By John Sharp
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.
The ballot language for proposed Missouri Constitutional Amendment 7 placed on the ballot by the Missouri General Assembly appears to be intentionally misleading although it is factually accurate.
The first thing stated in the ballot language is that it would make the Missouri constitution consistent with state law by only allowing U.S. citizens to vote, but since that is already state law, putting it in the constitution has no practical effect on enforcement.
Critics have labeled this language as “ballot candy” designed to entice voters to support a measure they otherwise might oppose.
The true intent of the measure clearly is to ban the use of ranked choice voting throughout Missouri except in St. Louis City where a version of it has already been adopted. The legislation putting this measure on the ballot exempts nonpartisan municipal elections in St. Louis City, although that is not mentioned in the ballot language.
The legislation states, “Under no circumstances shall a voter be permitted to cast a ballot in a manner that results in the ranking of candidates for a particular office.”
The ballot language also notes the measure would, “Prohibit the ranking of candidates by limiting voters to a single vote per candidate or issue”.
Local proponents of ranked choice voting in the Kansas City area who have sought to get it approved for KCMO municipal elections as well as other elections tout it as a way to encourage candidates to seek broad support in political party primaries rather than just appealing to the most strident – and often most extremist members – of their party.
What is Ranked Choice Voting
If there are more than two candidates for an office, current Missouri law provides that the candidate that gets a plurality of the votes cast wins the election, even though the candidate does not get a majority of the votes and may only appeal to a narrow segment of voters.
Under ranked choice voting, if there are more than two candidates for an office, the candidate with the lowest number of votes would be dropped from further consideration, and that candidate’s second choice votes would go to one of the remaining candidates. That process would be continued until a candidate receives a majority of votes.
The push to adopt ranked choice voting has taken off in scattered states and local units of government throughout the country in recent years as a way to help assure successful candidates have broad public support rather than only a narrow base of strident supporters, with supporters feeling such candidates are more likely to consider the needs and wishes of all their constituents and also to be more likely to work cooperatively with other elected officials with different views.
Even many persons who are not fans of ranked choice voting feel decisions on whether to adopt it or not should be made at the local municipal level and not dictated by the state.
Voting Yes
Voting yes will mean ranked choice voting is banned in Missouri except in St. Louis City where it is already being used in nonpartisan municipal elections.
Voting No
Voting no means local municipalities and other local units of government such as community college districts will continue to have the option of implementing ranked choice voting if they so desire.