Missouri Coalition Submits Record 367,000 Signatures for Ballot Initiative Protection Amendment
Coalition delivers record 367,000 signatures to protect Missouri’s century-old ballot initiative process from legislative interference.
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — The Respect MO Voters Coalition delivered more than 367,000 petition signatures to the Secretary of State’s office on Sunday, marking what organizers called a record-breaking effort to place a constitutional amendment protecting ballot initiatives on the 2026 ballot.
The signatures, collected from every congressional district across Missouri, represent what the coalition described as a “massive statewide mobilization supporting the Respect MO Voters constitutional amendment to preserve the citizen initiative.”
Amendment Would Strengthen Voter Protections
The proposed constitutional amendment would require ballot summaries to be clear and accurate, preserve citizens’ freedom to petition, and make it more difficult for the legislature to change or undo initiative petitions that voters approve. Nearly 2,000 volunteers contributed to collecting signatures in all 115 counties throughout the state.
“Today, the voters of Missouri stand together to say, ‘No more, enough is enough’ to politicians’ power grabs,” said Benjamin Singer, co-founder of Respect MO Voters. “We’re here to turn in 360,000 signatures for a citizen ballot initiative that allows the millions of Missouri voters to have our say in keeping this century-old freedom alive and strong.”
Grassroots Effort Spans Over a Year
The signature collection campaign began in February 2025 with “volunteer-organized town halls, surveys, and policy summits to craft an amendment directly shaped by the people of Missouri,” according to organizers. Volunteers subsequently raised funds to hire constitutional attorneys to draft the amendment language.
“This amendment has been powered by volunteers from the start,” said DeMarco Davidson, executive director for Metropolitan Congregations United. “Everyday people, reaching out to each other and having conversations in their communities to ensure power stays with the people.”
Bipartisan Support for Initiative Process
Coalition members emphasized that protecting the citizen initiative process transcends party lines. Bob Johnson, a former Republican state legislator from Lee’s Summit, argued the issue affects all Missourians regardless of political affiliation.
“Preserving the citizen initiative process in Missouri is not a partisan issue,” Johnson said. “It’s come under attack in this state by whichever party holds the power in Jefferson City, going back decades.”
Matt Andrews, president of Laborers’ Local 42 in St. Louis, echoed the bipartisan sentiment. “At the end of the day, this isn’t about party lines, it’s about defending the will of the people,” Andrews said. “And that’s something we should all be willing to stand up for.”
The Secretary of State’s office will now verify the submitted signatures to determine if the amendment qualifies for the 2026 ballot. The coalition’s submission represents one of the largest signature drives in recent Missouri history for a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment.
