Missourians Reject Amendment 4, Demonstrate Overwhelming Support for Initiative Petition Process

St. Louis, MO – Missouri voters overwhelmingly rejected Amendment 4, turning back an attempt by politicians to rewrite the rules of democracy in their own favor. The result caps a campaign that brought together Republicans, Independents, and Democrats from every corner of the state around a single, simple idea: Missourians — not politicians and their donors — should decide what becomes law.

"Politicians thought they could trick voters, and they lost. Voters won - big time,” said M'Evie Mead, campaign director for Protect Majority Rule MO. 

The coalition includes labor unions, civil rights organizations, faith communities, small business owners, and grassroots volunteers who knocked doors and made calls in every region of the state. They are united by a shared refusal to let a single congressional district veto the will of the rest of Missouri.

Specifically, Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action, the Missouri-Kansas Laborers District Council, Missouri ACLU, Missouri branch of the National Education Association, Show Up Missouri/MOVE Action and The Fairness Project led the Protect Majority Rule MO campaign committee. Together, more than a thousand volunteers knocked on 120,034 doors, made 43,298 phone calls, and spoke with tens of thousands of voters. 

"Tonight, voters rejected politicians' attempt to create a rigged system designed to silence Missourians while holding all the power to initiate and pass change only for politicians; A system that would deny Missourians a chance to end an abortion ban and protect reproductive freedom, expand medical coverage to low-income families, or place limits on power in Jefferson City,” said Luz María Henríquez, Executive Director at the ACLU of Missouri. “Missourians must continue to remind politicians that power lies with the people and reject all attempts to curb it."  

Protect Majority Rule MO thanked the thousands of volunteers and coalition partners across the state who made tonight's outcome possible, and pledged to remain vigilant against future attempts to weaken Missourians' constitutional right to the ballot initiative process.

"Tonight we celebrate," Mead said. "But we also know this won't be the last attempt to take power away from voters. This coalition isn't going anywhere."

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