Referendum on Missouri abortion ban won’t be on Jackson County ballot in November
A majority of Jackson County legislators attending Monday’s meeting favored giving voters a chance to weigh in on Missouri’s abortion ban at the polls in November.
But the proposal to put the advisory referendum on the Nov. 8 ballot failed to get the super-majority vote it needed to move forward.
Legislators Jalen Anderson and Crystal Williams sponsored the measure that would have asked Jackson County voters whether they thought the state should repeal its law that bans abortion without exception for rape or incest. No matter the outcome, the referendum would have had no direct impact on the law’s application.
But Democrats Anderson and Williams said the Republican lawmakers who control the state legislature need to know how voters in the state’s second most populous county feel about the law, as it took effect automatically without public debate as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision overturning 50 years of precedent that guaranteed a nationwide right to abortion.
“This is mainly to send a message to the state,” Anderson said. “Will it change the state statute? No. But currently there is no way to send a message to the state.”
Republican county legislator Jeannie Lauer, however, said that voters might be confused and think that the ballot measure might allow abortion in Jackson County or make a change in state law.
Democratic legislator Dan Tarwater agreed.
“You’re giving a false sense of hope to whatever side you’re on, because in actuality this does nothing,” he said.
Tarwater guaranteed the measure’s failure through a procedural move that required six of the seven legislators attending to vote for its passage. Only Democrats Ron Finley and Tony Miller joined Anderson and Williams in support.
Lauer voted no, while Tarwater and Republican Theresa Galvin abstained.
This story was originally published August 29, 2022 at 2:46 PM.
