Missouri Amendments

THE-STANDARD.ORG THE STANDARD ELECTION 2020 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2020 | • 19 Missouri amendments up for vote in election

Amendment 1: Proposes more term limits Amendment 3: Could alter district shape

Diana Dudenhoeffer | Digital Editor | @kisstein M. Todd Dearing | Lifestyle Editor | @mtodddearing

On Nov. 3, Missouri voters will see two proposed constitutional amendments, including Amendment 1, also known as the State Executive Term Limits Amendment.

A yes (make the yes/no words in bold or a different color maybe) on Amendment 1 limits the attorney general, lieutenant governor and state treasurer positions to two terms in office, according to Ballotpedia.

A no on Amendment 1 would keep the twoterm limit for governor and treasurer but no other offices.

The amendment began as SJR 14, a bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer and was approved by the Senate last year, according to The Missouri Times. Luetkemeyer said the bill would assure a fresh perspective in Missouri’s legislature.

“Amendment 1 brings consistency to our state’s term limits by ensuring that all statewide elected officials are subject to the same limitations imposed on the governor, treasurer, and legislature,” Luetkemeyer told The Missouri Times.

The amendment is not without opposition, though. Republican Sen. Ed Emery said he is against the amendment because it is good for those elected to build up expertise. “We want people in there who are experienced and know the job and know what they’re doing,” Emery told the Springfield News-Leader in October.

Amendment 3, a part of the Nov. 3 ballot in Missouri, aims to return the state government to using bipartisan commissions appointed by the governor for redistricting. This would eliminate the role of a nonpartisan state demographer, which was created with the confirmation of Amendment 1 in 2018, according to Ballotpedia.

These bipartisan commissions would be called House Independent Bipartisan Citizens Commission and the Senate Independent Bipartisan Citizens Commission. These commissions would consist of 20 members each, selected by the governor.

Amendment 3 would also change the criteria from the current system that takes population and contiguous districts into account to draw district maps. The threshold for gifts from lobbyists would be lowered from $5 to $0, and campaign contributions for state Senate campaigns from $2,500 to $2,400.

A yes on Amendment 3 would give governor-appointed commissions power to redistrict. Gifts from lobbyists and senate campaign contributions would be lowered, according to Ballotpedia.

A no on Amendment 3 would allow a nonpartisan demographer to remain in charge of redistricting. Gifts from lobbyists and senate campaign contributions would stay the same, according to Ballotpedia.