Judge Strikes Down Ballot Summary For Clean Missouri Redistricting Repeal

[Sherman A1]

A Cole County judge Monday rewrote a ballot summary for a proposal repealing and replacing a state legislative redistricting process that voters approved in 2018.

If the decision is upheld, it could have a big impact on whether the plan, known as Amendment 3, passes or fails — since voters often make their decisions on initiatives based on the ballot summary language.

At issue is what is known as Clean Missouri, a constitutional amendment voters overwhelmingly approved that included state redistricting and ethics changes. Under that redistricting system, a demographer would draw House and Senate maps — with an emphasis on partisan fairness and competitiveness. Bipartisan House and Senate commissions would have a chance to overrule the demographer if 70% of members object under certain circumstances.

Amendment 3 would get rid of the demographer and instead have either bipartisan commissions or appellate judges draw the lines — and would change the criteria of what should be prioritized. It also makes small changes to some of Clean Missouri’s items not related to redistricting, including slightly lowering campaign donation limits for Senate candidates and decreasing the limit for most lobbyists' gifts from $5 to zero.

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2020-08-17/judge-strikes-down-ballot-summary-for-clean-missouri-redistricting-repeal

Amendment 3 is just one more Republican legislative attempt to override the will of the people. The GOP just doesn't like when the people vote and disagree with what they want to do.