Last year, the city council of Kansas City, MO wanted to reduce the funding of their police department. This amendment was proposed so that any police department that was founded in this specific way would have a minimum funding requirement—protecting KCMO PD from any defunding attempts in the future.
Amendment 5: Missouri National Guard
Your YES vote means that the Missouri National Guard will have its own department within the executive branch and will report directly to the governor’s office.
Your NO vote means that the National Guard will stay housed under the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
What’s important to know:
This is mostly an administrative change and, if passed, will allow the Missouri National Guard to be funded a little differently and will cut out a step between themselves and the governor. One of the advocates of this amendment points out that this would help if there was another state emergency, like the Joplin tornado.
This amendment has no documented opposing organizations and was voted to be placed on the ballot almost unanimously by the Missouri legislature (two dissenting votes).
Constitutional Convention Question
Your YES vote means that you would like a convention to be held to change the Missouri State Constitution;
Your NO vote means you do not think this is necessary.
What’s important to know:
This question is required to be on the ballot every 20 years. In 2002, it was voted down by quite a large margin. It was also defeated in 1982 and 1962. The current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945, but has been amended many times since then. Even if this question is rejected again this year, amendments can still be added to each ballot. Keep in mind that Missouri is overwhelmingly red (Republican) right now, so if a state convention is held, it will likely be influenced in that direction. This might be good news or bad news, depending on your political outlook!
A few thoughts on voting…
I don’t like to go through specific candidates here on The Civilian, especially as it can differ where you are in the state. However, there are two state-wide races on this ballot: the Senate race and the State Auditor race. All of the candidates in these two races seem to be pretty true to their party line, no political outliers here.
Feel free to leave bubbles blank on your ballot! If there is a race or issue you don’t feel confident voting on, leave it blank! Your ballot will still be counted.
Midterms are not as crowded as the general election, so your visit to the polls on November 8th should be quick and painless. This is such an important way to have your voice heard, and I really hope you’ll make the time to do so!
Questions/Comments?
I would love to hear from you and attempt to answer any questions you have! Simply respond to this email or comment on this post.
Breaking Down the Missouri Ballot