Tag Archives: 2012

CLICKABLE MISSOURI VOTER GUIDE: BE PREPARED FOR ELECTION TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2012

VOTE NEXT TUESDAY, November 6th. 

Voter Guide for Missouri General Election Provided by the Law Offices of Michelle M. Funkenbusch

Finding your polling place and sample ballot:

 Absentee Voting:

  • If you will be absent from your voting district on election day, or meet one of the other qualifications for absentee voting, you can request a ballot and return it by mail or fax, or vote in an early/absentee voting location–but you’ll need to plan ahead.  Details and information about absentee voting are here.

Information about candidates:

How to find your candidate’s names, your US Rep, State Rep, and State Senate District numbers:

BEWARE that many/most district numbers have changed this year in Missouri, thanks to the new census data and re-districting. Your state representative district number is almost certainly changed, and many state senate districts and US representative districts have changes boundaries, too–sometimes by a little and sometimes by a lot. Here is how to find your updated info:

November 2012 Ballot Issues:

MISSOURI CONSTITUTIONAL Amendment 3

 Judges
OFFICIAL BALLOT LANGUAGE
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to change the current nonpartisan selection of supreme court and court of appeals judges to a process that gives the governor increased authority to:
  • appoint a majority of the commission that selects these court nominees; and
  • appoint all lawyers to the commission by removing the requirement that the governor’s appointees be nonlawyers?
There are NO estimated costs or savings expected if this proposal is approved by voters.
FAIR BALLOT LANGUAGE
“yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to change the current nonpartisan selection of supreme court and court of appeals judges to a process that gives the governor increased authority to appoint a majority of the commission that selects these court nominees. This measure also allows the governor to appoint all lawyers to the commission by removing the requirement that the governor’s appointees be nonlawyers.
“no” vote will not change the current constitutional provisions for the nonpartisan selection of supreme court and court of appeals judges.

Proposition A

Law enforcement
Shall Missouri law be amended to:
  • allow any city not within a county (the City of St. Louis) the option of transferring certain obligations and control of the city’s police force from the board of police commissioners currently appointed by the governor to the city and establishing a municipal police force;
  • establish certain procedures and requirements for governing such a municipal police force including residency, rank, salary, benefits, insurance, and pension; and
  • prohibit retaliation against any employee of such municipal police force who reports conduct believed to be illegal to a superior, government agency, or the press?
State governmental entities estimated savings will eventually be up to $500,000 annually. Local governmental entities estimated annual potential savings of $3.5 million; however, consolidation decisions with an unknown outcome may result in the savings being more or less than estimated.
“yes” vote will amend Missouri law to allow any city not within a county (the City of St. Louis) the option of establishing a municipal police force by transferring certain obligations and control of the city’s police force from the board of police commissioners currently appointed by the governor to the city. This amendment also establishes certain procedures and requirements for governing such a municipal police force including residency, rank, salary, benefits, insurance, and pension.  The amendment further prohibits retaliation against any employee of such municipal police force who reports conduct believed to be illegal to a superior, government agency, or the press.A “no” vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding St. Louis City’s police force.If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.

Proposition B

Tobacco
Shall Missouri law be amended to:
  • create the Health and Education Trust Fund with proceeds of a tax of $0.0365 per cigarette and 25% of the manufacturer’s invoice price for roll-your-own tobacco and 15% for other tobacco products;
  • use Fund proceeds to reduce and prevent tobacco use and for elementary, secondary, college, and university public school funding; and
  • increase the amount that certain tobacco product manufacturers must maintain in their escrow accounts, to pay judgments or settlements, before any funds in escrow can be refunded to the tobacco product manufacturer and create bonding requirements for these manufacturers?
Estimated additional revenue to state government is $283 million to $423 million annually with limited estimated implementation costs or savings. The revenue will fund only programs and services allowed by the proposal. The fiscal impact to local governmental entities is unknown. Escrow fund changes may result in an unknown increase in future state revenue.
 
“yes” vote will amend Missouri law to create the Health and Education Trust Fund with proceeds from a tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products.  The amount of the tax is $0.0365 per cigarette and 25% of the manufacturer’s invoice price for roll-your-own tobacco and 15% for other tobacco products.  The Fund proceeds will be used to reduce and prevent tobacco use and for elementary, secondary, college, and university public school funding.  This amendment also increases the amount that certain tobacco product manufacturers must maintain in their escrow accounts, to pay judgments or settlements, before any funds in escrow can be refunded to the tobacco product manufacturer and creates bonding requirements for these manufacturers.
“no” vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products or the escrow account and bonding requirements for certain tobacco product manufacturers.
If passed, this measure will increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Proposition E

Health care
Shall Missouri Law be amended to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature?No direct costs or savings for state and local governmental entities are expected from this proposal. Indirect costs or savings related to enforcement actions, missed federal funding, avoided implementation costs, and other issues are unknown.
 
“yes” vote will amend Missouri law to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature.
“no” vote will not amend Missouri law to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.

The officially approved ballot language CITED above for all four November ballot issues is here.

Key Statewide Races:

Governor:

Jay Nixon (I) – platform
Dave Spence – platform

Lieutenant Governor:

Peter Kinder (I) – website
Susan Montee – website

Secretary of State:

Jason Kander – website – wikipedia
Shane Schoeller – website – wikipedia

Treasurer:

Cole McNary – website – wikipedia
Clint Zweifel – website – wikipedia

Attorney General:

Chris Koster (I) – website – wikipedia
Ed Martin – website – wikipedia

All other offices/candidates