Protect Direct Democracy, Stop Restricting Initiative Petitions!

HB 575 (Banderman) & 551 (Martin) is a direct assault on Missourians’ constitutional right to direct democracy. While framed as a technical “reform,” its provisions erect unnecessary barriers to citizen-led initiatives and referendums, undermining our ability to hold government accountable. I urge you to reject this bill. First, the bill’s rigid formatting rules—mandating specific forms, fonts, margins, and ink colors—are solutions in search of a problem. These bureaucratic hurdles serve no legitimate purpose other than to disqualify signatures for minor clerical errors. A petition’s validity should hinge on voter intent, not font size or ink shade. Such arbitrary standards disenfranchise Missourians who sign in good faith, weaponizing technicalities to silence their voices. Equally troubling are the restrictions on who may collect signatures. Requiring circulators to be Missouri residents or physically present for 30 consecutive days excludes non-residents who may support a cause, while banning compensation based on signature volume cripples grassroots campaigns. Paid circulators are often essential for under-resourced groups to meet steep signature thresholds. This provision tilts the playing field toward wealthy interests and stifles civic engagement. The bill’s retroactive invalidation of signatures collected before ballot title approval is a transparent trap. Campaigns must begin organizing early to meet deadlines, but HB 575 & 551 forces them to gamble: collect signatures at their own risk or abandon efforts entirely if a court later alters the title. This creates a Catch-22 designed to sabotage citizen-led efforts. Expanding who may challenge petitions invites frivolous litigation, bogging down the process in costly delays. Combined with the eight-week adjudication deadline, this risks derailing petitions even if challenges lack merit. Meanwhile, repealing the public comment requirement strips transparency, denying voters a voice in scrutinizing measures that reach the ballot. Proponents claim this bill protects “election integrity,” but Missouri already has robust safeguards. These changes are not about fairness—they are about making it harder for ordinary citizens to enact change. Direct democracy exists precisely to counterbalance legislative inaction or overreach. HB 575 & 551 subverts that power, privileging technical compliance over the will of the people. I implore you to reject HB 575 & 551. Do not let procedural roadblocks erase Missourians’ right to self-government. Uphold our democracy—do not suffocate it.