Missouri Advisory Opinions February 19, 2021: 12-2021

Advisory Opinion Text

The Honorable John R. Ashcroft

Missouri Secretary of State

James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center

600 West Main Street

Jefferson City, MO 65101

Dear Secretary Ashcroft:

This opinion letter responds to your request dated February 4, 2021 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Chris Vas, Article V, version 2 (2022-006). The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to provide that:

• appellate court (supreme court and court of appeals) judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections;

• the term of an appellate court judge shall be reduced from 12 years to 6 years;

• no appellate court judge can be elected to a particular judicial seat for more than two consecutive terms;

• the governor fills appellate court vacancies without recommendations from the appellate judicial commission; and

• all judicial candidates can receive and make campaign contributions?

Pursuant to § 116.334, RSMo, we approve the legal content and form of the proposed statement. Because our review of the statement is mandated by statute, no action that we take with respect to such review should be construed as an endorsement of the petition, nor as the expression of any view regarding the objectives of its proponents.

Very truly yours,

ERIC S. SCHMITT Attorney General