For more than a century, the League of Women Voters of Missouri has fought for one simple idea: the people’s voices and their votes play a critical role in democracy. They should be heard and respected. That’s why the League has stood against every attempt to weaken Missourians’ constitutional right to change laws through the initiative petition.

Citizens have used the initiative petition to go around legislators and directly to each other, collecting signatures, knocking on doors, and putting real change on the ballot. That’s how we passed abortion rights, marijuana legalization and Medicaid expansion.

Missouri Amendment 4 on the Aug. 4 ballot is designed to take away that right. It will make it difficult if not impossible for the people to pass a constitutional amendment. It will require any future citizen-initiated constitutional amendment to win not just a statewide majority, but a majority in all eight of Missouri’s congressional districts.

This would allow a small minority of voters in one district to veto what most of the state supports. None of the wins listed above would have passed if Amendment 4 were in place.

The League believes every Missourian’s vote should count the same. We need to protect our constitutional right to have fair representation through the citizen-initiative petition. Don’t vote to give away your voting power. The League of Women Voters of Missouri is asking you to defend the initiative process and majority rule. Vote no on Amendment 4.