Congregations and individuals throughout the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri have actively participated in Missouri’s grassroots ballot initiative process. Since 2006, the ballot initiative process has been used to raise the minimum wage in Missouri twice (2006 & 2018), defeat racist “Right to Work” legislation (2018) and expand Medicaid (2020). None of those victories would have happened without grassroots volunteers from faith communities and faith organizations across the state working tirelessly to improve the lives of themselves and their neighbors.
The grassroots ballot initiative process is never used easily or lightly by regular Missourians. It is incredibly difficult and costly to collect enough signatures to qualify a ballot initiative, let alone to then run a campaign to get it to pass at the ballot box. Meanwhile, politicians in the Missouri Legislature can already place whatever they want on the ballot with a simple majority vote.
The initiative petition process is a sacred constitutional right that Missourians have used for more than 115 years. This democratic process allows Missourians from across our state to supersede partisan politics and propose issues that matter most to our communities and now, this democratic process is perceived as the number one threat to politicians in Jefferson City.
In response to the continued success of economic justice ballot measures like minimum wage and Medicaid Expansion, there has been a national push in states that have direct democracy to restrict access by making issues harder to place on the ballot and harder to pass. Missouri has been center stage, with more than 20 bills filed each of the last five years. This year is no different, with 26 bills filed.
Citizen-led initiatives improve the quality of life for many Missourians. When our elected officials don’t take action on the issues that matter most to us and we use the ballot initiative process which allows us to make laws that reflect the will of Missouri voters, the legislature should follow the people’s will instead of attempting to grab power by limiting our ability to make decisions for ourselves.
Take Action by signing the petition. If you wish to do more (make calls, attend weekly 30-minute Zoom meetings, testify in Legislative Hearings, etc.) please email me at teresa@mojwj.org.
Demand your legislators leave the initiative petition process alone. Tell them to respect the people’s will and protect our freedom to have a say on the issues that impact our families. Thank you.
(Picture from signature gathering in 2018, courtesy of MO Jobs with Justice)