Publications to Download
- Register & Vote: Information on how to exercise your right to vote
- Most Recent Legislative Bulletin or older Legislative Alerts, Bulletins and Calls to Action
- The League’s Missouri Voter Newsletter - click here for past issues
- Guide to State Action 2023-2025 (contains LWVMO’s policy positions)
State Program
(Program Positions in Brief, as Approved by 2023 LWVMO Convention)
In addition to the LWVMO Program presented below, the Priorities of the Making Democracy Work Grant are an important part of our Grant.
GOVERNMENT
CITIZEN RIGHT TO KNOW/CITIZEN PARTICIPATION Adopted from LWVUS 2023
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation at all levels of government. The League further believes that government bodies must protect the citizen's right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings, and making public records accessible.
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION Adopted 1941, Updated,1962, Revised 2017
- Support of specific constitutional revisions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of state government
COUNTY HOME RULE Adopted 01-08-1971
- Support of measures to extend home rule to counties
LOCAL CONTROL Adopted by Concurrence with LWVCBC 2023
State and federal legislation, in general, should provide a “floor,” a minimum standard for local policies that local governments can build on to fit their jurisdictions’ needs and constituents’ desires, but not a “ceiling” that prohibits local governments from policy innovation and testing.
ELECTION PROCESS
MONEY IN POLITICS/CAMPAIGN FINANCE Adopted 12-1978, Updated 2015, 2021, 2023
- Support campaign finance/MIP regulations that enhance political equality for all citizens, ensures transparency, protects representative democracy from distortion by undisclosed contributions and big money, and combat corruption and undue influence in government.
- Support campaign spending that is restricted but not banned.
- Support creating an effective enforcement agency.
- Support reasonable limits on campaign finance contributions, both from individuals and PACs, and prompt reporting procedures.
LEGISLATIVE REFORM Adopted 1964, Updated 1967, 2017, 2023
- Support of measures to amend the organization of the Missouri General Assembly including the Sunshine Law and limiting campaign contributions and lobbyist gifts as included in Amendment 1, 2018. See guide to State Action for the specifics of the Amendment.
- Support of standards for apportionment to make congressional and legislative districts as compact, contiguous, and as nearly equal in population as possible with no partisan gerrymandering as included in Amendment 1, 2018. See Guide to State Action for the specifics of the Amendment.
LEGISLATIVE REDISTRICTING Adopted from LWVUS 2023
-Support redistricting using an independent special commission, with membership that reflects the diversity of the unit of government, including citizens at large, representatives of public interest groups, and members of minority groups.
PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE SELECTION PROCESS Adopted 1970, Updated 1986
- Support of measures to increase the informed participation of Missouri citizens in the selection of presidential nominees
-Support of open primaries rather than caucuses.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Adopted 2023
-Support adoption of the National Popular Vote Compact as well as abolishment of the Electoral College.
ALTERNATIVE VOTING SYSTEMS Adopted 2021 with LWVUS, updated concurrence with LWVKC 2023
-Support and advocate for alternative voting systems
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION Adopted in concurrence with LWVKC, August 2024
-The LWVMO endorses automatic voter registration, as it makes political participation easier and more effective.
- The League supports measures that facilitate voter registration. The LWVMO should support efforts to ensure that Missouri is in compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and that the Missouri DMV has incorporated voter registration services into their driver’s license application, renewal, and change of name and address processes, as NVRA compliance facilitates voter registration. The league should litigate or take other actions when the State of Missouri fails to comply with the NVRA , either with or without other organizations that support voting rights registration.
- The League’s actions that engage voters and encourage them to vote is core political speech that should be protected; The LWVMO should defend its right and primary mission of engaging voters and promoting voting.
- The League opposes legislation and practices that remove registration solely on the basis of inactivity. Voting is not mandatory; purging on the sole basis of inactivity is punitive.
- The League believes that organizations, including political parties, should not be allowed to use caging and purging methods, often geographically targeted, to remove registered voters from the voter registration rolls. Caging efforts are non-uniform as they are targeted and discriminatory. LWVMO supports voter registration roll management efforts that are uniform, transparent and non-discriminatory;
- Voters should be provided with public notice via multiple sources that are robust and contemporary as well as individualized notice prior to being purged (removed) from voter registration lists.
- To encourage voter participation, the LWVMO supports state voter outreach programs that seek to register eligible but unregistered voters.
- The State of Missouri should provide uniform, transparent and non discriminatory data reporting tools and resources to help local election authorities to accurately maintain their voter registration rolls.
- Data from 3rd party organizations used in voter registration list maintenance should use strict criteria (strong matches) and be tested for accuracy prior to use, with an objective of minimizing disenfranchising eligible voters.
- Strict voter ID laws, including those which disallow college IDs, unnecessarily disenfranchise voters, including college voters. Students should be allowed to use a valid college ID to vote. ID requirements should not be punitive or costly.
- The League opposes absentee voting restrictions that disenfranchise registered voters because of clerical error, without providing notice and means to correct those clerical errors. The League also opposes other absentee voting restrictions that disenfranchise registered voters such as notarization burdens and the inefficiency of the post office by imposing requirements on when ballots are received at the election authority rather than when postmarked.
- In addition to current local League efforts at high schools, the LWVMO should further develop partnerships and interactions with post-secondary educational organizations to support voter education efforts.
VOTING RIGHTS Adopted 1919, Updated 1966, 1970, 2021, concurrence with LWVKC 2023
- Support of an accurate, efficient, accessible, accountable, and uniform election process.
- Support of measures to ensure a secret ballot.
- Support of no-excuse absentee voting either by mail or in person, advance voting and measures that facilitate participation in the election process and expand all forms of early voting and work to reduce election administration stress.
- Support the fundamental right of every citizen to vote and not limited by the exercise of other constitutional rights, including the First and Second Amendments.
- Support maintaining the practice of a permanent absentee disabled voter list.
- Support clear and concise instructons to minimize spoiled and uncountable ballots.
- Support adequate funding for elections.
- Election consolidation moving special electons to primary and general election day.
- Support providing privacy accommodations for visually impaired voters.
ELECTION SECURITY Adopted by concurrence with LWVKC 2023
-Support measures aimed at protecting and retaining election workers and officials.
FISCAL POLICY Adopted 1940, Updated 1973, 2003
- Support of a balanced and progressive tax system to finance necessary governmental services
- Opposition to revenue and expenditure limits to control the growth of state government.
- Fiscal policy should be in state statutes, rather than the Constitution.
JUSTICE
JUDICIAL SYSTEM Adopted 1940, Updated 2007
- Support of a flexible unified system of courts under the Supreme Court
- Support of the Nonpartisan Court Plan and an improved system of selection, tenure and retirement of judges
JUVENILE JUSTICE Adopted 1974, Updated 1987, 2021
- Support of measures to insure a coordinated system of juvenile justice which treats children fairly and effectively without racial or cultural bias without cultural bias.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE Adopted 2021 in concurrence with CA & AZ
- Support a criminal justice system that is just, effective, equitable, transparent, and that fosters public trust at all stages.
NATURAL RESOURCES
AIR QUALITY Adopted 2015
- Promote measures to reduce pollution from mobile and stationary sources
- Our air quality in Missouri should be protected and promoted, taking into account air pollution caused by motor vehicles, power plants, factory farming, waste disposal and other challenges to our environment.
HAZARDOUS AND SOLID WASTE Adopted 1972, Updated 1987
- Support of strong provisions to fulfill state and local government's responsibility for hazardous and solid waste management
LAND USE AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT Adopted 1976 based on LWVUS Positions 1986
-Support for the adoption and implementation of long-range land use plans and regulations by state, county and municipal governments which incorporate sound policy development based upon the goals, needs and resources of each locale.
WATER Adopted 1958, Updated 1989
- Support of a comprehensive water policy for Missouri, one that includes the public trust doctrine
CLIMATE CHANGE Adopted 2017, updated 2023
- Support for state government recognition of climate change as a critical threat to the planet and for state action to address this important problem.
SOCIAL POLICY
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Adopted LWVUS Policy in 2019, updated 2023
LWV is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in principle and in practice to all persons, regardless of their race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT US Adopted Policy in 1972
-LWV is committed to passing the Equal Rights Amendment.
EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY US Adopted Policy in 1969, revised in 1989, 1972, 1980, 2010
LWV believes that the federal government shares with other levels of government the responsibility to provide equality of opportunity for education, employment and housing for all persons in the United States.
Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action through legislative and regulatory approaches.
PAY EQUITY
-Support equal pay for jobs of comparable worth. This stemmed from member concern over the feminization of poverty.
EDUCATION Adopted 1965, Updated 1970, 1974, 1983, 2019, 2021
- Support for equal opportunity in education, access to quality programs and adequate financing forpre-K through 12.
CHARTER SCHOOLS Adopted 1999, Updated 2007, 2015, 2023
-Support public schools that have accountability and transparency in matters of governance, accreditation, and funding.
-Support holding Charter Schools to the same requirements, certifications, student services, teacher training, classroom materials and leadership as all other public schools in Missouri.
-Oppose charter school expansion until such time as the same standards are applied to all schools receiving public funding.
FAMILY PLANNING Adopted 1988 by Concurrence with Springfield/Green Co.
- Support state family planning programs and educational programs about family planning including funding for these programs.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING Adopted 2015
- The League opposes all forms of domestic and international human trafficking. The League supports appropriate legislation and policy to lead to strict enforcing of these laws; services for victims; and education and awareness in our communities and schools.
MINIMUM WAGE Adopted 2018 (Concurrence LWVUS Quality of Life), updated 2023
- Promote a minimum wage* in Missouri to advance self-sufficiency for individuals and families. *See living wage calculator at MIT@http://livingwage.mit.edu or a similar calculator.
GUN POLICY Adopted 2014, updated 2023
- Promote the protection of the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons.
- Support regulation of firearms and ammunition for consumer safety.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Adopted 2015, Amended 2016 (formerly Mental Health)
- Support an adequately funded behavioral health care system that strengthens families.
- Implement full insurance parity for behavioral health care.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA Adopted 2015
- Support legislation which allows marijuana for medical treatments
- Support treating possession as one of the lowest law enforcement priorities
LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA Adopted by concurrences with LWVCBC 2023
-Support the legalization, regulation and taxation of responsible adult use of marijuana.
PAYDAY AND TITLE LOANS Adopted 2021 in concurrence with SWMO, updated 2023
- Support: Policies, ordinances, legislation and programs that allow a small dollar loan market that maintains access to affordable credit while safeguarding consumers. A loan is affordable if the borrowers can repay the loan and cover basic expenses without borrowing again or obtaining money from another source. Local governments should be able to achieve a viable small dollar loan market that provides consumer access to affordable credit and safeguard against predatory lending from predatory lending practices.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES Adopted 2007, Amended 2013
- Support a public library system as a basic community service, including internet access, with a long-term assured, stable and adequate funding source.
- Support access by all persons to public library services as a major source of knowledge and information necessary for informed, active participation in a democratic society.
