Missouri Advisory Opinions October 08, 2021: 135-2021

Advisory Opinion Text

The Honorable John R. Ashcrof

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 October 1, 2021 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by David Roland, version 3, 2022-062. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:

• make primaries open elections with all candidates for statewide offices, Missouri General Assembly, United States Congress, elective county government offices, partisan circuit and associate circuit judges, partisan public offices within any political subdivision appearing on a single ballot;

• advance the top four candidates who receive the most votes from the primary election for each office who shall appear on the general election ballot; and

• fill vacancies for statewide offices, Missouri General Assembly, United States Congress, partisan circuit and associate circuit judges, partisan public offices within any political subdivision with special elections?

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