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RobyLane Kelley

Editorial Assistant

This article explains the phrasing in Amendment 7 of the 2024 Missouri Ballot, which aligns with the purpose of the “Know your Ballot” series. These articles are in no way an endorsement by the Northeast News Staff. The remainder of the Know Your Ballot series will be posted to the Northeast News website (northeastnews.net).

The ballot will read: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: 

• Make the Constitution consistent with state law by only allowing citizens of the United States to vote; 
• Prohibit the ranking of candidates by limiting voters to a single vote per candidate or issue; and 
• Require the plurality winner of a political party primary to be the single candidate at a general election? State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.”

Question 1: “Only” U.S. Citizens

This is to clarify the phrasing in the Missouri Constitution, which currently reads “all U.S. Citizens” instead of the proposed “only.” It is important for voters to understand that it is and previously remained illegal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in elections. When registering to vote, all applicants must state if they are U.S. Citizens and if they are or will be 18 years of age “on or before election day.”

In its endorsement article opposing the amendment, the Kansas City Star Editorial Board said, “This is classic ‘ballot candy’: adding something to the ballot that sounds good to voters but has no practical effect.”

The Star also reported that Rep. Adam Schwadron — a St. Charles Republican running for secretary of state — argues for specifying the language, stating, “When you have the word ‘all’ citizens are able to vote instead of ‘only,’ that still does not preclude any local municipality from allowing non-citizens to vote.” Schwadron argues that local elections do not maintain the same regulations on voter eligibility as national elections. 

Question 2: Prohibit Ranking Candidates

This amendment would end rank-based voting. Vote 411 described rank-choice systems as, “voters rank candidates in order of preference. A candidate wins outright if they receive a majority of the first-place votes. If not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters who chose that candidate have their votes redistributed to the candidate they ranked second on their ballots.”

More commonly seen in local elections, ballots in Missouri would only allow voters a single vote if passed. “Supporters of the concept say it could limit the rise of extremist candidates who win because more moderate voters divide the centrist vote,”  According to Vote 411. There is no data available on Ballotpedia on a supporting committee. The arguments favoring this amendment do not specifically state why this question is supported.

The opposition committee, “Preserve Local Elections,” states, “As you can see in the wording of the second point, this amendment would wipe out all alternative voting systems. We don’t need to settle the question of which voting system is best. We can let localities settle that question for themselves, as long as they’re not banned from doing so by this amendment.”

Question 3: Plurality Winner

The passage of this amendment would require a “plurality system” in future Missouri voting. According to Britannica, a plurality system is an “electoral process in which the candidate who polls more votes than any other candidate is elected. It is distinguished from the majority system, in which to win, a candidate must receive more votes than all other candidates combined.”

The Britannica page on the plurality system outlines the advantages of this voting system as “easily understood by voters, provides a quick decision and is more convenient and less costly to operate than other methods.” Similar to question two, no statements on Ballotpedia support this question specifically.

A common argument against plurality system voting is that candidates do not need a majority of votes to win an election. Britannica provides an example of a plurality ballot: “in a closely contested election with four candidates, the total required to win by a plurality could be as little as 25 percent of the total vote plus one.”

This amendment contains language that will fundamentally change the future of Missouri voting, namely, local and state elections.

In support of the amendment, Nation Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative and former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said, “Only U.S. citizens should decide the outcome of U.S. elections — one person, one vote counted fairly and equally.”

Lt. Gov. and Republican nominee for governor Mike Kehoe said to The Heartlander, “We need Amendment 7 to secure our elections in Missouri. Immigrants who lawfully become naturalized citizens have worked very hard to achieve their right to participate in our elections. I’m proud to endorse this commonsense measure because it respects the efforts of countless individuals who truly understand the gift that it means to be an American citizen, and I ask Missourians to join me in ensuring its passage on November 5th.”

In opposition to the amendment, Chief Executive Officer of Show Me Integrity, Benjamin Singer, wrote in an opinion piece published by the Kansas City Star, “This year, the Missouri General Assembly passed a deceptive measure that could actually make it harder for us to hold our leaders accountable. You will see this measure on your November ballot, claiming that it stops noncitizens from voting — even though that has been illegal for a century. It’s an unnecessary and misleading proposal … Buried in this misleading language is the heart of the amendment: hurting local control by attacking your freedom to decide what type of elections you want in your city or county.”

Sample ballots for the 2024 General Election can be found online at the Kansas City Public Library website or in the Northeast Newsroom at 2659 Independence Ave.