Missouri voters could enshrine assessor elections. What to know about Amendment 2

Jackson County voters and elected officials alike have been calling for the county to elect rather than appoint its assessor, voting in favor of the change last year.

Now, the question is moving up to the state level, with Missouri voters potentially cementing the fate of the municipal position within and beyond Jackson County in the Aug. 4 primary election.

The county assessor is the head of the county assessment department, which sets the valuations of all real and personal property in Jackson County. The assessed value of a piece of property is the basis of the equation that determines how much an owner pays in property taxes.

In last year’s municipal election, 88% of Jackson County voters cast a ballot in favor of electing an assessor.

The county is scheduled to hold an election for the position in the 2028 general election.

On Missouri’s August ballot, Amendment 2 asks voters across the state to further enshrine the requirement to continue holding such elections.

The question asks whether the state constitution should be amended to “require all charter counties, including Jackson County, to provide for the election of a county assessor” and “require assessors in all charter counties to comply with any training requirements established by general law.”

Prior to last year’s vote, Jackson County was the only charter county in Missouri that appointed its assessor rather than holding an election for the role. The assessor role has been appointed in Jackson County for about a decade.

State lawmakers pitched the new proposed constitutional amendment — which would disempower the county Legislature from deciding for itself how to choose an assessor — before Jackson County conducted its own local vote on the matter.

While the constitutional amendment targets Jackson County and the county Legislature, it would also force other charter counties to elect rather than appoint their assessor indefinitely, including St. Charles, Clay, Jefferson and St. Louis counties.

Assessments, which take place every two years, have upended Jackson County politics over the past several years. Fury from homeowners fueled the recall election and ouster of former County Executive Frank White Jr. and seeped into a slew of other issues, such as the Kansas-Missouri fight over the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals.

At the moment, Jackson County is without an assessor altogether after the dismissal of former Assessor Gail McCann Beatty. Interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota had publicly announced on Nov. 5, 2025 that McCann Beatty had 24 hours to resign or else face removal from office.

Beatty has since filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the county, and her attorney has proposed a $975,000 settlement. LeVota has said that the county is unwilling to settle out of court.

The Star’s Kacen Bayless and Jack Harvel contributed reporting.

This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 5:00 AM.