Missouri Democrats Slam Republican State Legislature Attack on Voters' Power at the Ballot Box

Following Missouri House Republicans' vote to attack Missourians' right to check the power of their elected officials at the ballot box, Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Russ Carnahan released the following statement: 

“The Republican supermajority in the Missouri State Legislature has made one of their biggest priorities this year a shameless power-grab and attack on our Democracy with the express purpose of preventing their constituents from checking their overreach at the ballot box through the initiative petition process. Missouri’s initiative petition process has allowed Missourians frustrated by the lack of action on key issues by a dysfunctional Republican supermajority to take their own action and improve their communities themselves. For years, we have watched Missourians band together and successfully work to address issues like expanding Medicaid coverage, rejecting the so-called “right-to-work” initiative that would have shifted even more power from workers to employers, raising the minimum wage, or legalizing Marijuana, and that is why the Republican supermajority wants to take our right to take citizen action away from us.

“The urgency of this particular attack on our rights at the ballot box is being driven by the thousands of Missourians that have decided to take action against the GOP’s extreme and cruel abortion ban and send a message that their constant attacks on our reproductive freedom have gone too far. Instead of allowing Missourians to make their voices heard and protect their right to make their intimate family planning decisions in private, Republicans in the state legislature have simply decided to take our voice away. Instead of working to solve critical issues, including access to affordable and quality healthcare, public education, and improving the safety of our roads and bridges, this Republican supermajority has decided they would rather focus on pushing their extreme agenda and how they can further strip us of our hard-earned rights and freedoms. Missourians are exhausted by these attacks and will send a message in November to remind these politicians that they work for them,” Carnahan said. 

Background: 

On April 25, 2024, Mary Elizabeth Coleman's SJR74 passed the State House with zero Democratic votes, every single Republican present voted for the bill, except Rep. Jon Patterson. 

Springfield News-Leader: “Missouri was the first state to trigger a near-total abortion ban in 2022 when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Abortions are only allowed in extreme cases to save the life of the mother, but doctors are still hesitant to perform abortions due to the strict legal liability associated with doing so in the state.  Following the launch of the campaign to restore abortion rights with the least restrictions, members of the Freedom Caucus engaged in a filibuster to force Senate leaders to bring the initiative petition legislation to a floor debate, citing the abortion measure as a cause for immediate action.”

Kansas City Star: “Missouri Republicans have for years attacked the state’s initiative petition process, which has been utilized by voters of both parties to bypass the General Assembly and put measures to a statewide vote. The criticism comes as voters have in recent years passed several progressive policies, including marijuana legalization and Medicaid expansion. Republicans argue that the current process has allowed outside interest groups to influence elections. But this year, as a coalition of abortion rights groups embark on a campaign to put abortion rights on the ballot through an initiative petition, Republicans have doubled down on the effort.” 

Missouri Independent: Democrat Filibuster Forces Removal Of ‘Ballot Candy’ From Senate Initiative Petition Bill

Missouri Independent: GOP Senator Urges Missouri House To Reinstate ‘Ballot Candy’ Into Initiative Petition Bill

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Media Contact: 

Chelsea Rodriguez, Communications Director

press@missouridems.org