Learning about Missouri Amendment 6 on November’s ballot

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- One of many items on the ballot for Missourians in the midterm elections on November 3 will be Amendment 6.

Dr. Edwin Taylor, a political science professor at Missouri Western State University, shared how he believes the outcomes might play out depending on the vote.

He explained that it would require an 80% threshold in both houses in Missouri to overturn a citizens' initiative. Then the initiative would still have to be ratified by a statewide vote after it cleared the 80% threshold in both houses.

"It is a check on the legislature using a simple majority to overturn a measure that was passed by a majority of the voters through the initiative process," Taylor said.

Amendment 6 claims to push for clear ballot language. According to the language around Amendment 6, it would be clear, unbiased, fair and accurate.

"If it's passed, I think that you might see a lot more citizen initiatives move forward. But again, they still have to get signatures," Taylor said. "They have to go through a process. So it's not like the people just can go crazy and there are no checks on that because ultimately the voters are the checks. So at the end it's really a question of who should have the final authority."

Backers of Amendment 6 want the initiative and referendum process to be a fundamental right. They also want to preserve the signature requirements and simple majority vote requirements for initiatives and referendums.

Taylor believes that if Amendment 6 does not pass, pushback against citizen-approved initiatives will continue.

"I think you will continue to see the state legislature push back against initiatives that they don't like, that they disagree with, as far as a partisan majority goes," Taylor said about the possible outcome. "If the will of the people as expressed runs against the partisan interests, then they will continue to push back that way."

Those behind Amendment 6 also want to prohibit the legislature from weakening the citizen initiative and referendum process, including raising signature thresholds, shortening signature-gathering periods, narrowing allowable subject matter, creating additional requirements for signature gatherers and other provisions.