citizen power Archives - Ricky Dana for US House

Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map — Missourians holding petitions to protect the people’s referendum rights. Map of Missouri with the word gerrymander and a no symbol on top of everything.

By Ricky Dana

⚠️ WARNING: Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map — this fight is about YOUR rights. Don’t let politicians take away the people’s power to vote on Missouri’s future. ✊

❓ Can the Missouri Attorney General stop our referendum now that Gov. Kehoe signed the gerrymandered map?

Short answer: No — not by herself. The Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map is a people’s process. Power belongs to voters, and disputes go to the courts — not one politician.

🔥 Missouri Referendum on Gerrymandered Map — Why the People Hold the Power 🔥

✅ Our Constitution is clear. Missourians reserve the referendum power (Art. III, §49). When citizens properly refer a law, it does not take effect unless voters approve it (Art. III, §52(b)).

⏱️ Timing matters. A referendum may be ordered within 90 days after the General Assembly adjourns the session that passed the law (except for true emergencies or appropriations). Lawmakers ended the special session on Sept. 12, 2025 — the filing deadline is Dec. 11, 2025 (Art. III, §52(a)). That timeline governs the Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map.

💙 What the AG Can — and Cannot — Do 💙

🚫 No veto power. The AG cannot unilaterally block the people’s referendum. The Constitution puts that choice with voters — and court review if needed (Art. III, §49; §52(b)). That’s why the Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map is decided by the people, not the AG.

📝 Form review only. Before signatures can be gathered, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General review the petition as to form. They can specify defects, but petitioners can fix and resubmit (RSMo §116.332). Translation: paperwork checks — not a permanent block.

🧑‍⚖️ Ballot language lawsuits. Anyone (including the state) can challenge the ballot title in Cole County. In 2025, SB 22 set a hard deadline: suits must be filed by the 22nd Tuesday before the election for non-initiative measures (RSMo §116.190, as amended).

🧩 Other tactics. The state might claim an exemption (true emergency/appropriation — doesn’t apply here) or try to toss signatures. Those are court fights — not a one-person veto. Missouri courts have stepped in when state procedures made citizen rights unworkable.

🗓️ What Changed Today — and Why It Matters 🗓️

📌 On Sept. 26, the SOS (citing an AG opinion) said a petition filed before the governor’s signature was “insufficient” — referendum petitions must target a law, not a bill.

🖊️ Now that Gov. Mike Kehoe signed HB 1 on Sept. 28, 2025, petitioners can submit the corrected form and move forward to collect signatures. Game on. The Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map process is officially live.

✍️ Signature Rule — How Many & Where ✍️

You need valid signatures from 5% of legal voters in two-thirds of Missouri’s congressional districts — that’s 6 of 8 (Art. III, §52(a) & §53). Plan your routes, track your counts, verify often. This is the path to defeating the gerrymandered map through the Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map.

🔥 Bottom Line 🔥

Missourians still control this. If the petition is approved as to form, the summary is settled, and enough valid signatures are filed by Dec. 11, 2025, the Missouri referendum on gerrymandered map prevents the law from taking effect unless a majority approves it. That’s the Constitution. That’s democracy. ✊