St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Missouri Senate Democrats relent, allow watered-down limit on citizen petitions to advance”

“In addition to the restrictions on lawmakers repealing statutory changes by voters, the legislation for voters to approve also asks if only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote on initiative petitions.

The ballot summary that would appear before voters begins with the voter qualifications question, followed by asking whether lawmakers should be limited, and last, whether the threshold for constitutional amendments should be raised.

Critics have said Republicans were trying to trick voters into reducing their power by inserting “ballot candy” into the measure.

U.S. citizenship is already required to vote in Missouri.

‘This is what entices a person to go in, and the first thing they see is ‘non-citizens are voting? What?’ said former state Sen. Robert Johnson, R-Lee’s Summit, on Wednesday. ‘I can’t be for that. So, yes, it’s ballot candy; it’s a sweetener. It’s not relevant.’

If the House signs off on the plan, the measure would be set to appear on the November 2024 ballot unless Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, calls a special election.

The effort comes as abortion rights supporters pursue an initiative petition for 2024 to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution, undoing the state’s near-total abortion ban.”

Read the full story from St. Louis Post-Dispatch here.