Every election gives Missourians an opportunity to have a voice in the future of our state and communities. While general elections often receive the most attention, primary elections are also important because they help determine who appears on the November ballot and give voters the chance to decide important questions.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Missourians will head to the polls to choose party nominees for public office and vote on four proposed amendments to the Missouri Constitution. Before casting a ballot, voters are encouraged to spend a few minutes learning about the issues they will be asked to decide.
This year’s statewide ballot includes four proposed constitutional amendments. Amendment 1 asks voters whether to continue the existing one-tenth of 1% sales tax that supports Missouri’s state parks, historic sites, and soil and water conservation programs for another 10 years.
Amendment 2 would require charter counties, including Jackson County, to elect their county assessors and establish state training requirements for those offices.
Amendment 4 would change the approval process for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments while also requiring the full text of initiative petitions to be available with ballots.
Amendment 5 proposes beginning a process to phase out Missouri’s individual income tax based on state revenue growth while making related changes involving sales and local taxes.
While the ballot includes brief summaries of each proposal, those summaries cannot explain every detail. Voters are encouraged to read the full text of each amendment before voting. The complete text of every statewide ballot measure is available on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website at sos.mo.gov.
Voters should also remember their ballots may include local races and issues affecting their city, county, school district or other local services. Before Election Day, voters can check their registration, view a sample ballot and find their polling place by visiting GoVoteMissouri.com.
Voting is one of the most important rights citizens have, and being informed is an important part of that responsibility. Take time to learn about the candidates and issues, make a plan to vote and let your voice be heard Aug. 4.
