By Holly Thompson Rehder, State Senator
JEFFERSON CITY – As Missourians head to the polls in less than one week, I am struck by the number of issues on the ballot and the significant impact this election will have on the future of Missouri.
In my previous two columns, I wrote specifically about Amendment 3 and Amendment 2, regarding abortions and sports betting respectively. There are four other measures in which voters will check yes or no squares. This week I want to highlight Amendment 7 and Proposition A, two decisions that will have a lasting impact on elections and the economy.
Amendment 7 comes from Senate Joint Resolution 78, a bill I supported and voted for during the legislative session earlier this year. In an effort to protect the sanctity of the one person-one vote philosophy that has guided Missouri’s elections since the beginning, SJR 78 bans a practice known as ranked choice voting. Unlike the current method of voting in which you pick one candidate for a position, ranked choice voting allows voters to select multiple candidates, putting them on the ballot in order of most preferred to least preferred, with higher ranked candidates receiving more weight in the final tally. Other states and even some cities in Missouri (who would be grandfathered in and given an exemption should Amendment 7 pass) are currently utilizing this system. It may work well for them. However, I do not want to see the power of the vote be watered down and elections in general slowed down by this complicated method.
Another provision included in Amendment 7 codifies election integrity laws in the Missouri Constitution. If approved, the Amendment would make the Constitution consistent with statute by stating that only citizens of the United States would be allowed to vote in Missouri elections. This is called unnecessary ballot candy by some claiming the law already exists in statute, but there is a legal argument that the current language could be challenged due to potential loopholes. Even that mere possibility tells me that this language being approved by the people and enshrined in the state Constitution is imperative. Every step must be taken to guarantee that non-citizens and foreign governments are completely barred from influencing our law making process.
Ask almost any Missourian what issue is driving their decisions at the polls and they will tell you it is the economy. Inflation has spiraled out of control the last few years, groceries and household necessity costs continue to spike and it is becoming harder and harder for all of us to do the simple things. That is why we must be careful in considering raising the minimum wage, which is what Proposition A aims to do. If approved, Missouri’s minimum wage would increase each of the next two years, reaching $15 per hour in 2026, and base further years’ minimum wage changes on changes to the Consumer Price Index. The new law would also require businesses to provide one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked to their workers.
While minimum wage workers would see larger paychecks and guaranteed sick time would be incredibly helpful to families, small local businesses would be hit extremely hard by these changes. Those owners only counterpunch would be raising prices, something most are already doing to combat inflation. I do not think any of us want to see prices blow-up further or more local businesses close shop. If this bill was in the legislature we could possibly find compromise and make changes, but it is all-or-nothing when these measures are placed on the statewide ballot.
The American economy is a very complicated and fickle machine. Simple band aid fixes rarely provide healthy, long-term solutions. I will be voting no on this measure and encouraging lawmakers and business owners to find other ways to provide for people who are struggling to get by.
Again, I strongly encourage everyone to research all issues and names on the ballot next week. Ask questions and have all the information you need to make an informed choice. Most importantly, take the time to vote and let your voice be heard!
Contact Me
I always appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at 573-751-2459. You may write me at Holly Thompson Rehder,
Missouri Senate, State Capitol, Rm 433, Jefferson City, MO 65101, send an email to Holly.Rehder@senate.mo.gov or visit www.senate.mo.gov/Rehder.