Democracy is Coming to Jackson County (Missouri)
If you are registered to vote in Jackson County, you are eligible to vote in our upcoming "Peoples' Assembly" Meetings.
Government by the People
is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence
by conducting a campaign to put seven proposals on the ballot in Jackson County -
four elegantly simple, yet incredibly powerful, pro-democracy reforms
and three revenue-neutral proposals that will secure Economic Rights for the People of Jackson County.
This is what democracy looks like!
Democracy is government by the people. In a true democracy, the people govern. In a true democracy, the people are the government. The citizens of Jackson County are uniquely empowered to show the world what government by the people really looks like because we have the most citizen-friendly initiative process in the world.
Majority rule is the essential element of democracy. In a true democracy, if a majority of the people of a community, state, or nation, want a law enacted, that law is enacted. And if a majority of the people do not want a law enacted, it is not enacted.
ARTICLE XIV, Section 1 of the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County states that: "The people reserve the power to propose and enact all ordinances independent of the County Legislature by initiative, to approve or reject ordinances of the County Legislature by referendum and to recall an elective county officer."
Under the provisions of the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County, once the required number of registered voters have signed initiative petitions, the legislation being proposed is placed on the ballot at the next primary or general election (at least 80 days away). There is no start date or stop date or limits on the time frame for gathering signatures on initiative petitions.
The number of registered voters who must sign initiative petitions to put a proposal on the ballot is equal to a percentage of the number of votes cast for County Executive at the most recent election, at least 5% for an ordinance, and at least 10% for an amendment to the Home Rule Charter.
There were 129,445 votes cast for County Executive in 2022. five percent of those votes equals 6473 signatures. That is the number of valid signatures we need to turn in to get proposals for ordinances on the ballot. Ten percent of that vote total equals 12,945 signatures. That is the number of valid signatures we need to turn in by August 14th to get the proposals for amendments on the ballot on November 3rd.
We are in the process of planning a series of Town Hall style meetings of the "Peoples' Assembly" in Jackson County. At those meetings, we will have an open discussion of our ballot proposals. Those meetings will be open to the public, but active participation will be limited to citizens who are registered to vote in Jackson County. These meeting will function as a sort of committee meeting. Participants will "vote" in favor of letting the people of Jackson County vote the proposals by signing the petition for each proposal. (A list of the dates, times, and locations of the meetings will be posted below as meetings are scheduled.
We anticipate collecting enough signatures to get these proposals on the ballot in November. If we fall short of gathering the required number of signatures by August 14th , we will simply go on collecting signatures until we have the required number of signatures and our proposals will be on the ballot at a later date.
Our Ballot Proposals
An Economic Bill of Rights
Three revenue-neutral proposals that secure economic rights for the people of Jackson County.
Polling consistently shows that the number one concern of most voters is economic security. Access to affordable healthcare is the second most common concern of voters. We are promoting three proposals that address those concerns.
On January 11, 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed an Economic Bill of Rights and asked Congress to enact the legislation needed to secure those rights for all Americans. More than 82 years later we are still waiting. When these proposals are approved by voters, it will end the wait for the people of Jackson County.
The Jackson County Healthcare Cooperative
The primary reason we (Americans) pay far more for healthcare than the people of any other advanced country is the involvement of private, for-profit, health insurance companies, acting as unwanted gatekeepers for healthcare and adding tremendously to the cost of healthcare without adding anything in terms of the quality or quantity of healthcare that is available.
We can dramatically reduce the cost of healthcare for the people of Jackson County by organizing a health care cooperative, with premiums based on a percentage of each member’s income and set no higher than necessary to cover the full cost of healthcare provided, plus reasonable administrative costs. All health care services and procedures covered by Medicare will be covered. Health care providers will be reimbursed for care at the same rates provided for through Medicare.
Exact text of the Jackson County Healthcare Cooperative ordinance:
Be it enacted by the people of Jackson County:
To ensure access to affordable health care for citizens of Jackson County, the County Executive shall organize a health care cooperative, to be styled as The Jackson County Healthcare Cooperative. Membership shall be open to all citizens of Jackson County and their dependents. Premiums shall be based on a percentage of each member’s income and set no higher than necessary to cover the full cost of healthcare provided, plus reasonable administrative costs. Any health care services and procedures covered by Medicare shall be covered. Health care providers shall be reimbursed for care at the same rates provided for through Medicare.
The government of Jackson County is hereby authorized to issue bonds to cover the start-up costs for the Jackson County Health Care Cooperative. The bonds are to mature no later than five years from the date of issue.
This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon approval by the voters of Jackson County with enrollment in the Jackson County Healthcare Cooperative to open by January 1st of the year following approval by the voters of Jackson County.
The Affordable Homes Project
The dream of home ownership is now out of reach for many Americans. We can make the dream of home ownership a reality for more residents of Jackson County through an Affordable Homes Project. The county government will be authorized to issue bonds to cover the initial costs of constructing moderately priced, energy-efficient houses, townhouses, and condominiums that will be sold to qualified buyers at cost, with no money down, and no interest charged. Monthly mortgage payments will be set at a level that will repay the full cost of constructing the homes over a thirty-to-forty-year period.
As homes are constructed and sold, payments made by homeowners will finance the construction of additional homes. That would create an ever-increasing supply of affordable homes that will continue until the demand for affordable homes is fully met.
Homeowners who want or need to move within the Jackson County, will be able to transfer their equity to another home that is part of the Affordable Homes Project within Jackson County. Homeowners who want or need to move outside of Jackson County, will be reimbursed in an amount equal to their equity, minus the cost of restoring the property to a "like new" condition.
Exact text of The Affordable Homes Project ordinance:
Be it enacted by the people of Jackson County:
To make the dream of home ownership a reality for as many citizens of Jackson County as possible, the government of Jackson County is hereby authorized to issue bonds to cover the initial costs of constructing moderately priced, energy-efficient, houses, townhouses, and condominiums that shall be sold to qualified citizens of Jackson County at cost, with no money down, and no interest charged. Monthly mortgage payments shall be set at a level that will repay the full cost of constructing the homes over a thirty-to-forty-year period.
Homeowners who want or need to move within Jackson County shall be able to transfer their equity to another home that is part of the Affordable Homes Project. Homeowners who want or need to move outside of Jackson County shall be reimbursed in an amount equal to their equity, minus the cost of restoring the property, within ninety days of vacating the property.
Any workers employed as part of this project who do not belong to a labor union shall have the right to organize or join a labor union.
The government of Jackson County is hereby authorized to issue bonds to cover the initial costs of this project. The interest paid on those bonds shall be included in the cost of the homes constructed.
This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon approval by the voters of Jackson County with construction of the homes to begin as soon as money raised by issuing bonds is sufficient to cover the full cost of construction.
The Renewable Energy Project
The Renewable Energy Project will reduce the cost of electricity, contribute to an appropriate response to the existential threat posed by global warming, and provide well-paid, union jobs for workers in Jackson County. The county government will be authorized to issue bonds to cover the initial costs of constructing or acquiring and retooling manufacturing facilities to produce solar panels.
To maximize demand, the solar panels produced will be leased or sold at cost. Individuals and families residing in Jackson County will have the first option to lease or purchase the solar panels produced and, when feasible, will have the option of having the solar panels they purchase or lease installed on government-owned property near their homes as part of a Community Solar Project. Businesses located within Jackson County will have the second option to lease or purchase any solar panels produced and not sold to individuals or families. Any remaining solar panels will be leased or sold to individuals or businesses located outside Jackson County.
Exact text of The Renewable Energy Project ordinance:
Be it enacted by the people of Jackson County:
To respond appropriately to the existential threat posed by global warming and provide well-paid, union jobs, the government of Jackson County is hereby authorized to issue bonds to cover the initial costs of constructing or acquiring and retooling manufacturing facilities to produce solar panels and hiring workers to manufacture solar panels. Any solar panels produced may be installed on buildings or property owned by Jackson County. And additional solar panels produced through this project shall be leased or sold at cost. Citizens residing in Jackson County shall have the first option to lease or purchase the solar panels produced and, when feasible, shall have the option of having the solar panels they purchase installed on county owned property near their homes as part of a Community Solar Project. Businesses located in Jackson County shall have the second option to lease or purchase solar panels produced. And any remaining solar panels shall be leased or sold to individuals or businesses located outside of Jackson County.
Any workers employed as part of this project who do not belong to a labor union shall have the right to organize or join a labor union.
This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon approval by the voters of Jackson County with acquisition and renovation of facilities and hiring of workers to begin as soon as money raised by issuing bonds is sufficient to cover the full cost of operation for one or more manufacturing facilities.
Four Constitutional Amendments
The Perfect Democracy Amendment
The Perfect Democracy Amendment will allow voters who are registered to vote in Jackson County to “sign” petitions provided for in the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County electronically, by means of Statements of Support issued through Online Accounts. Citizens in the European Union have been able to "sign" petitions electronically since 2011.
In a survey conducted in 2021, 85% of Americans agreed that we need to completely reform or make major changes to our political system. Allowing citizens to sign petitions online is a relatively minor change with major benefits - it will make it much easier for the people of Jackson County to:
- Put proposals on the ballot through the initiative whenever it appears likely that a majority of the people of Jackson County want legislation enacted that the Jackson County Legislature has failed to enact;
- Call veto referendums whenever it appears likely that a majority of the people of Jackson County oppose legislation enacted by the pJackson County; and
- Call for a recall election whenever it appears likely that a majority of the people of Jackson County believe an officeholder should be removed from office.
That is what democracy looks like!
Exact text of The Perfect Democracy Amendment
Be it resolved by the people of Jackson County that the county charter be amended:
Article XIV of the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County is hereby amended by adding Section 11, to read as follows:
Citizens who are registered to vote in Jackson County shall be able to “sign” any petitions provided for in the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County electronically by submitting Statements of Support issued through Online Accounts for Politically Active Citizens.
No later than first day of January of the year following the approval of this amendment by voters, the County Executive shall implement a system of Online Accounts for Politically Active Citizens to facilitate the submission of electronic Statements of Support and be responsible for taking appropriate measures to ensure the security of the system.
The Personal Representation Amendment
Personal Representation is based on the belief that people should be represented in legislative bodies, not just a majority of the voters in gerrymandered geographic areas. Extreme gerrymandering has created a system where the parties pick their voters. With Personal Representation, the people pick their representatives.
Personal Representation is based on the belief that all people should be represented by legislators who vote as they would vote.
The Personal Representation Amendment will transform the Jackson County Legislature into a truly democratic institution by allowing every citizen who is eligible to vote to authorize any one member of the Jackson County Legislature to cast votes on their behalf (by assigning proxies) and give each legislature a number of votes equal to the number of proxies they have been assigned, plus one for themselves. Citizens will be able to reassign their proxies at any time. That will give Politically Active Citizens the ability to vote (indirectly) on any legislation being voted on in the Jackson County Legislature.
The full text of The Personal Representation Amendment
Be it resolved by the people of Jackson County that the county charter be amended:
Article II, Section 6 of the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County is hereby amended to read as follows:
Section 6. The members of the County Legislature shall be elected for terms of four years commencing on January 1, following their election.
1.To ensure that the government of Jackson County, Missouri is fully responsible to the people of Jackson County, and to fully secure the benefits of home rule and self-government for the people of Jackson County, under the Constitution of the State of Missouri, a system of Personal Representation shall be implemented. Any citizen of Jackson County who is eligible to vote may authorize any one member of the County Legislature to cast votes on their behalf by submitting a proxy form to the Clerk of the County Legislature. Each member of the County Legislature shall have a number of votes equal to the number of citizens who have authorized them to cast votes on their behalf, plus one vote for themselves, on all matters voted on by members of the County Legislature. Citizens may reassign their proxies at any time.
2. The County Executive shall implement a system of Online Accounts for Politically Active Citizens to facilitate the submission of electronic proxies; make both electronic and paper versions of proxy forms available to citizens of Jackson County; and be responsible for ensuring the security of the system of Online Accounts and for protecting the privacy of citizens submitting proxies, whether electronically or by means of a paper form.
The At Large Election Amendment
ARTICLE II, Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County, Missouri currently read as follows:
Section 2. The County Legislature shall consist of nine members to be nominated and elected from six districts and three districts at large. One member shall reside in and be nominated and elected by the qualified voters in each district; and one member shall reside in each district at large and be nominated and elected by the qualified voters of the county at large.
Section 3. The districts and the districts at large shall be compact, of contiguous territory, and as nearly of equal population as is practicable.
Section 4. The districts and districts at large shall be established by the apportionment committees as provided in this charter.
The full text of The At Large Election Amendment
“Be it resolved by the people of Jackson County that the county charter be amended.”
ARTICLE II, Sections 3 and 4 of the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County are hereby repealed and Section 2 is amended to read as follows:
Section 2. The County Legislature shall consist of nine members to be nominated and elected at large.
The Majority Veto Override Amendment
The only change to this section of the Home Rule Charter is to replace the words “two-thirds” with the word “majority”. This eliminates the anti-democratic super-majority requirement for the members of the legislature to override a veto by the County Executive. This change brings the County Charter in line with the principles of majority rule and the supremacy of the legislative power.
The full text of The Majority Veto Override Amendment
“Be it resolved by the people of Jackson County that the county charter be amended.”
ARTICLE II, Section 12 is hereby amended to read as follows:
Section 12. All county ordinances passed by the County Legislature shall within five days thereafter be presented to the County Executive. If the County Executive approves the county ordinance, he or she shall sign it, and the county ordinance shall thereupon be deemed enacted, but if not, the County Executive shall return it with his or her objections to the County Legislature, which shall enter the objections on its journal, and proceed to reconsider it. After such reconsideration, a majority of the members of the County Legislature may pass the county ordinance over the objection of the County Executive. In all such cases the vote shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the county ordinance shall be entered on the journal of the County Legislature. Any county ordinance not returned by the County Executive within ten days after it shall have been presented to the County Executive shall be deemed approved, as if signed. In the case of county ordinances appropriating money the County Executive may object to one or more items or portions of items while approving other portions, in which case the approved items or portions shall take effect and the items or portions objected to shall be reconsidered separately.
Democracy is government by the people. When we, the people, take control of our government, we will make history.
Three ways to get these proposals on the ballot:
(1) "By ordinance adopted by the County Legislature".
The easiest way to get these ordinances adopted and these amendments on the ballot this November is for a majority of the members of the Jackson County Legislature to simply adopt the ordinances for revenue-neutral projects and adopt ordinances putting the proposed amendments on the ballot.
The official phone numbers and email addresses for the current members of the Jackson County Legislature are listed below.
Please contact them by phone and/or email and politely and respectfully encourage them to be a Champion of Democracy by voting to approve the ordinances and put the proposed amendments on the ballot on November 3rd. If you call, in most cases you will be leaving a voicemail. Be sure to include your name and phone number.
Sample phone message or email: "I hope you will actively support and vote for the proposals for a health care cooperative, the Affordable Homes Project, the Renewable Energy Project, the Perfect Democracy Amendment and the Personal Representation Amendment that are being promoted by our pro-democracy movement."
Jalen Anderson (1st District At Large) 816-881-4477 JAnderson@jacksongov.org
Donna Peyton, (2nd District At Large) 816-881-3464 dpeyton@jacksongov.org
Megan L. Smith, (3rd t District At Large) 816-881-4423 Megan.Smith@jacksongov.org
Manuel Abarca IV, (1st District) 816-881-3076 MAbarca@jacksongov.org
Venessa Huskey, (2nd District) 816-881-3806 vhuskey@jacksongov.org
Charlie Franklin, (3rd District) 816-881-4441 cfranklin@jacksongov.org
DaRon McGee (4th District) 816-881-3322 dmcgee@jacksongov.org
Jeanie Lauer, (5th District) 816-881-4476 jlauer@jacksongov.org
Sean E. Smith, (6th District) 816-881-3132 sesmith@jacksongov.org
(2) Through the Initiative
If at least 6,473 citizens who are registered to vote in Jackson Count sign the petitions for the ordinances and at least 12,945 people who are registered to vote in Jackson County sign the petition for the Perfect Democracy Amendment by August 15th, the proposed ordinances and amendments will be on the ballot in Jackson County on November 3rd. If approved by a majority of the citizens who vote on that day, they will be enacted.
Between now and August 15th, we will be hosting numerous events at which petitions can be signed, blank petitions distributed, and notarized petitions collected. A full list of those events is posted on the Events Page of this website.
If we fall short of the required number of signatures by that date, we will continue to collect signatures and turn them in on April 1, 2028. These proposal would then be on the ballot for the primary election in August of 2028.
(3) Elect Champions of Democracy to at least five seats on the Jackson County Legislature on November 3rd.
If a majority of the present members of the Jackson County Legislature will not approve letting the Citizens of Jackson County vote on these proposed amendments, we need to elect Champions of Democracy to a majority of the seats on the Jackson County legislature on November 3rd.
Champions of Democracy among the candidates running for seats on the Jackson County Legislature or for County Executive this year will make their support for these proposals clear and play an active role in collecting signatures on petitions. The false friends of democracy will be silent on these issues. On November 3rd, we need to elect as many Champions of Democracy as possible to the Jackson County Legislature and elect a Champion of Democracy as County Executive.
A Peaceful, Joyous Political Revolution
The greatest blessing of democracy is that it enables us to change our government with ballots, instead of bullets. When we, the people, unite in support of democratic ideals, we will be able to shift power to the people (and away from corporations and billionaires. When political power shifts dramatically in a relatively short period of time, that is a revolution. Our revolution will be peaceful and joyous. We don't have to get angry or hateful, we only have to quietly do the work of making our government our own.
There are several ways you can help:
Spread the word.
Let everyone you know who is registered to vote in Jackson County know about the upcoming meetings of the "People's Assembly".
Share links to this website, our flyers, our videos, and our posts with as many people as possible through text messages, emails, and in person. Join the campaign by providing your contact information.
We don't have to change minds - we are simply giving voters the opportunity to approve legislation supported and desired by a majority of the people.
Sign the initiative petitions.
Although we are hopeful that a majority of the members of the Jackson County Legislature will adopt the ordinances we are proposing and put the amendments we are proposing on the ballot, until they do, we intend to conduct a campaign to get the legislation called for in the Peoples' Agenda on the ballot through the initiative. If and when the Jackson County Legislature acts on any of our proposals, we will suspend our initiative campaign for those proposals. Even if the Legislature takes action of all of our proposals, we need to continue our Civic Education campaign to make voters aware that these proposals will be on the ballot on November 3rd.
Help gather signatures.
If we gather at least 6,473 valid signatures on petitions for the ordinances we are proposing and at least 12,945 valid signatures on petitions for our proposed amendments, by August 15th, our proposals will be on the ballot on November 3rd.
The key to our success in getting these proposals on the ballot in Jackson County on November 3rd through the Initiative, is for hundreds of Politically Active Citizens to volunteer to gather signatures on the initiative petitions.
On August 4th: go to the polls - and a library.
After voting "NO" on Amendment 4 (which would make it nearly impossible for citizens in Missouri to get legislation enacted through the initiative) say "YES" to democracy by signing our petitions. We will have volunteers on hand at libraries throughout Jackson County with petitions available for you to sign .
We already have all the power we need.
The Declaration of Independence states that we, the people, “institute” governments to “secure” our “rights” and that governments derive their “just powers” from “the consent of the governed”.
The opening lines of the Constitution of the state of Missouri, state that “All political power is vested in and derived from the people” and that “All government of right originates from the people, is found upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole.”
The Preamble to the Constitutional Home Rule Charter of Jackson County states that the reasons we adopted that Charter was “to ensure that” our county government “is just, orderly, efficient, and fully responsible to the people, and to secure the benefits of home rule and self-government for Jackson County to the fullest extent possible under the Constitution of the State of Missouri.
In the spirit of those powerful statements of democratic ideals, we are inviting Politically Active Citizens residing in Jackson County to join our campaign to Make Jackson County a Perfect Democracy. To join, simple send an email to info@governmentbythepeople.org with your contact information (and preferred method to be contacted – text or email) and the following statement: “I would like to join the campaign.”
Article XIV, Section 1 of the Home Rule Charter states that "The people reserve the power to propose and enact all ordinances independent of the County Legislature." Although we are proud to be launching this effort to exercise the power of the people on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we are not declaring our independence from the Jackson County Legislature. We sincerely hope to work with Champions of Democracy on the Legislature, and among the candidates seeking to be elected to the Legislature, to get proposals for a public option for healthcare, an Affordable Homes Project, a Renewable Energy Project and two pro-democracy amendments on the ballot and approved by voters.
Let's unite in support of our democratic ideals and work together to -
Join "The Peoples' Assembly of Jackson County"
We are compiling a data base of Politically Active Citizens.
Democracy is government by the people. We, the people of Jackson County, intend to take an active role in governing our county going forward. We are compiling a data base of registered voters in Jackson County who want to be actively involved in this campaign and future campaigns. Your contact information will not be sold or shared.
You will receive updates and notifications about upcoming events and exciting developments in our campaign. You will be notified when we, the people of Jackson County, take an active role in governing our county in the future through initiative petitions, veto referendums, and recall campaigns.
You will be able to vote as we conduct internal polls to determine future actions.
To join, use the contact form on this website or send us an email stating that you want to join The Peoples' Assembly of Jackson County.
The material on this website is adapted from a soon to be published book: Government by the People: Perfecting Demt ocracy in the 21st Century by Winston Apple.
Content is Copyright 2026 Gary Winston Apple, unless otherwise noted.
Permission is granted to share with proper attribution. All Rights are Reserved.
This website is paid for by Winston Apple - as a private citizen.