reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.910 - Application procedure.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 07 Nov 2018, 2 histories, see footnote
115.910. Application procedure. —
1. A covered voter who is registered to vote in this state may apply for a military-overseas ballot using either the application for absentee ballot under section 115.279 or the federal postcard application or the application's electronic equivalent.
2. A covered voter who is not registered to vote in this state may use a federal postcard application or the application's electronic equivalent to apply simultaneously to register to vote under section 115.908 and for a military-overseas ballot.
3. The secretary of state shall ensure that the electronic transmission system described in section 115.906 is capable of accepting the submission of both a federal postcard application and any other approved electronic military-overseas ballot application sent to the appropriate election official. The voter may use the electronic transmission system or any other approved method to apply for a military-overseas ballot.
4. A covered voter may use the declaration accompanying a federal write-in absentee ballot as an application for a military-overseas ballot simultaneously with the submission of the federal write-in absentee ballot, if the declaration is received by the appropriate election official by 5:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday immediately prior to the election.
5. To receive the benefits of sections 115.900 to 115.936, a covered voter shall inform the election authority that the voter is a covered voter. Methods of informing the election authority that a voter is a covered voter include:
(1) The use of a federal postcard application or federal write-in absentee ballot;
(2) The use of an overseas address on an approved voter registration application or ballot application; or
(3) The inclusion on an approved voter registration application or ballot application of other information sufficient to identify the voter as a covered voter.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116, A.L. 2018 S.B. 592)
Effective 11-07-18
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.912 - Timeliness of application, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 28 Aug 2015, 2 histories
115.912. Timeliness of application, when. —
An application for a military-overseas ballot is timely if received by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday prior to the election. An application for a military-overseas ballot for a primary election, whether or not timely, shall be effective as an application for a military-overseas ballot for the general election.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116, A.L. 2015 S.B. 34 & 105)
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.914 - Transmission of ballots to voters, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.914. Transmission of ballots to voters, when. —
1. For an election described in section 115.904 for which this state has not received a waiver under Section 579 of the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 1973ff-1(g)(2), not later than forty-five days before the election or, if the forty-fifth day before the election is a weekend or holiday, not later than the business day preceding the forty-fifth day, the election authority in each jurisdiction charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials shall transmit a ballot and balloting materials to all covered voters who by that date submit a valid military-overseas ballot application.
2. A covered voter who requests that a ballot and balloting materials be sent to the voter by electronic transmission may choose facsimile transmission or electronic mail delivery, or, if offered by the voter's jurisdiction, internet delivery. The election authority in each jurisdiction charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials shall transmit the ballot and balloting materials to the voter using the means of transmission chosen by the voter.
3. If a ballot application from a covered voter arrives after the jurisdiction begins transmitting ballots and balloting materials to voters, the election authority charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials shall transmit them to the voter not later than two business days after the application arrives.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.916 - Receipt of ballot by election authority, deadline.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.916. Receipt of ballot by election authority, deadline. —
To be valid, a military-overseas ballot shall be received by the appropriate local election official not later than the close of the polls, or the voter shall submit the ballot for mailing, or other authorized means of delivery not later than 12:01 a.m., at the place where the voter completes the ballot, on the date of the election.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.918 - Federal write-in absentee ballot, used to vote, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.918. Federal write-in absentee ballot, used to vote, when. —
A covered voter may use a federal write-in absentee ballot to vote for all offices and ballot measures in an election described in section 115.904.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.920 - Ballot to be counted, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.920. Ballot to be counted, when. —
1. A valid military-overseas ballot cast in accordance with section 115.916 shall be counted if it is received before noon on the Friday after election day so that certification under section 115.508
*
may commence.
2. If, at the time of completing a military-overseas ballot and balloting materials, the voter has declared under penalty of perjury that the ballot was timely submitted, the ballot shall not be rejected on the basis that it has a late postmark, an unreadable postmark, or no postmark.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
*Words "section 1" appear in original rolls. During incorporation of amendments, Section 1 was renumbered as Section 2 in the printed bill but the intersectional reference in this section was not renumbered accordingly. The section was codified as section 115.508.
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.922 - Declaration to accompany ballot — penalty for misstatement of fact.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.922. Declaration to accompany ballot — penalty for misstatement of fact. —
A military-overseas ballot shall include or be accompanied by a declaration signed by the voter that a material misstatement of fact in completing the ballot may be grounds for a conviction of perjury under the laws of the United States or this state.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.924 - Electronic free-access system required, contents.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.924. Electronic free-access system required, contents. —
The secretary of state, in coordination with local election authorities, shall implement an electronic free-access system by which a covered voter may determine:
(1) The voter's federal postcard application or other registration or military-overseas ballot application has been received and accepted; and
(2) The voter's military-overseas ballot has been received and the current status of the ballot.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.926 - Electronic-mail address to be requested, use, confidentiality of.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.926. Electronic-mail address to be requested, use, confidentiality of. —
1. The election authority shall request an electronic-mail address from each covered voter who registers to vote. An electronic-mail address provided by a covered voter shall not be made available to the public or any individual or organization other than an authorized agent of the local election authority and is exempt from disclosure under the Missouri sunshine law contained in chapter 610. The address shall be used only for official communication with the voter about the voting process, including transmitting military-overseas ballots and election materials if the voter has requested electronic transmission, and verifying the voter's mailing address and physical location. The request for an electronic-mail address shall describe the purposes for which the electronic-mail address may be used and include a statement that any other use or disclosure of the electronic-mail address is prohibited.
2. A covered voter who provides an electronic-mail address may request that the voter's application for a military-overseas ballot be considered a standing request for electronic delivery of a ballot for all elections held through December thirty-first of the year following the calendar year of the date of the application or another shorter period the voter specifies. An election authority shall provide a military-overseas ballot to a voter who makes a standing request for each election to which the request is applicable. A covered voter who is entitled to receive a military-overseas ballot for a primary election under this subsection is entitled to receive a military-overseas ballot for the general election.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.928 - Federal write-in absentee ballots, electronic notice, when-procedure.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.928. Federal write-in absentee ballots, electronic notice, when-procedure. —
1. Not later than the tenth Tuesday before a regularly scheduled election and as soon as practicable before an election not regularly scheduled, the election authority in each jurisdiction charged with printing and distributing ballots and balloting material shall prepare an election notice for that jurisdiction, to be used in conjunction with a federal write-in absentee ballot. The election notice shall contain a list of all of the ballot measures and federal, state, and local offices that, as of that date, the official expects to be on the ballot on the date of the election. The notice also shall contain specific instructions for how a voter is to indicate on the federal write-in absentee ballot the voter's choice for each office to be filled and for each ballot measure to be contested.
2. A covered voter may request a copy of an election notice. The election authority charged with preparing the election notice shall send the notice to the voter by facsimile, electronic mail, or regular mail, as the voter requests.
3. Not later than forty-five days prior to the election, the official charged with preparing the election notice under subsection 1 of this section shall update the notice with the certified candidates for each office and ballot measure questions and make the updated notice publicly available.
4. A local election jurisdiction that maintains an internet website shall make the election notice prepared under subsection 1 of this section and updated versions of the election notice regularly available on the website.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.930 - Mistake or omission not to invalidate document, when — notarization not required, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.930. Mistake or omission not to invalidate document, when — notarization not required, when. —
1. If a voter's mistake or omission in the completion of a document under sections 115.900 to 115.936 does not prevent determining whether a covered voter is eligible to vote, the mistake or omission shall not invalidate the document. Failure to satisfy a nonsubstantive requirement, such as using paper or envelopes of a specified size or weight, shall not invalidate a document submitted under sections 115.900 to 115.936. In a write-in ballot authorized by sections 115.900 to 115.936 or in a vote for a write-in candidate on a regular ballot, if the intention of the voter is discernable under this state's uniform definition of what constitutes a vote, an abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation in the form of the name of a candidate or a political party shall be accepted as a valid vote.
2. Notarization shall not be required for the execution of a document under sections 115.900 to 115.936. An authentication, other than the declaration specified in section 115.922 or the declaration on the federal postcard application and federal write-in absentee ballot, shall not be required for execution of a document under sections 115.900 to 115.936. The declaration and any information in the declaration may be compared with information on file to ascertain the validity of the document.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.932 - Compliance, court may issue injunction or grant other equitable relief.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.932. Compliance, court may issue injunction or grant other equitable relief. —
A court may issue an injunction or grant other equitable relief appropriate to ensure substantial compliance with, or enforce, sections 115.900 to 115.936 on application by:
(1) A covered voter alleging a grievance under sections 115.900 to 115.936; or
(2) An election authority in this state.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.934 - Uniformity of law to be considered.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.934. Uniformity of law to be considered. —
In applying and construing sections 115.900 to 115.936, consideration shall be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.936 - Act to supersede other federal law, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
• Effective - 01 Jul 2014, see footnote
115.936. Act to supersede other federal law, when. —
Sections 115.900 to 115.936 modify, limit, and supersede the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001, et seq., but shall not modify, limit, or supersede Section 101(c) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001(c), or authorize electronic delivery of any of the notices described in Section 103(b) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7003(b).
­­--------
(L. 2013 S.B. 116)
Effective 7-01-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 115 - Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections › Section 115.970 - Severability.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 115
Effective - 28 Aug 2022
115.970. Severability. —
If any provision of this act
*
or the application thereof to anyone or to any circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of those sections and the application of such provisions to others or other circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
­­--------
(L. 2022 H.B. 1878 § 1)
* "This act" (H.B. 1878, 2022) contained numerous sections. Consult Disposition of Sections table for a definitive listing.
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.010 - Definitions.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 28 Aug 1997, 2 histories
116.010. Definitions. —
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates,
(1)
"County"
means any one of the several counties of this state or the city of St. Louis;
(2)
"Election authority"
means a county clerk or board of election commissioners, as established by section 115.015;
(3)
"General election"
means the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years;
(4)
"Official ballot title"
means the summary statement and fiscal note summary prepared for all statewide ballot measures in accordance with the provisions of this chapter which shall be placed on the ballot and, when applicable, shall be the petition title for initiative or referendum petitions;
(5)
"Statewide ballot measure"
means a constitutional amendment submitted by initiative petition, the general assembly or a constitutional convention; a statutory measure submitted by initiative or referendum petition; the question of holding a constitutional convention; and a constitution proposed by a constitutional convention;
(6)
"Voter"
means a person registered to vote in accordance with section 115.151.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1997 S.B. 132)
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.020 - Application of laws.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 01 Jan 1981, 2 histories, see footnote
116.020. Application of laws. —
This chapter shall apply to elections on statewide ballot measures. The election procedures contained in chapter 115 shall apply to elections on statewide ballot measures, except to the extent that the provisions of chapter 116 directly conflict, in which case chapter 116 shall prevail, and except to the extent that a constitutional convention's provisions under Section 3(c) of Article XII of the Constitution directly conflict, in which case the convention's provisions shall prevail.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658)
Effective 1-01-81
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.025 - Attorney general sent fair ballot language, when — statement posted at polling place.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 28 Aug 2003
116.025. Attorney general sent fair ballot language, when — statement posted at polling place. —
The secretary of state within twenty days of receiving a statewide ballot measure shall prepare and transmit to the attorney general fair ballot language statements that fairly and accurately explain what a vote for and what a vote against the measure represent. Each statement shall be posted in each polling place next to the sample ballot. Such fair ballot language statements shall be true and impartial statements of the effect of a vote for and against the measure in language neither intentionally argumentative nor likely to create prejudice for or against the proposed measure. In addition, such fair ballot language shall include a statement as to whether the measure will increase, decrease, or have no impact on taxes, including the specific category of tax. Such fair ballot language statements may be challenged in accordance with section 116.190. The attorney general shall within ten days approve the legal content and form of the proposed statements.
­­--------
(L. 2003 H.B. 511)
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.050 - Initiative and referendum petitions, requirements.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 28 Aug 1997, 2 histories
116.050. Initiative and referendum petitions, requirements. —
1. Initiative and referendum petitions filed under the provisions of this chapter shall consist of pages of a uniform size. Each page, excluding the text of the measure, shall be no larger than eight and one-half by fourteen inches. Each page of an initiative petition shall be attached to or shall contain a full and correct text of the proposed measure. Each page of a referendum petition shall be attached to or shall contain a full and correct text of the measure on which the referendum is sought.
2. The full and correct text of all initiative and referendum petition measures shall:
(1) Contain all matter which is to be deleted included in its proper place enclosed in brackets and all new matter shown underlined;
(2) Include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure; and
(3) Otherwise conform to the provisions of Article III, Section 28 and Article III, Section 50 of the Constitution and those of this chapter.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1997 S.B. 132)
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.060 - Initiative and referendum petitions, who may sign — residents of one county only on a designated page.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 16 Jun 1999, 2 histories, see footnote
116.060. Initiative and referendum petitions, who may sign — residents of one county only on a designated page. —
Any registered voter of the state of Missouri may sign initiative and referendum petitions. However, each page of an initiative or referendum petition shall contain signatures of voters from only one county. Each petition page filed with the secretary of state shall have the county where the signers are registered designated in the upper right-hand corner of such page. Signatures of voters from counties other than the one designated by the circulator in the upper right-hand corner on a given page shall not be counted as valid.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.070 - Petitioner may sign by mark, procedure.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 01 Jan 1981, 2 histories, see footnote
116.070. Petitioner may sign by mark, procedure. —
When any voter wishes to sign an initiative or referendum petition and is unable to sign his name, the circulator shall print the required information on the petition. The voter shall then make his mark, and the circulator shall attest to it by his signature. For purposes of this chapter, all marks made and attested in accordance with this section shall be considered signatures.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658)
Effective 1-01-81
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.080 - Qualifications of circulator — affidavit, notarization, penalty.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 04 Nov 2014, 3 histories, see footnote
116.080. Qualifications of circulator — affidavit, notarization, penalty. —
1. Each petition circulator shall be at least eighteen years of age and registered with the secretary of state. Signatures collected by any circulator who has not registered with the secretary of state pursuant to this chapter on or before 5:00 p.m. on the final day for filing petitions with the secretary of state shall not be counted. A petition circulator shall be deemed registered at the time such circulator delivers a signed circulator's affidavit pursuant to section 116.030, with respect to a referendum petition, or section 116.040, with respect to an initiative petition, to the office of the secretary of state. No person shall qualify as a petition circulator who has been convicted of, found guilty of, or pled guilty to an offense involving forgery under the laws of this state or an offense under the laws of any other jurisdiction if that offense would be considered forgery under the laws of this state.
2. Each petition circulator shall subscribe and swear to the proper affidavit on each petition page such circulator submits before a notary public commissioned in Missouri. When notarizing a circulator's signature, a notary public shall sign his or her official signature and affix his or her official seal to the affidavit only if the circulator personally appears before the notary and subscribes and swears to the affidavit in his or her presence.
3. Any circulator who falsely swears to a circulator's affidavit knowing it to be false is guilty of a class A misdemeanor punishable, notwithstanding the provisions of section 560.021
*
to the contrary, for a term of imprisonment not to exceed one year in the county jail or a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars or both.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676, A.L. 2013 H.B. 117)
Effective 11-04-14
*Section 560.021 was repealed by S.B. 491, 2014, effective 1-01-17.
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.090 - Petition signature fraud, penalty.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 28 Aug 2013, 2 histories
116.090. Petition signature fraud, penalty. —
1. Any person who commits any of the following actions is guilty of the crime of petition signature fraud:
(1) Signs any name other than his or her own to any petition, or who knowingly signs his or her name more than once for the same measure for the same election, or who knows he or she is not at the time of signing or circulating the same a Missouri registered voter and a resident of this state; or
(2) Intentionally submits petition signature sheets with the knowledge that the person whose name appears on the signature sheet did not actually sign the petition; or
(3) Causes a voter to sign a petition other than the one the voter intended to sign; or
(4) Forges or falsifies signatures; or
(5) Knowingly accepts or offers money or anything of value to another person in exchange for a signature on a petition.
2. Any person who knowingly causes a petition circulator's signatures to be submitted for counting, and who either knows that such circulator has violated subsection 1 of this section or, after receiving notice of facts indicating that such person may have violated subsection 1 of this section, causes the signatures to be submitted with reckless indifference as to whether such circulator has complied with subsection 1 of this section, shall also be deemed to have committed the crime of petition signature fraud.
3. A person who violates subsection 1 or 2 of this section, shall, upon conviction thereof, be guilty of a class A misdemeanor punishable, notwithstanding the provisions of section 560.021
*
to the contrary, by a term of imprisonment not to exceed one year in the county jail or a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars or both.
4. Any person employed by or serving as an election authority, that has reasonable cause to suspect a person has committed petition signature fraud, shall immediately report or cause a report to be made to the appropriate prosecuting authorities. Failure to so report or cause a report to be made shall be a class A misdemeanor.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676, A.L. 2013 H.B. 117)
*Section 560.021 was repealed by S.B. 491, 2014, effective 1-01-17.
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.100 - Filing of petition, procedure.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, 2 histories, see footnote
116.100. Filing of petition, procedure. —
The secretary of state shall not accept any referendum petition submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final day for filing referendum petitions. The secretary of state shall not accept any initiative petition submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final day for filing initiative petitions. All pages shall be submitted at one time. When an initiative or referendum petition is submitted to the secretary of state, the signature pages shall be in order and numbered sequentially by county, except in counties that include multiple congressional districts, the signatures may be ordered and numbered using an alternate numbering scheme approved in writing by the secretary of state prior to submission of the petition. Any petition that is not submitted in accordance with this section, disregarding clerical and merely technical errors, shall be rejected as insufficient. After verifying the count of signature pages, the secretary of state shall issue a receipt indicating the number of pages presented from each county. When a person submits a petition he or she shall designate to the secretary of state the name and the address of the person to whom any notices shall be sent under sections 116.140 and 116.180.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1983 S.B. 234, A.L. 1997 S.B. 132, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.110 - Signature may be withdrawn, when, how, effect, penalty.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 16 Jun 1999, 2 histories, see footnote
116.110. Signature may be withdrawn, when, how, effect, penalty. —
Any voter who has signed an initiative or referendum petition may withdraw his or her signature from that petition by submitting to the secretary of state, before the petition is filed with the secretary of state, a sworn statement requesting that his or her signature be withdrawn and affirming the name of the petition signed, the name the voter used when signing the petition, the address of the voter and the county of residence. It is a class A misdemeanor punishable, notwithstanding the provisions of section 560.021
*
to the contrary, for a term of imprisonment not to exceed one year in the county jail or a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars or both, to knowingly file a false withdrawal statement with the secretary of state.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
*Section 560.021 was repealed by S.B. 491, 2014, effective 1-01-17.
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.115 - Withdrawal of petition, when — vacation of official ballot title, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 04 Nov 2014, see footnote
116.115. Withdrawal of petition, when — vacation of official ballot title, when. —
Any person who submits a sample sheet to or files an initiative petition with the secretary of state may withdraw the petition upon written notice to the secretary of state. If such notice is submitted to the secretary of state, the proposed petition shall no longer be circulated by any person, committee, or other entity. The secretary of state shall vacate the certification of the official ballot title within three days of receiving notice of the withdrawal.
­­--------
(L. 2013 H.B. 117)
Effective 11-04-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.120 - Secretary of state to determine sufficiency of form and compliance — invalid signatures not counted — signatures may be verified by random sampling, procedure and requirements.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, 2 histories, see footnote
116.120. Secretary of state to determine sufficiency of form and compliance — invalid signatures not counted — signatures may be verified by random sampling, procedure and requirements. —
1. When an initiative or referendum petition is submitted to the secretary of state, he or she shall examine the petition to determine whether it complies with the Constitution of Missouri and with this chapter. Signatures on petition pages that have been collected by any person who is not properly registered with the secretary of state as a circulator shall not be counted as valid. Signatures on petition pages that do not have the official ballot title affixed to the page shall not be counted as valid. The secretary of state may verify the signatures on the petition by use of random sampling. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn in such a manner that every signature properly filed with the secretary of state shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The process for establishing the random sample and determining the statistically valid result shall be established by the secretary of state. Such a random sampling shall include an examination of five percent of the signatures.
2. If the random sample verification establishes that the number of valid signatures is less than ninety percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient in a congressional district, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify in that district. In finding a petition insufficient, the secretary of state does not need to verify all congressional districts on each petition submitted if verification of only one or more districts establishes the petition as insufficient.
3. If the random sample verification establishes that the number of valid signatures total more than one hundred ten percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient in a congressional district, the petition shall be deemed to qualify in that district.
4. If the random sampling shows the number of valid signatures within a congressional district is within ninety to one hundred ten percent of the number of signatures of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient in that district, the secretary of state shall order the examination and verification of each signature filed.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1988 S.B. 647, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.140 - Secretary of state's authority not to count forged or fraudulent signatures.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 06 Jun 1988, 2 histories, see footnote
116.140. Secretary of state's authority not to count forged or fraudulent signatures. —
Notwithstanding certifications from election authorities under section 116.130, the secretary of state shall have authority not to count signatures on initiative or referendum petitions which are, in his opinion, forged or fraudulent signatures.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1988 S.B. 647)
Effective 6-06-88
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.150 - Secretary of state to issue certificate of sufficiency of petition, when — if insufficient, certificate to state reasons.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, 2 histories, see footnote
116.150. Secretary of state to issue certificate of sufficiency of petition, when — if insufficient, certificate to state reasons. —
1. After the secretary of state makes a determination on the sufficiency of the petition and if the secretary of state finds it sufficient, the secretary of state shall issue a certificate setting forth that the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures to comply with the Constitution of Missouri and with this chapter.
2. The secretary of state shall issue a certificate only for a petition approved pursuant to section 116.332. If the secretary of state finds the petition insufficient, the secretary of state shall issue a certificate stating the reason for the insufficiency.
3. The secretary of state shall issue a certificate pursuant to this section not later than 5:00 p.m. on the thirteenth Tuesday prior to the general election or two weeks after the date the election authority certifies the results of a petition verification pursuant to subsection 2 of section 116.130, whichever is later.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1985 H.B. 543, A.L. 1988 S.B. 647, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.153 - Hearing to take public comments — joint committee on legislative research to provide summary to secretary of state, posting on website.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 04 Nov 2014, see footnote
116.153. Hearing to take public comments — joint committee on legislative research to provide summary to secretary of state, posting on website. —
Within thirty days of issuing certification that the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures pursuant to section 116.150, the joint committee on legislative research shall hold a public hearing in Jefferson City to take public comments concerning the proposed measure. Such hearing shall be a public meeting under chapter 610. Within five business days after the end of the public hearing, the joint committee on legislative research shall provide a summary of the hearing to the secretary of state or his or her designee and the secretary of state shall post a copy of the summary on the website of the office of the secretary of state.
­­--------
(L. 2013 H.B. 117)
Effective 11-04-14
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.155 - Official summaries and fiscal notes may be included in ballot measures, summary to be official ballot title if included.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, see footnote
116.155. Official summaries and fiscal notes may be included in ballot measures, summary to be official ballot title if included. —
1. The general assembly may include the official summary statement and a fiscal note summary in any statewide ballot measure that it refers to the voters.
2. The official summary statement approved by the general assembly shall, taken together with the approved fiscal note summary, be the official ballot title and such summary statement shall contain no more than fifty words, excluding articles. The title shall be a true and impartial statement of the purposes of the proposed measure in language neither intentionally argumentative nor likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.
3. The fiscal note summary approved by the general assembly shall contain no more than fifty words, excluding articles, which shall summarize the fiscal note prepared for the measure in language neither argumentative nor likely to create prejudice for or against the proposed measure.
­­--------
(L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.160 - Summary statement to be provided by the secretary of state if summary not provided by general assembly — content.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, see footnote
116.160. Summary statement to be provided by the secretary of state if summary not provided by general assembly — content. —
1. If the general assembly adopts a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or a bill without a fiscal note summary, which is to be referred to a vote of the people, after receipt of such resolution or bill the secretary of state shall promptly forward the resolution or bill to the state auditor. If the general assembly adopts a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or a bill without an official summary statement, which is to be referred to a vote of the people, within twenty days after receipt of the resolution or bill, the secretary of state shall prepare and transmit to the attorney general a summary statement of the measure as the proposed summary statement. The secretary of state may seek the advice of the legislator who introduced the constitutional amendment or bill and the speaker of the house or the president pro tem of the legislative chamber that originated the measure. The summary statement may be distinct from the legislative title of the proposed constitutional amendment or bill. The attorney general shall within ten days approve the legal content and form of the proposed statement.
2. The official summary statement shall contain no more than fifty words, excluding articles. The title shall be a true and impartial statement of the purposes of the proposed measure in language neither intentionally argumentative nor likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1983 S.B. 234, A.L. 1985 H.B. 543, A.L. 1997 S.B. 132, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
(2004) Secretary of state's duty to place matters on a ballot are not finally triggered until receipt of the original document. Nixon v. Blunt, 135 S.W.3d 416 (Mo.banc).
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.170 - Fiscal note and fiscal note summary to be provided by state auditor if not provided by general assembly.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, see footnote
116.170. Fiscal note and fiscal note summary to be provided by state auditor if not provided by general assembly. —
If the general assembly adopts a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or a bill without a fiscal note summary, which is to be referred to a vote of the people, the state auditor shall, within thirty days of delivery to the auditor, prepare and file with the secretary of state a fiscal note and a fiscal note summary for the proposed measure in accordance with the provisions of section 116.175.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1983 S.B. 234, A.L. 1993 S.B. 350, A.L. 1997 S.B. 132, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
(1994) Words "insufficient and unfair" as used in section and applied to fiscal notes mean to inadequately and with bias, prejudice, deception and/or favoritism state the fiscal consequences of the proposed proposition. Test of fiscal note summary is not whether summary is the best language for describing effect. Burden is on opponents of language for describing effect. Burden is on opponents of language to show that language was insufficient and unfair. Hancock v. Secretary of State, 885 S.W.2d 42 (Mo. App. W.D.).
(1994) Where statute requires that cost be addressed in a fiscal note summary only in cases when a proposition has cost, fiscal note summary attached to initiative proposition was not insufficient when it did not address cost, since proposition would not generate cost or savings. Committee on Legislative Research v. Mitchell, 886 S.W.2d 662 (Mo.App.W.D.).
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.180 - Copies of ballot title, fiscal note and fiscal note summary to designated persons, when — ballot title to be affixed to petition, when.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 16 Jun 1999, see footnote
116.180. Copies of ballot title, fiscal note and fiscal note summary to designated persons, when — ballot title to be affixed to petition, when. —
Within three days after receiving the official summary statement the approved fiscal note summary and the fiscal note relating to any statewide ballot measure, the secretary of state shall certify the official ballot title in separate paragraphs with the fiscal note summary immediately following the summary statement of the measure and shall deliver a copy of the official ballot title and the fiscal note to the speaker of the house or the president pro tem of the legislative chamber that originated the measure or, in the case of initiative or referendum petitions, to the person whose name and address are designated under section 116.332. Persons circulating the petition shall affix the official ballot title to each page of the petition prior to circulation and signatures shall not be counted if the official ballot title is not affixed to the page containing such signatures.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1997 S.B. 132, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
(2022) Section prohibiting the circulation of referendum petitions before official ballot title is certified and affixed to petition violates right of referendum under article III, §§ 49, 52(a). No Bans on Choice v. Ashcroft, 638 S.W.3d 484 (Mo.banc).
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.185 - Identical ballot titles may be changed, how.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 28 Aug 1999
116.185. Identical ballot titles may be changed, how. —
Before the ballot is printed, if the title of a ballot issue is identical or substantially identical to the title of another ballot issue that will appear on the same ballot, the election authority shall promptly notify the officer or entity that certifies the election of the identical or substantially identical title, and if such officer or entity submits a new title to the election authority, the election authority may change the title of the ballot issue prior to printing the official ballot.
­­--------
(L. 1999 H.B. 676 § 1)
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.195 - Costs of court-ordered ballot title change to be paid by the state.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 28 Aug 1999
116.195. Costs of court-ordered ballot title change to be paid by the state. —
Whenever the reprinting of a statewide ballot measure is necessary as a result of a court-ordered change to the ballot language for such measure, the costs of such reprinting shall be paid by the state.
­­--------
(L. 1999 H.B. 676 § 2)
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.200 - Secretary of state's decision as to sufficiency of petition may be reversed, procedure — appeal.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
Effective - 01 Jan 1981, see footnote
116.200. Secretary of state's decision as to sufficiency of petition may be reversed, procedure — appeal. —
1. After the secretary of state certifies a petition as sufficient or insufficient, any citizen may apply to the circuit court of Cole County to compel him to reverse his decision. The action must be brought within ten days after the certification is made. All such suits shall be advanced on the court docket and heard and decided by the court as quickly as possible.
2. If the court decides the petition is sufficient, the secretary of state shall certify it as sufficient and attach a copy of the judgment. If the court decides the petition is insufficient, the court shall enjoin the secretary of state from certifying the measure and all other officers from printing the measure on the ballot.
3. Within ten days after a decision is rendered, any party may appeal it to the supreme court.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658)
Effective 1-01-81
2023 Missouri Revised Statutes › Title IX - Suffrage and Elections › Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum › Section 116.210 - Numbering of proposed constitutional amendments.

Title IX SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
Chapter 116
• Effective - 01 Jan 1981, see footnote
116.210. Numbering of proposed constitutional amendments. —
The secretary of state shall number proposed constitutional amendments in the order in which they are passed by the general assembly, or submitted by initiative petition, or adopted by constitutional convention. He shall number the first as "Constitutional Amendment No. 1" and so on consecutively. A new series of numbers shall be started after each general election.
­­--------
(L. 1980 S.B. 658)
Effective 1-01-81