Constitutional convention fails, but three amendments pass

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters were prepared to make three changes to the state constitution but weren't inclined to authorize a review of the state's guiding legal document.

A proposal to authorize a constitutional convention failed by a roughly 2-to-1 margin in Tuesday's election, with all precincts reporting on all constitutional issues.

Constitutional Amendment 1, which gives St. Louis city voters the right to amend or revise the city's charter, was supported by 69 percent of those casting ballots.

St. Louis officials and leaders said home rule would give the city the same powers already enjoyed by other large cities.

Constitutional Amendment 3, which alters voter-approved term limits, had 54 percent of the vote. The measure is designed so lawmakers elected to partial terms would not have that time included in their total legislative service.

Constitutional Amendment 4 repeals a provision of state law that subjects municipal utilities to state regulation if they join together to build or buy an electric or natural gas plant. The measure received 58 percent of the vote.

Constitutional Amendment 2, which would grant firefighters and emergency workers collective bargaining rights, failed by 51 percent of the vote.

Proposition A was defeated in Tuesday's election by a margin of just 29,125 votes out of the more than 1.78 million cast. If passed, the proposal would have quadrupled the state cigarette tax to 72 cents a pack and raised more than $300 million annually.

The tobacco tax defeat comes just three months after statewide voters overwhelmingly rejected a roughly $500 million tax proposal for highways and other modes of transportation.