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The Jackson County Election Board has added two additional locations for voters to cast absentee ballots for the November election. In addition to the Independence location at 110 N Liberty, Independence, voters may cast absentee ballots in Blue Springs at the Fleming Meeting Hall, 21906 SW Woods Chapel Road, or at the Ranger Rec. Building in Lee's Summit, 3310 Rennau Drive. The dates and times for each location are provided in the graphic below. The first four weeks of absentee voting require an acceptable excuse why you are not able to vote on Election Day. The final two weeks of absentee voting requires no excuse. Photo ID is required. For more information on absentee voting, visit Absentee Voting | Jackson County Missouri Election Board (jcebmo.org).  Missouri Amendment 6: Should court fees fund retirement for sheriffs and prosecutors?Missouri voters will decide Nov. 5 if retirement funds for sheriffs and prosecutors should be supported with fees collected on court cases. A fee used to fund sheriffs’ pensions was put in place by state law in 1983. The Missouri General Assembly placed Amendment 6 on the ballot to reverse a 2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling that found the fees unconstitutional. The state’s high court found that court fees for pensions were “not reasonably related to expense of the administration of justice” and thus violated a constitutional ban against using court fees to enhance the compensation of executive department officials, which would include retired county sheriffs. If approved by a simple majority of voters, the Missouri Constitution will be changed, allowing the legislature to fund benefits for the state’s 114 elected county sheriffs or their surviving spouses through the collection of a $3 fee per case where a guilty verdict or plea is reached. Retirement benefits for prosecutors are also included, through a $4 fee. The exact ballot language is below: Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel? State and local governmental entities estimate an unknown fiscal impact. Fair Ballot Language: A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for current and former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys to ensure all Missourians have access to the courts of justice. A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees related to current or former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys. If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes. What happens if Amendment 6 fails? If it fails, the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System predicts that its fund will be insolvent within nine years, said Melissa Lorts, executive director. “We feel like the $3 fee is really a user fee of the court system,” Lorts said. Sheriffs are responsible for bringing defendants to the courthouse from the jail, and they administer warrants and manage other aspects of a criminal case, she said. “So we have a heavy hand in what happens in the court system,” Lorts said. More than 200 former sheriffs or their surviving spouses currently receive benefits, Lorts said. The amendment traces back to two speeding tickets in Kansas City and the state supreme court ruling that followed. Two men admitted to the traffic violations in 2017, ultimately paying a total of $223.50 in fines and fees to the city’s municipal court. But the men later argued that they didn’t realize that $3 from each case would go toward the sheriffs’ retirement benefits. The two men led a class action filed with Jackson County Circuit Court, arguing that the extra charge was “unjust enrichment,” a violation of the state constitution. The case continued to wind through the courts until the Missouri Supreme Court ruled for the plaintiffs in 2021, Lorts said. The court’s decision cited a 1986 ruling, noting that it laid down “a bright-line rule” barring court fees that benefit executive officials that are not “reasonably related to the expense of the administration of justice.” The ruling in the traffic case cost the retirement system about $9 million in court costs and settlements and ended its ability to collect the money, Lorts said. In December 2023, the fund had $38.4 million in assets, a drop of $800,000 from the end of the previous calendar year, according to the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System annual report. Beginning in January 2024, active sheriffs began contributing 5% of their salaries to the retirement fund, a change instituted by the legislature. The legislature also approved $2.5 million to help stabilize the fund, an amount that has been requested again in the coming fiscal year, Lorts said. What are the arguments against Amendment 6? Critics of the fees that Amendment 6 would allow say each county should pay for pensions and other costs related to law enforcement and the courts. The Washington, D.C.-based Fines and Fees Justice Center told lawmakers that the salaries and benefits for prosecutors and sheriffs should be adequately funded, but that court fees are an “ineffective and counterproductive” approach. “When fines and fees go unpaid, judges may issue arrest warrants for failing to pay, leading to law enforcement arresting people for not paying financial obligations — most often because they are too poor to pay,” testified Priya Sarathy Jones, deputy executive director at the Fines and Fees Justice Center. “The time spent on these debt collection and enforcement efforts diverts law enforcement and courts from their core responsibilities … In fact, the collection of fines and fees by law enforcement has been found to be associated with lower clearance rates for more serious crimes.” Some studies have shown that the cost to municipalities to collect fines and fees can exceed the revenue generated. The Missouri NAACP argued that the fees “create a negative incentive to give more tickets and charge unnecessary crimes.” Leonard Charles Gilroy, a vice president of the Reason Foundation in Los Angeles, wrote that changing the state constitution to allow the fees would violate “basics of public finance and fiscal stewardship.” Public pensions are constitutionally protected benefits, which are obligated to be paid in full regardless of market conditions or revenue generated. “Law enforcement and courts are core functions of government that should be funded through legislative appropriations, not fees,” Gilroy’s statement said. “It would be imprudent to revive a policy to fund pension contributions with dedicated fine/fee revenues because those revenues can fluctuate over time, while pension liabilities are always locked in.” Meanwhile, Amendment 6 came under fire for ballot summary language that the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District ruled was insufficient and unfair. The court clarified that passage of the measure by voters in the general election would enshrine a broader meaning of the administration of justice in the state constitution. That court reworded the ballot language voters will see to read: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel?” This article first appeared on Beacon: Missouri and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. 
Editor's Note: As we head toward the November election, we will take a look weekly at the issues voters will see on the ballot. We'll begin with a look at the state amendments on the November 5th ballot.
Missouri Amendment 5: Voters can OK or reject a new casino at the Lake of the Ozarks on Nov. 5Missourians, long restricted to sites along the Missouri or Mississippi rivers for casino gambling, will decide whether to add another river to that list during the Nov. 5 election. Amendment 5 will ask Missouri voters if they want to allow an additional casino on the Osage River, near the Bagnell Dam at the Lake of the Ozarks, on the south side of U.S. 54. The plan is spearheaded by Bally’s, which operates a casino in Kansas City, and RIS Inc., a developer based in Eldon. The amendment is the result of a 10-year effort to build a casino and entertainment center at the lake. The site is part of the Eagles’ Landing development, which sits on both sides of U.S. 54. The proposal would amend the Missouri Constitution to allow an additional casino on the Osage River. The plan also includes a hotel, a convention center, restaurants and other attractions. It would override a state law that only allows 13 casino licenses by adding a 14th dedicated to the Osage River proposal. The proposal needs a simple majority statewide to pass. The revenue from the state’s gaming tax, estimated to be $14.4 million annually, will be allocated toward early childhood literacy efforts. Official Ballot Title:
The details of Amendment 5’s casino planMembers of the Osage River Gaming and Convention Committee are the main backers of the proposal. The group has been eyeing a casino at the lake for years, toggling between pursuing the effort through the legislature or via a citizen-led initiative petition. Since lawmakers have the power to place questions on the ballot for voter approval, that was one path the committee started pursuing in 2020, after it announced its plan for the Lake of the Ozarks development. Former state Rep. Rocky Miller, a Republican from Osage Beach, initially spearheaded the legislative path to changing the constitution. After the bill failed in 2022 and 2023, the committee announced it would pursue the change through the initiative petition process. Backers of the proposal say the destination will create 500 construction jobs and create 700 to 800 permanent jobs. To read the full text of the amendment, click here. The city of Lake Ozark gave its backing to the plan in December. Local governments are estimated to receive around $2.1 million annually in admission and other fee revenue. The state estimates it will take in $14.3 million in gaming tax revenue annually, which will be dedicated to supporting early childhood literacy efforts. The amendment comes amid an effort from Osage Nation to build a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks. Osage Nation acquired land at the Lake of the Ozarks in 2021 and officially launched a plan to build a casino, which requires coordination with the federal government and clearance from the governor. The years-long effort to get Amendment 5 on the ballotAfter a 2009 fire destroyed a gambling riverboat, the backers of Amendment 5 saw an opportunity to launch a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks, the Springfield News-Leader reported. The group of investors huddled with the intention of pursuing an additional license and getting voter approval to build on a new river. By 2018, the investor group was ready to launch a citizen-led initiative petition effort to get voter approval for gambling on an additional river. But Miller suggested the legislative route because it would cost less. After legislation struggled to get off the ground for a number of years, in part due to heavy opposition from Osage Nation, investors turned back to the initiative petition route, which was successful in 2024. This article first appeared on Beacon: Missouri and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. In-person absentee voting for the November election begins September 24th at the Jackson County Election Board offices located at 110 N Liberty, Independence, MO. Office hours are Monday – Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. In addition, the Jackson County Election Board will be open the three Saturdays before the election, October 19th, October 26th, and November 2nd, from 8:30am to 12:30pm. To request a mail-in absentee ballot, visit S:\Forms\ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATION Instructions-Registered Voters.wpd (jcebmo.org). Absentee requests for the November 5, 2024 General Election must be received on or before Wednesday, October 23, 2024. For more information, contact: JCEB Offices – 215 N. Liberty, Independence, MO 64050 | (816) 325-4600 | [email protected]. Reasons you can vote absentee:
No Excuse In-Person Absentee Voting begins the second Tuesday prior to an Election. For absentee I.D. requirements Click HERE.  Missouri Independent: Missouri voters will decide whether to legalize abortion in November8/15/2024
Missouri voters will decide whether to legalize abortion in Novemberby Anna Spoerre, Missouri Independent Abortion will be on Missouri’s statewide ballot in November. An initiative petition to enshrine the right to abortion up until the point of fetal viability received final approval Tuesday, securing a place on the general election ballot. If the measure receives a majority of votes, Missouri could become the first state to overturn an abortion ban through a citizen-led measure. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office had until 5 p.m. to certify all ballot measures that received enough verified signatures to qualify. It certified the measures as sufficient hours before that deadline. Also certified to be on the November ballot were proposals to legalize sports wagering and raise the minimum wage. Leaders with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the coalition behind the ballot measure, gathered at a press conference Tuesday to encourage Missourians to get out to vote. The coalition is headed by Abortion Action Missouri, the ACLU of Missouri and the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates. “Politicians have tied doctors’ hands and the stakes could not be higher,” said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Abortion Action Missouri. “ … With a yes vote on amendment 3 this November, we are taking back what’s ours.” In Missouri, the first state to ban abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedure two years ago, abortion is expected to be a focal point of the general election campaign. Missouri is among 18 states with an abortion ban, and among several states working to put abortion on the ballot. In each state that put the issue on the ballot, citizens ultimately choose to protect the procedure. “The measure takes away the right from every person who loses a child or a loved one because of negligence during pregnancy, labor or delivery the freedom to sue for malpractice and obtain compensation,” Stephanie Bell, a spokeswoman with Missouri Stands with Women, said in a statement Tuesday. Tori Schafer, director for policy and campaigns for the ACLU of Missouri, responded to the comment, saying the statement is “fully false” and that the amendment doesn’t impact malpractice laws already in place.
What would the amendment do?
Abortion is illegal in Missouri, with limited exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest. If the amendment receives more than 50% of votes in approval, the measure would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Such an amendment would return Missouri to the standard of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which also legalized abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Missouri’s amendment also includes exceptions after viability “to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.” Missouri’s amendment also states that women and those performing or assisting in abortions cannot be prosecuted. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions deemed unnecessary can be charged with a class B felony and face up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked. Dr. Selina Sandoval, associate medical director for Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, said the right to make decisions about abortion is personal and she sees each day the barriers and hardships bans cause. “In Kansas right now, we are serving mostly out-of-state patients, including Missourians, who’ve had to flee their home states in order to simply access abortion care,” Sandoval said Tuesday. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the coalition leading the reproductive-rights campaigns, is headed by Abortion Action Missouri, the ACLU of Missouri and the state’s Planned Parenthood affiliates. A decade ago, when abortion was still legal with fewer limitations, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in the state, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. But by 2020, that number dropped to 167 due to a series of “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws passed, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and a surgical abortion and mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions.
Since the Supreme Court decision in June 2022 through March 2024, there were 64 abortions performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. A recent study by the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research group, showed that in 2023 alone, 8,710 Missourians traveled to Illinois and 2,860 Missourians went to Kansas for the procedure, which remains legal in both states. Despite the relative proximity to clinics in the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis and the Kansas suburbs of Kansas City, abortion access for Missourians has remained precarious at best. Missourians hoping for abortions have increasingly found themselves competing for limited resources — including abortion funds and clinic appointment openings — especially as more southern states have outlawed the procedure, making Illinois and Kansas critical access points for women in states like Florida, Oklahoma and Texas. This has led many Missourians to increasingly rely on self-managed medication abortions. Rather than traveling across state lines, it’s estimated that thousands of Missourians received Mifepristone and Misoprostol to end their pregnancies at home in the past two years according to JAMA, the American Medical Association’s journal. On Tuesday, members of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom continued to return to their continued fears for women’s health care in Missouri if a ban remains in place. Missouri already has stark maternal health care deserts, high maternal mortality rates, and recently saw adecrease in applicants to OB-GYN residency programs. Schafer, with the ACLU, said the coalition plans to start rebuilding access to abortion on day one, if the measure passes. “We know that after passage, constitutional amendments take 30 days to go into effect in the state of Missouri,” she said. “And we are hopeful that clinics will be open and our teams will be working toward that as our goal.” Schwarz said they’ve been in contact with abortion providers about coming back to Missouri. “After we win this in November, the impact will be regional and across the country,” she said. “And and from abortion providers that we are in close regular relationship and contact with, people are thinking all the time about where the next clinic can be, where the next opportunity is for them to grow and be able to support more and more patients.”
Wide support despite initial delays
The initial attempt to place abortion on the ballot began in March 2023. Legal fights with Republican state officials over the ballot language and internal disagreements on whether to include a viability ban stalled signature gathering attempts until January. As a result, the coalition had just 90 days to fundraise and collect signatures across the state. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers were prioritizing an attempt to raise the threshold for approving citizen-led ballot measures. After a series of Senate filibusters, including one thatbroke records at 41 hours, the legislation failed on the final day of session. Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher on the day of adjournment said that if abortion made it to the ballot and then passed in November under the current initiative petition guidelines, “the burden of abortion falls squarely on the Senate and its leadership.” Despite these obstacles, the initiative petition garnered wide support across the state. As of July, the campaign raised nearly $7.3 million in donations, according to filings with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom turned in 380,000 signatures by their May deadline, including from each of Missouri’s 114 counties. To qualify for the ballot, they had to get signatures from 8% of registered voters in six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts, which equates to about 171,000 signatures. As of mid-July, the campaign had turned in more than enough valid signatures to land on the ballot, according to preliminary records from Missouri election authorities. Once all verified signatures were turned in by election authorities in late July, the secretary of state’s office had two weeks to determine whether there were any final issues, like duplicate pages or missing affidavits signed by circulators. On Tuesday, the secretary of state’s office also certified ballot measures hoping to raise the state’s minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave and legalize sports wagering. A third proposal to authorize construction of a new casino near Lake of the Ozarks fell short of the needed signatures. This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. to include reactions from those supportive of and opposed to the amendment. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. 
Valley News Staff with additional reporting from Missouri Independent and Associated Press, Beacon: Missouri
Voters headed to the polls Tuesday for the primary election and to decide on two state amendments, rejecting an attempt by lawmakers to exempt childcare facilities from paying property taxes, and approving an amendment to require Kansas City to spend more of its municipal budget on policing, reinstating a policy that had been overturned by the state supreme court. (See additional reporting from Missouri Independent below). Locally, District 32 Missouri State Representative Jeff Coleman ran unopposed and will face Democrat Jennifer Cassidy in November. Missouri voters approve amendment requiring more police spending in Kansas Cityby Allison Kite, Missouri Independent Missourians on Tuesday voted to require Kansas City to spend more of its municipal budget on policing, reinstating a policy that had been overturned by the state supreme court. The race was called by the Associated Press at 11:30 p.m., with the amendment winning 51% to 48%. That means the Missouri Constitution will be amended to require Kansas City to spend at least 25% of its general revenue on police, amounting to tens of millions of dollars per year. While it provides funding for the department, Kansas City is the only major city in the U.S. that doesn’t have local control of its police. The Kansas City Police Department is governed by the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, which includes the mayor and four members appointed by the Missouri governor. That means while the City Council writes the checks for the Kansas City police, they have no control over how funds are spent. Between the 1950s and 2022, Kansas City was required to spend at least 20% of its general revenue on police and often exceeded that. But in 2020, as racial justice protesters pushed for police reform across the nation, Kansas City sought to exert more influence over the police budget. Following the protests, sparked by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Kansas City officials attempted to set aside $42 million in police funding — above its obligatory 20% spending — for “community engagement, outreach, prevention, intervention and other public services” in an attempt to increase police accountability. But the move was lambasted by Missouri Republicans, who claimed City Hall was trying to “defund” the police. Missouri lawmakers responded with legislation requiring Kansas City to spend at least 25% of its revenue on police, which passed in the spring of 2022 on a largely party-line vote with Republicans supporting increased police spending. Voters then, in the fall of 2022, approved the legislation with 63% of the vote. The policy was unpopular, however, in the Jackson County portion of Kansas City where 61% of voters rejected it. It passed in Platte and Clay counties, which include suburban parts of Kansas City. After the vote, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas challenged the election in court, saying a summary printed on voters’ ballots “materially misstated” the cost of the proposal. The fiscal note summary accompanying the 2022 amendment said the requirement that Kansas City spend at least 25% of its revenue on police would result in “no additional costs or savings.” The state argued that because the city had voluntarily granted that much in the past, the amendment simply removed the city’s discretion rather than imposing a new cost. City Hall, however, argued the mandate could potentially cost other departments up to $38.7 million in budget cuts. The Missouri Supreme Court agreed with the city and ordered the results of that election be tossed and a new vote be held, paving the way for Tuesday’s vote. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. Missouri voters reject property tax break for child care facilitiesby Allison Kite, Missouri Independent Missouri voters on Tuesday rejected an attempt by lawmakers to exempt child care facilities from paying property taxes, an incentive supporters hoped would help with the state’s day care shortage. When the Associated Press called the race at 10:30 p.m., more than 54% of Missourians had voted against amending the Missouri Constitution to offer the property tax exemption. It’s one of several attempts by lawmakers in recent years to take action on the state’s shortage of child care facilities. “This is just one incentive to try to make that easier for the facilities,” state Sen. Travis Fitzwater said during a committee hearing on the bill last year. According to the language on voters’ ballots, the exemption was “intended to make child care more available, which would support the well-being of children, families, the workforce and society as a whole.” An investigation by The Independent and Muckrock found nearly one in five Missouri children lives in a “child care desert,” where there are more than three children under the age of six for every licensed child care slot. Some areas have more than 20 children per licensed seat or no daycare access at all. Even in areas with plenty of licensed child care seats, staffing shortages mean facilities can’t operate at full capacity. It can be difficult to hire for child care jobs, which paid, on average, less than $12 an hour in 2021. And while COVID relief funding poured into Missouri to help with the shortage, it largely went to ZIP codes that weren’t child care deserts, The Independent and MuckRock found. It’s unclear how much money child care providers might have saved statewide if the property tax exemption had passed. Voters’ ballots said local governments were unsure what the fiscal impact might be to their budgets. But the hope for supporters was that saving child care providers money might help with the shortage. “It’s going to take an all-of-the-above approach to tackling the child care crisis,” Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland, a lobbyist for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a hearing last year. When the legislation came before Missouri lawmakers, it had support from an array of child care and economic development organizations, including the chamber. Geisbuhler Sutherland said business owners have told the chamber that the lack of child care makes it difficult for companies to find workers. Missouri lawmakers have considered an array of options to deal with the child care shortage. This spring, Gov. Mike Parson pushed a package of child care tax credits, but the legislation stalled in the Senate because of ultra-conservative opposition to “welfare” or the attempt to “give away free child care.” Parson called for the tax credits in his State of the State speech in January, noting Missouri had enough licensed facilities to serve just 39% of children, and proposed a budget that increased child care subsidies by $51.7 million. He said: “It’s time for change.” Nina Hampton of Columbia voted at American Legion Post 202 and opposed the child care property tax amendment. “Corporations are paying off the politicians,” she said. “The poor guy keeps paying and paying but the corporations get everything.” The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this story. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. Missouri primary election 2024 resultsFind live election results from the Aug. 6 Missouri primary election. Looking for Kansas results? Head over to this page. Election results for U.S. SenateElection results for Missouri governor, lieutenant governorElection results for attorney generalElection results for secretary of stateElection results for state treasurerElection results for U.S. HouseResults for Missouri Amendment 1 and Missouri Amendment 4Missouri primary election results for state House of RepresentativesSimply search the district number you are looking for and pick a county below to find results. Missouri primary election results for state Senate racesSimply search the district number you are looking for and pick a county below to find results. This article first appeared on Beacon: Missouri and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. 
Voters head to the polls Tuesday, August 6th for primary voting. Polls are open from 6am - 7pm; voters in line at 7pm will be permitted to vote. Voters must present a valid photo ID issued by Missouri or the federal government in order to vote. If you do not have valid ID but are a registered voter, you may cast a provisional ballot.
To locate your polling location, visit Voting Locations | Jackson County Missouri Election Board (jcebmo.org) To view a sample ballot, visit Notice-of-Election-Sample-Ballot-Final.pdf (jcebmo.org). The KC Media Collective has compiled a primary voting guide for Kansas and Missouri voters: KC Voter Guide 2024 | Missouri and Kansas elections | KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR Missouri Primary Election Day FAQ: What you need to know to make sure your vote countsby Staff Reports, Missouri Independent Months of campaigning and TV ad wars will come to a close Tuesday, as Missouri voters head to the polls to pick their party’s nominee for Congress, the state legislature and nearly every statewide office. The Independent tried to answer some of the questions you may have about voting in Missouri’s primary. What time do polls open?Polls across the state open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Voters in line by 7 p.m. are entitled to cast a ballot. Where do I vote?Before you head out the door, check your voter registration and polling location at GoVoteMissouri.com. Some local election officials said the state’s website has the most up-to-date information on the new polling sites. Others recommended going directly to the county’s website or calling local officials instead. The GoVoteMissouri.com website will also provide the information you need to contact your local election authority. How do I find out what’s on the ballot?Local election authorities provide sample ballots, which voters can study, fill out and bring with them on Election Day to use as a guide. They are typically posted on your county’s website. Researching your ballot ahead of time will help cut down on the time you spend at the polls, and local election officials are encouraging voters to do this. What are acceptable forms of ID to vote?Registered Missouri voters will need a photo ID issued by Missouri or the federal government in order to vote. If you do not have any of these forms of identification, but are a registered voter, you may cast a provisional ballot. Your ballot will count if you return to your polling place on Election Day with a photo ID, or the signature on your provisional ballot envelope is determined by your local election authority to match the signature on your voter registration record. If you cast a provisional ballot, you will receive a stub from your provisional ballot envelope with instructions on how to verify that your provisional ballot is counted. Accepted forms of photo ID for Missouri include: A non-expired Missouri driver’s license or a state ID A non-expired military ID, including a veteran ID card A U.S. passport or another form of photo ID issued by the U.S. government or the state of Missouri that is not expiredCan I wear a T-shirt with my candidate’s name on it?Missouri election law prohibits wearing political apparel to the polls, advocating for a candidate or issue within 25 feet of a polling place, or taking photos of ballots. Who can I call if I need help?Voters may call the Secretary of State hotline at 1-800-669-8683 with any questions or to file a complaint with the the agency’s elections division. A nonpartisan election protection hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) will also have volunteer lawyers ready to answer questions on election day. Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. Missouri Independent: KCPD funding, child care tax breaks: Missouri's August ballot issues explained7/18/2024
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KCPD funding, child care tax breaks: Missouri’s August ballot issues explainedby Allison Kite, Missouri Independent Kansas City officials have another chance next month to fend off an attempt by Missouri lawmakers to force the city to spend more of its revenue on policing. But despite opposition from Kansas City leaders and activists, there’s no formal campaign against the ballot initiative, which was previously passed by Missouri voters but later tossed by the Missouri Supreme Court over deceptive ballot language. Instead, opponents of the proposal will try to get the word out without “gigantic checks,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. “But I don’t pretend to think that will necessarily win the day,” Lucas said. At issue is a question that will appear on Missouri voters’ August 6 primary ballot as “Amendment 4.” It asks whether the Missouri Constitution should be amended to require Kansas City to spend at least one-quarter of its general revenue on policing, an increase of close to $39 million. Missouri voters previously approved the spending hike with 63% of the vote in 2022. But the measure was unpopular with Kansas Citians. In the Jackson County portion of Kansas City, more than 61% of voters rejected the amendment. It passed in Platte and Clay counties, which include suburban parts of Kansas City. Lucas sued the state’s auditor and secretary of state, saying a summary printed on voters’ ballots “materially misstated” the cost of the proposal. He prevailed, and the Missouri Supreme Court ordered the election results be tossed out and a new vote be held. The police funding amendment is one of two questions on Missouri voters’ August primary ballots. The other, passed last year by the Missouri General Assembly and appearing on the ballot as Amendment 1, would exempt child care facilities from paying property taxes in an attempt to “make child care more available” to “support the well-being of children, families, the workforce, and society as a whole.” “We obviously have a child care facility shortage in our state,” state Sen. Travis Fitzwater said during a hearing on the property tax amendment last year. “We need to provide opportunities for folks that get child care.” A “yes” vote on Amendment 1 supports amending the Missouri Constitution to allow child care facilities to be exempted from paying property tax. On Amendment 4, a “yes” vote supports amending the Missouri Constitution to increase the minimum amount Kansas City must spend on policing from 20% to 25%. A “no” vote would leave Kansas City’s spending obligations at 20%, though city officials could voluntarily spend more.
Police funding campaign
The police funding dispute stems from the Kansas City City Council’s attempt in 2021 to impose some control over the Kansas City Police Department’s Budget. For more than 80 years, the Kansas City Police Department has been controlled not by the City Council but by a board of commissioners appointed by Missouri’s governor. The only city in the state and one of few in the nation that doesn’t control its police, Kansas City simply provides the funds for the department. While the city was obligated between 1958 and 2022 to provide the funding requested by the board — up to 20% of the city’s general revenue — it has little control over how it is spent. The city has often exceeded its 20% obligation. But following racial justice protests that took place in Kansas City — and across the nation — in 2020, City Council members attempted to set aside $42 million in police funding above its obligatory spending for “community engagement, outreach, prevention, intervention and other public services.” The move was criticized by Republicans in the Missouri General Assembly who voted to increase Kansas City’s obligation to 25% of its revenue. “Kansas City’s short-sighted move to defund the KCPD, if attempted again, will have lasting and dangerous consequences for our metro area,” state Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer said in a committee hearing in 2022, when the amendment was approved by lawmakers. Luetkemeyer, who lives in the suburbs of Kansas City, carried the legislation in 2022 to increase the city’s police spending obligations. He did not return a request for comment. The 2022 legislation passed the Missouri General Assembly on a largely party-line vote with Republicans supporting the increased police spending and Democrats opposing it. Lucas said voting no was the “only common sense solution.” Residents of Kansas City, he said, should be the ones to determine the policy direction of the city by electing local representatives. He said one year the council may need to increase police salaries and the next it may need to spend money on other needs, like firefighting. “Who should tell you that, ‘No, you can’t actually take care of your firefighters; you can’t take care of the nurses in your public hospital because you have to live by whatever Jefferson City is doing just for pure political pandering?’” Lucas said. Lora McDonald, executive director of the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, or MORE2, called the attempt by state lawmakers to force Kansas City to spend 25% of its revenue on policing “a political ploy.” “Why do you care what our police department has or doesn’t have?” McDonald said. “It’s not your business. It’s not your money.” Lucas said there was “no organized campaign” to persuade voters to reject the amendment. Last month, the Missouri Supreme Court allowed the issue to go on the August ballot rather than the November one, giving supporters and opponents just over two months to mobilize voters. According to Missouri Ethics Commission records, no spending committees have been organized to advocate for or against Amendment 4, and no independent groups have spent money in the race.
Child care tax credit
Along with the Kansas City police question, Missouri voters in August will get to decide whether to amend the state constitution to offer a property tax exemption for child care facilities. The proposal, championed during the 2023 legislative session by Fitzwater, is one of several attempts by lawmakers in the last few years to ease the shortage of child care facilities in Missouri. This spring, Parson and lawmakers attempted to pass a package of child care tax credits, but the legislation stalled in the Senate because of ultra-conservative opposition to “welfare” or the attempt to “give away free child care.” An investigation by The Independent and MuckRock found nearly one in five Missouri children lives in a “child care desert,” where there are more than three children under the age of 6 for every licensed child care slot — or no licensed slots at all. “This is just one incentive to try to make that easier for the facilities,” Fitzwater said during a committee hearing on the property tax exemption last year. Fitzwater did not return a request for comment. Fitzwater’s proposal was supported by an array of child care and economic development organizations and anti-abortion groups. Samuel Lee, a lobbyist for Campaign Life Missouri, said during discussion on the bill last year that the anti-abortion group supported the “pro-life, pro-family, pro-workforce development” legislation. “The pro-life movement has generally not been involved in areas of childcare,” he said, “although for our maternity homes and pregnancy resource centers, the lack of available childcare, the lack of transportation, the lack of housing have always been the three major issues for their clients.” The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry also supported the measure last year. Its lobbyist Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland said business owners told the chamber that the lack of child care makes it difficult to find workers. “It’s going to take an all-of-the-above approach to tackling the child care crisis,” she said, “but I think this measure is a great way to start.” SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST.
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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X. With 100% of precincts reporting, Mayor Michael Todd won re-election, defeating Dale Arnold with 58.92% of the vote. Reached for comment, Mayor Todd said, "I want to thank all the residents who have placed their faith in me for another two years. We have some great things coming with expansions of sidewalks, trails, road improvements, and improvements to our parks that I’m excited to continue to work with city staff on." In the only contested alderman race, first-time candidate Kyle Sole defeated former mayor Chuck Johnston in Ward I with 55.81% of the vote. Rick Knox in Ward 2 and Ryan Skinner in Ward 3 won their uncontested seats. Voters also overwhelmingly passed the proposed school board levy (Question 1) which will be used to increase teacher and staff pay in the district. The measure passed with 58.86% of the vote. Reached for comment, Grain Valley Schools Superintendent Brad Welle shared the following statement: "We wish to thank our school community for supporting our schools, teachers, and staff with the passage of the levy ballot measure. Our people tell us they love working here and this vote reinforces why - because this community is willing to do hard things to keep our schools the best they can be. We see the challenges many in our community face to keep up with increased costs and we do not take your support for granted. We will continue to be good stewards of our financial resources. I wish to thank our school board for setting the tone for our district. Under the Board’s leadership, our focus is on attracting and retaining a high-quality workforce. We also appreciate the efforts of parents and other community volunteers who stepped forward to get the word out about the importance of this ballot measure. Improved pay for our teachers and staff will take effect with the start of the new budget year on July 1." Incumbent Jared English was re-elected to another term on the Grain Valley school board, while first-time candidate Aaron Scully won the second open seat, defeating incumbent candidate Eddie Saffell and first-time candidate Paul Trusler.   Unofficial results: Jackson County Election Board (9:50pm 4/2/2024)
As the April 2nd municipal election draws close, Valley News reached out to the candidates running for the Grain Valley School Board to answer a series of questions to learn more about their background and priorities. Four candidates have filed for two open seats on the Grain Valley Board of Education. Current board members Jared English and Eddie Saffell have filed for re-election. Aaron Scully and Paul Trusler have also filed. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order, and other than minor spelling or grammatical corrections, the candidates' responses are provided as written. Jared English Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I’ve been a resident of Grain Valley for roughly 20 years. My wife and I have two elementary-age children in the district. My work background is risk management. I was on Grain Valley Park Board for roughly 9 years. I also served as the treasurer for the Pathways of Honor, which is a Veterans group in Grain Valley. I’ve been on the School Board in Grain Valley for 12 years. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? I think that we have a great district, focused on the education of our children. As an experienced board member with strong ties to the community, I think I’m well-suited to partner with leaders in our district to ensure we continue to keep education our focus. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? In a word: Culture. Employees, regardless of industry, typically stay with an employer because the culture of the organization aligns with their values. I think the administration in Grain Valley has done an excellent job creating a culture that our staff value. We may never pay more than some of our neighbors, even with the levy. I think the key to successfully retaining employees (teachers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, facilities workers, etc.) is to maintain a culture of respect that employees value. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? The district has several methods of gauging success of our students. MAP tests are a good indicator of how the district performs compared to other Missouri schools. As I reviewed the data provided to the board, one area that jumped out at me was the “Class of 2027 Math” results. While there are several reasons for why the scores look low, this is area I’m concerned with and watching closely. Other tests provide additional insight as to how our overall school population is performing academically. I think its also important to identify those who are falling behind. Our board motto is, “every student, every day.” We mean that. We have a small percentage of students who struggle every day. We need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to support those kids and give them the education they deserve. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? Education should remain our number one priority over the next 3-5 years. The board approves a comprehensive plan every year. That plan also includes other key initiatives, such as facilities, security and communications with our patrons. I think all of these issues are important. The board receives regular updates from the administration on progress in these key areas. Another big issue is the continued growth of our community. Grain Valley continues to expand. This puts a great deal of stress on our district. Continuing to monitor growth and ensure we’re allocating resources to accommodate growth across the district is key to a good education. Eddie Saffell Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I spent 40 years in the fire service, 10 as a volunteer in Harrisonville and the last 30 with the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District (CJC), retiring as a deputy chief. During that time, I have served as the president of the Grain Valley Chamber of Commerce and a Grain Valley / Blue Springs advisory board member to Truman Heartland Community Foundation. I have also served on numerous community project committees such as the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast (Blue Springs) and the Truman Heartland Scholarship Committee. I am completing my 12th year as a member of the Grain Valley Board of Education. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? My commitment to the school board comes from two points: my belief that education is critical to our community's success. A strong school system brings families, which in turn brings business which strengthens our community and allows for better resources and programs for our families and business owners. I received my graduate degree later in life, so my belief that education is key doesn't stop at high school, but continues throughout life. To instill that mindset in our children, we have to give them the best education we can from the beginning and I believe I have, and will continue to help Grain Valley Schools to build that success. Second is my dedication to public service. I have been in some form of public service my entire adult life and I have been interested in local government special districts (school, fire, library) the entire time. I currently work for the City of Grain Valley so, even in retirement, I remained in community service in a different form. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? Finances are always the easiest to blame and sometimes the hardest to fix. The levy will allow us to make a large impact on the teacher salary and benefit issue, but we also have to think out of the box and find ways to entice teachers to come to Grain Valley and then stay. Ensuring a positive culture of respect and trust has little financial impact in comparison to other components, but can keep a teacher, or any other staff member, in our system. Wanting to go to work and enjoying where you work are critical to our success. If we give our staff members the support and resources they need daily, such as monitoring and maintaining class sizes, it can make their work less stressful. Open and honest 360 degree communication can improve morale. This starts at the top and moves through all levels of the organization. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? In general, our students perform well at all levels. When we look at high school graduations, scholarships, college applications and so on, Grain Valley continues to perform at a very high level. In all elementary and middle school grades, Grain Valley continues to perform above others, especially across the state. My main concerns will always be in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) components because these are the keys to today's business world. We have identified, through standardized testing, some areas we could improve on and are always working on programming and instruction to address those areas. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? As always finances will be a topic of concern. As Grain Valley grows and our student population increases, we will need additional, or expanded, facilities and staff to continue to offer programs to continue to provide our students and families the best educational experience we can. School safety and security is a priority. The world we live in dictates we continually adjust our security for buildings and events to ensure everyone's safety. This has many levels and requires open-minded and forward thinking to accomplish. Staff recruitment and retention is key. As mentioned, finding ways to not only compensate our staff, but also give them a work environment they can be happy to be a part of and proud of. Aaron Scully Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I am an RN and work full time at the Kansas City VA. I am also a member of the Missouri Air National Guard as a critical care air transport team nurse. I have not held any elected positions. My wife and I volunteer within our church in a variety of areas: medical team, security team, and membership class. We also have 5 children, and currently have foster children in our home. We have been foster parents for almost 4 years. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? I want to serve on the school board, because I have a vested interest in the education of my children. I desire to see the overall success of children, to see them succeed in whatever path they choose, and to see them become productive members of this community and our society. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? I got an opportunity to hear a presentation at a board meeting from a couple of teachers, and during their presentation, another point was mentioned which was their days off (sick days, personal days). They would like to see a PTO (paid time off) time of leave system in place, and I could see the benefit of moving to that type of system, if it were to be a desired benefit of the educators and staff. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? I believe the district is tracking the academic success levels to a degree, and I recall seeing some of the results at a board meeting several months ago. I would reiterate that the goal of the district should be to see each child succeed in whatever chosen path, and become productive members of our community. An upcoming concern that I have will be the use of AI (artificial intelligence), and how it will impact education. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? Top issues for the next 3-5 years: continued improvement of safety for staff and students; budget deficits and finding a way to eliminate them; that the district continues to maintain the priority of school is, an education; and that teachers will want to stay in the district. Paul Trusler Please tell us about yourself (work background, volunteer service, elected positions held, etc.). I'm a devoted husband to I believe the most beautiful, loving and intelligent women I know. I'm a father of 7 kids (4 boys, 3 girls.) Grandfather to one boy. All of which are either currently in or have graduated from GVSD. I've been a member of the ironworker local union 10 for over 25 yrs. I'm a member of First Baptist Church of Grain Valley where I've served in many aspects of the church and have served as property chair for over 5 yrs. Why do you want to serve on the Grain Valley School Board? To be more active in my community. To better serve in the school system in which my children and grandchild attend. To be a voice for teachers and students. The levy proposal on the April ballot seeks to address teacher and staff pay in the district. Teacher pay is often cited as a reason why districts struggle to attract and retain teachers. What other factors, besides teacher pay, do you feel are critical to address in the district to retain quality teachers and staff? Pay may be one of the leading factors for teachers leaving, but they are also one of the highest stressed professions. One way to help this would be for the schools to be consistent in the rules and punishment they have. Another way is to recognize teachers constant struggles. Teachers are the backbone of the school system. We should empower them to do their job to the best of their abilities. I've found most teachers are self-driven individuals. We need more people like them. How would you assess the levels at which students are achieving academically in the district? What are areas of concern? For the most part I believe the district to be doing well academically. I would like to explore better ways of instructing kids who learn with their hands (kinesthetic learners) or who are visual learners. What are the top issues the board should focus on in the next 3-5 years? The board should focus on safety and success of the children and teachers. |
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