A group called the Respect MO Voters Coalition turned in what it called a record-breaking number of petition signatures on Sunday to the Secretary of State’s office for a proposed constitutional amendment to appear on the 2026 ballot.
The more than over 367,000 signatures, collected from every congressional district in the state, represent a “massive statewide mobilization supporting the Respect MO Voters constitutional amendment to preserve the citizen initiative,” according to a news release .
The amendment, if approved by voters, would require ballot summaries to be clear and accurate, preserve the freedom to petition and make it harder for the legislature to change or undo initiative petitions that voters pass.
“Today, the voters of Missouri stand together to say, ‘No more, enough is enough’ to politicians’ power grabs” said Benjamin Singer, co-founder of Respect MO Voters. “We’re here to turn in 360,000 signatures for a citizen ballot initiative that allows the millions of Missouri voters to have our say in keeping this century-old freedom alive and strong.”
Nearly 2,000 volunteers contributed to collecting signatures in all 115 counties in the state.
The signature collection started in February 2025 with “volunteer-organized town halls, surveys, and policy summits to craft an amendment directly shaped by the people of Missouri,” according to the news release. The volunteers then raised money to hire constitutional attorneys to draft the amendment.
“This amendment has been powered by volunteers from the start,” said DeMarco Davidson, executive director for Metropolitan Congregations United. “Everyday people, reaching out to each other and having conversations in their communities to ensure power stays with the people.”
The issue, many of the coalition members agreed, is bipartisan.
“Preserving the citizen initiative process in Missouri is not a partisan issue,” said Bob Johnson, a former Republican state legislator from Lee’s Summit. “It’s come under attack in this state by whichever party holds the power in Jefferson City, going back decades.”
“At the end of the day, this isn’t about party lines, it’s about defending the will of the people,” said Matt Andrews, president of Laborers’ Local 42 in St. Louis. “And that’s something we should all be willing to stand up for.”
This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.