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Action Plan - Missouri
There is a name for the government based on these principles – direct democracy. Direct democracy is sometimes referred to as “pure democracy” because it is free of the flaws that typically corrupt representative democracies. A government that fully lives up to these ideals would be a perfect democracy.
We see glimpse of a perfect democracy in Missouri from time to time thanks to an amendment to the Missouri Constitution, enacted in 1908, which gave the people of Missouri the power “to propose and enact or reject laws and amendments to the constitution by the initiative, independent of the General Assembly” and “to approve or reject by referendum any act of the General Assembly.” [Missouri Constitution, Article III, Section 49]
Referendums and the initiative are the essential components of direct democracy. Direct democracy is sometimes referred to as “pure democracy” because referendums vest all political power in the people. Every citizen has an equal vote, and a simple majority of the votes determines whether a proposed law or constitutional amendment is approved or rejected. The initiative allows the people to originate legislation.
In recent years, the people of Missouri have used the initiative to enact legislation the General Assembly refused to pass (an increase in the state minimum wage, Medicaid expansion, the “Clean Missouri” ethics reform) and used the veto referendum to repeal an anti-worker, anti-union, so-called “right-to-work” bill that was passed by the General Assembly.
Some of the politicians in Jefferson City are unhappy that the people of Missouri have been able to originate legislation and reject bills that they have passed. They have proposed amendments to the Missouri Constitution that would make it more difficult for citizens to get proposals on the ballot through the initiative and require antidemocratic supermajorities to approve proposals put on the ballot by the people. If these antidemocratic amendments were to be enacted, it would be a significant setback for democracy in Missouri.
When it comes to defending democracy, an adage commonly associated with sports and warfare applies – “the best defense is a good offense”. We need to do more than defend democracy. We need to proactively promote democracy.
Our campaign is already underway in Missouri. A petition for the elegantly simple, yet incredibly powerful Pure Democracy Amendment has been filed with the Secretary of State in Missouri and approved for circulation. We have begun gathering the signatures needed to get this proposed amendment on the ballot in Missouri. If the required number of people sign the petitions by May 5, 2024, the Pure Democracy Amendment will be on the ballot in Missouri on November 5, 2024. If approved by voters at that election, the Pure Democracy Amendment will take effect 30 days later.
The Pure Democracy Amendment (Missouri)
The Pure Democracy Amendment will make it easier for the people of Missouri (and Champions of Democracy in the General Assembly) to put proposals for legislation on the ballot and call for referendums when needed.
- It will require the governor to implement a secure system of Online Accounts for Politically Active Citizens that will allow citizens to sign petitions online electronically.
- It will empower a “super-minority" of one-third or more of the members of either house in the General Assembly to call referendums and utilize a legislative version of the initiative by signing petitions.
Majority rule is the essential element of a true democracy. Anytime it appears likely that a majority of the people are opposed to legislation enacted by a state legislature, it should be referred to the people for their approval or rejection. Anytime it appears likely that a majority of the people want legislation enacted that a state legislature has failed to enact, it should be put on the ballot for voters to approve or reject.
The only power the "super-minority" of legislators will have under the Pure Democracy Amendment is to refer legislation to the citizens of Missouri for their approval or rejection. That is what democracy looks like.
Once the Pure Democracy Amendment has been passed, citizens of Missouri will have the power needed to enact the additional reforms needed to -
There are lots of ways for you to help...
Circulate Petitions
Contribute financially
Circulate Petitions
Obtaining the required number of signatures is the key to success for our campaign.
Recruit volunteers
Contribute financially
Circulate Petitions
To collect the required number of signatures on each petition we need to grow our army of volunteers exponentially.
Contribute financially
Contribute financially
Contribute financially
Although there is a lot we can do with volunteers at very little cost, there are also a lot of ways to spend money effectively to reach many more voters than we can reach with volunteers only.
Help raise money
Help raise money
Contribute financially
When you ask someone to make a contribution to a worthy cause, you are giving them an opportunity to be involved in something special. With our campaign you are giving them an opportunity to make history.
Make Phone Calls
Help raise money
Make Phone Calls
We will be organizing phone banks throughout the campaign. If you need training, we will provide it. You can also contact people you know directly. Make a list of everyone you know who might be interested in being part of our campaign. Text, call, or send them an email and encourage them to visit our website and get involved.
Host an event
Help raise money
Make Phone Calls
House parties can be a very enjoyable way to get other people involved in our campaign. Or you can host a larger event, especially if you are a member of an organization that supports democracy.
Hand out flyers
Promote our website
Hand out flyers
Hand out flyers to people you know, at events, at your school or church, or simply to people that you meet. We will mail flyers to you, or you can print you own. PDFs of an assortment of flyers are posted on this website.
Put up posters
Promote our website
Hand out flyers
We need to put up posters in as many
good locations as possible, including schools, union halls, churches, and other high traffic public places.
Promote our website
Promote our website
Promote our website
Our web site has a wealth of information regarding why citizens in Missouri should sign our petitions and join our campaign. Please encourage everyone you know to visit our website.
Instructions for Circulating Petitions (Missouri)
Qualifications for petitioners: To gather signatures on petitions you must be at least eighteen years of age. You may not circulate petitions if you have been convicted of, found guilty of, or pled guilty to an offense involving forgery. You do not have to be a resident of the state of Missouri to circulate petitions, but you must have the signature pages you turn in notarized in the state of Missouri.
To facilitate good communication, please make sure to provide your contact information. If you have not already done so, please provide us with your email address in the space provided at the bottom of each page on this website, or send an email with the subject line “I am circulating petitions” to: info@governmentbythepeople.org. You may also send an email to this same address if you have any questions or concerns.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING INITIATIVE PETITIONS FOR CIRCULATION
Before you begin gathering signatures, fill in the name of the county for each page in all four of the spaces provided: in the upper right corner; in the two spaces in the paragraph that begins “We, the undersigned registered voters of the state of Missouri….” and in the paragraph just below the signature block.
In the space provided just above the signature block (the Circulator’s Affidavit) – Fill in your name, but not the county in which the page will be notarized. (Wait to make sure where you will have it notarized.) The signature pages must be notarized before you turn them in. They can be notarized anywhere in the state but must be notarized in Missouri.
DO NOT fill in the page number. Pages must be collated by county before they are numbered to avoid duplication of page numbers. Our field organizers will add page numbers prior to submitting all of them to the secretary of state’s office.
DO NOT sign your own petition (sign a page being circulated by someone else).
DO NOT sign your name as the affiant (the person obtaining signatures) until you are having the pages notarized.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR GATHERING SIGNATURES ON INITIATIVE PETITIONS
Only registered Missouri voters can sign these initiative petitions. When asking someone to sign the petition, begin by asking if they are a registered voter in the state of Missouri. (If they are not registered, encourage them to register, but do not allow them to sign.) Then ask them for the name of the county where they are registered to vote. Make sure they sign a page for that county. Encourage signers to sign their name exactly as it is on their voter I. D. card and to write legibly. (And to stay within the lines.)
ERRORS: If someone makes an error, the signee should put a single line through the entry and put their initials next to the strikethrough, then sign again below. If you catch the error later, you may draw a single line through the entry. Wait to initial it until you are having the page notarized.
Each petition page may only contain signatures of voters from a single county. If you are obtaining signatures from voters from more than one county, you must have a separate signature page for each county. Signatures of voters who do not reside in the county indicated in the upper right corner will not be counted. You should keep a single copy of both petitions on a separate clipboard for each county.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING COMPETED AND NOTARIZED PETITIONS
Before you turn in petition pages, be sure to have them notarized. You should be able to get them notarized at your bank, without charge. We also have volunteers who are notaries. If necessary, send an email to info@governmentbythepeople.org and ask about notaries in your area. Once your petitions have been notarized, you can mail them to:
Government by the People
15517 East 40th Street South
Independence, MO 64055
GET COMFORTABLE EXPLAINING OUR PROPOSALS TO POTENTIAL SIGNERS
It is very important for you to be comfortable explaining, and answering questions about The Pure Democracy Amendment. The information you need is posted on this website. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need additional information.
To get the Pure Democracy Amendment on the ballot, we need to collect the required number of signatures in at least six of Missouri's eight congressional districts.
Volunteer Resources (Missouri)
Copies of the Missouri version of the Pure Democracy Amendment petition are available upon request to anyone wanting to help gather signatures. Use the contact form on this website or send an email to info@governmentbythepeople.org to request copies.
If you print copies yourself, using the PDFs provided below, please follow these instructions carefully:
Copies of the petitions must be printed on borderless U. S. legal size paper (8 1/2" by 14")
They must be exact copies of the petition filed with the Missouri Secretary of State.
(If they are not exact copies they will be rejected by the Secretary of State and/or election officials.)
If you are using a print shop, please use a union shop, but do not have them add the union "bug".
The signature page and the full text of the petition must be printed on opposite sides of the same sheet of paper.
Flyers Explaining the Proposed Amendment
Pure Democracy Amendment - Missouri. Full-color flyer. One page - 8 1/2 X 11".
Ideal for taping to the back of a clipboard for easy viewing when gathering signatures.
Balck and white version of the Pure Democracy Amendment - Missouri. (Above) One page - 8 1/2 X 11".
One page B&W flyer explaining the Missouri version of the Pure Democracy Amendment,
with a more detailed rationale.
The Pure Democracy Amendment (Missouri)
This is a true copy of the full and exact text of the petition for the Pure Democracy Amendment
that has been filed with the Missouri Secretary of State and approved for circulation in Missouri.
This version should be printed on the back of the signature page (below) on legal size paper (8 1/2' X 14")
on copies of the petition being circulated.
Text being added is underlined. Text being deleted is in brackets.
SIGN UP TO JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN
We are recruiting an army of volunteers to help us MAKE MISSOURI A PERFECT DEMOCRACY. There are lots of ways to help. If you would like to join our campaign, please provide your email address.
This website was created by, is maintained by, and is paid for by Winston Apple, a private citizen. Copyright © 2023 Gary Winston Apple - All Rights Reserved.
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