Amendment No. 2
This amendment to the Missouri Constitution would allow licensed sports wagering that would be regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission.
If it is passed, gambling will be allowed online, aboard gambling boats and within professional sports betting districts. There will also be mobile licenses available to sports betting operators.
Individuals placing bets will have to be physically in Missouri and be 21 years of age or older.
The commission will set license fees, and there will be a 10 percent wagering tax on revenues. From that wagering tax, the commission will take out any expenses it incurs while regulating sports betting. It will also take out money for the required funding of the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund. Any money left from the 10% wagering tax will be available for appropriation for educational institutions.
The amendment also allows the General Assembly to enact laws in accordance with the amendment.
If passed, this amendment is expected to cost $660,000 in “onetime costs.” After that, annual costs will continue to be a minimum of $5.2 million.
The initial license fee revenue is expected to amount to $11.75 million.
How much state tax money will it raise annually? Anywhere from $0 to $28.9 million. The amount is unclear because the proposal allows for deductions against sports gaming revenues.
How much local tax money will it raise? That is unknown.
If the amendment is passed, it will not raise your taxes – nor will it lower them.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to permit licensed sports wagering regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission and restrict sports betting to individuals physically located in the state and over the age of 21. The amendment includes a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for educational institutions in Missouri.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding licensed regulated sports wagering.
Amendment 3
The proposed Amendment 3 on the upcoming Nov. 5 election ballot asks voters to decide by casting “yes” or “no” if they wish to amend the Missouri Constitution.
If the measure fails, the state will continue to prohibit abortions in Missouri.
If passed, the amendment will remove the state’s ban on abortion.
Amendment 3 will establish rights on matters of reproductive healthcare. These rights will include decisions on abortion and contraceptives, without governmental interference.
It will allow for regulation of reproductive healthcare to improve or maintain the patient’s health.
The government will not be allowed to discriminate when it comes to funding programs to those providing or seeking reproductive healthcare.
Abortions could be restricted or banned after fetal viability in circumstances other than to protect the life or health of the woman.
If passed, it may reduce local taxes while the impact to state taxes is unknown.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote establishes a constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid; removes Missouri's ban on abortion; allows regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient; requires the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and allows abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman.
A “no” vote will continue the statutory prohibition of abortion in Missouri.
Amendment 5
This November, Missouri voters will have an opportunity to vote on something that’s not exactly at the forefront of everyone’s minds when it comes to politics. The electorate will be asked whether or not the Missouri Constitution should be amended to allow the Missouri Gaming Commission, the authority that enforces gaming laws and regulations, to issue an additional gambling boat license to operate on the Osage River, between the Missouri River and Bagnell Dam.
In other words, voters will be asked to decide if another casino should open its doors and amend the Missouri Constitution accordingly.
All state revenues derived from the additional gambling boat license will be appropriated to early-childhood literacy programs within elementary public schools. The state auditor will be performing an annual audit of the revenues received and appropriated to ensure they are used only for authorized purposes, and the audit will be publicly available once completed.
State governmental entities estimate one-time costs of $763,000, ongoing costs of $2.2 million annually, initial fee revenue of $271,000, ongoing admission and other fee revenue of $2.1 million annually, and annual gaming tax revenue of $14.3 million. Local governments estimate unknown revenue.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue an additional gambling boat license to operate an excursion gambling boat on the Osage River, between the Missouri River and the Bagnell Dam. All state revenue derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early-childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding gambling boat licensure.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
Amendment 6
On election day, if you go to the polls, the state government will ask you if you want to increase court costs a bit to help pay salaries and benefits for people who are, or have been, in certain law enforcement offices.
It’s called proposed Amendment 6 to the Missouri Constitution, and it was put on the ballot by order of the General Assembly.
Nobody in state or local government knows the fiscal impact of this proposed amendment, but the government assures you that “this measure will have no impact on taxes,” apparently meaning that taxes won’t go up or down if it passes.
But there will be added costs and fees added to court cases, criminal and traffic, to support salaries and benefits for current and former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys “to ensure all Missourians have access to the courts of justice,” according to the ballot language.
Voting yes, means you want to add on costs and fees of court cases to help the sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys. Voting no means you don’t want to add on costs and fees.
What this will do is overturn a 2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling that unanimously declared unconstitutional a $3 fee the Legislature had added to all criminal and traffic court cases in the state. That fee was meant to fund sheriff’s retirement benefits. The General Assembly put this proposal on the ballot on the last day of its spring legislative session.
So, this amendment will allow reinstatement of fee at some level.
Proponents say it is necessary to fund the retirement plans of sheriffs and prosecutors.
Opponents question the propriety of linking the money raised for the retirement plans to the number cases and tickets filed.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for current and former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys to ensure all Missourians have access to the courts of justice.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees related to current or former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys.
Amendment 7
Amendment 7 is among the many issues this year’s general election ballot will feature. The item has received attention for its language on citizenship and voting but is most consequential on the matter of ranked-choice voting.
The official ballot title for Amendment 7 is:
“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?”
Noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections in the United States nor any state or municipal elections in Missouri. Voting yes on Amendment 7 will affirm this fact by writing it in the state constitution, but not equal any administrative changes.
Ranked-choice voting is a method of casting ballots adopted by states like Alaska and Maine for certain elections. It sees voters rank their preference for candidates and have the winner picked via an instant runoff based on the overall preferences of voters instead of the winner being chosen via a plurality of ballots.
The fair ballot language for Amendment 7 is below:
“A ‘yes’ vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to specify that only United States citizens are entitled to vote, voters shall only have a single vote for each candidate or issue, restrict any type of ranking of candidates for a particular office and require the person receiving the greatest number of votes at the primary election as a party candidate for an office shall be the only candidate for that party at the general election, and require the person receiving the greatest number of votes for each office at the general election shall be declared the winner. This provision does not apply to any nonpartisan municipal election held in a city that had an ordinance in effect as of November 5, 2024, that requires a preliminary election at which more than one candidate advances to a subsequent election.
“A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to make any changes to how voters vote in primary and general elections.”
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
Proposition A
Increased minimum wage and paid sick leave is on the ballot for the Missouri electorate, making a return from Proposition B which passed back in 2018 and established the minimum wage at $12.00 per hour. Minimum wage has since increased $.30 based on changes recorded in the Consumer Price Index, making today’s minimum wage in Missouri $12.30.
Proposition A would increase the minimum wage to $13.75 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2025. It would increase $1.25 per hour until 2026, when it would reach its final destination of $15.00 per hour. The minimum wage would increase or decrease based on changes seen in the Consumer Price Index each January beginning in 2027.
Proposition A would also mandate employers with 15 or more employees provide one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked. That sick leave could also be used for more than just the employee being ill—employees would be able to use it to care for a family member with an illness or even to seek services pertaining to dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend Missouri statutes to increase the state minimum wage beginning January 1, 2025 to $13.75 per hour and increase the hourly rate $1.25, to $15.00 per hour beginning January 2026. Annually the minimum wage will be adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index. The law will require employers with fifteen or more employees to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked. The amendment will exempt governmental entities, political subdivisions, school districts and education institutions from the minimum wage increase.
A “no” vote will not amend Missouri law to make changes to the state minimum wage law.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
Senior Homestead Property Tax Credit Question
Another question was added to the Dent County ballot earlier this year by the local community. The question will read, “Shall the County of Dent exempt senior citizens aged 62 and older from increases in the property tax liability due on such senior citizens primary resident?” The average qualifying household could receive approximately $20.00 in tax relief per year. If approved, the county anticipates it will cost $24,500 to run the programs for the first year. The county estimates it will benefit qualified recipients and decrease anticipated tax revenue in the amount of $33,933.53 each year.
Voters will be asked yes or no.
