Letter to the Editor

LETTERS: PETITION CHANGES

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To the editor:

Amendment 1 on next Tuesday's ballot will prevent fraud and allow us to ensure the accuracy and honesty of the initiative process. Passage of Amendment 1 is essential to ensure the integrity of Missouri's initiative process. Missouri one of only 17 states that give citizens the right to propose amendments to the Constitution and changes in statutes independent of the Legislature. I value this right and want to protect it.

We have identified three problems with the petition process from recent experience.

First, paid signature solicitors have filed petitions with names of deceased persons, duplicate signatures and outright forgeries. This has become a big problem in recent years as interest groups have relied more heavily on paid solicitors.

Second, we get to many signatures that we and county election officials must have more time to ensure that signatures are genuine. In 1996 we had 700,000 signatures which the clerks had to check at the same time they conducted the primary election.

Third, in recent years legal challenges to petitions have mushroomed, increasing the likelihood that court decisions at the last minute will disenfranchise those who vote absentee ballots early. We need two more months to resolve these lawsuits so we save the huge cost of reprinting ballots and ensure we all vote the same ballot.

Amendment 1 does nothing to limit the availability of the petition process but does everything to ensure its accuracy and integrity. Accuracy and integrity are the greatest protections for the petition process.

BEKKI COOK, Secretary of State

Jefferson City