Election Day is just around the corner. No Excuse Early Voting started on Tuesday, July 21, and there are satellite locations throughout the metro area. Election Day is August 4. There are a lot of candidates on the ballot for a variety of offices along with ballot measures that are seeking voter approval. Your best source of information on what will be on your ballot, where voting locations are located, and what you need to take with you can be found on the League of Women Voters Vote 411 website.
All registered voters are assigned to a polling place near to your home, and you should have received that information in the mail. However, Kansas City voters in Jackson County can also vote in any Kansas City polling located in Jackson County – if you vote electronically. Those who prefer a paper ballot need to go to your assigned polling location.
The apparent big driver of voter turnout this year are the constitutional amendments that the Missouri State Legislature and Governor are asking voters to approve. These are Amendment 5, which would supposedly phase out State income tax while also allowing the legislature to raise taxes and fees on services and sales to recover the lost revenue, and Amendment 4, which would dramatically weaken the ability of citizens to advance legislation through the petition process by requiring a simple majority in each of our 8 congressional districts in order to pass. Ironically, Amendments 4 and 5 are coming through the legislative process and thus only need an approval of a simple majority across the State. Amendment 4 would not change the passage requirements for legislative initiatives to pass – only citizen led ones.
I have already written about the two Legislative Amendments that will be on the ballot, and I have been out canvassing voters at their doors and events, so that is all I’m going to say about them now. Feel free to look up my archived publications on my Substack page if you want to learn more.
KANSAS CITY VOTERS WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
If you live in Kansas City, there will also be 5 questions seeking your approval.
QUESTION 1
Asks to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed $100M for rehabilitation, renovation, and construction of houses and buildings to provide affordable housing for very low to moderate income households. Authorization of the bonds would allow the City to maintain tangible property tax rates until bonds are fully paid.
QUESTION 2
Asks to issue general obligation bonds not to exceed $100M to pay for acquiring and rehabbing City convention facilities constructed before 1950 that are used primarily for governmental administration, convention, or public assembly. Authorization of the bonds would allow the City to maintain tangible property tax rates until bonds are fully paid.
QUESTION 3
Asks voters to authorize extending a 1/8th% sales tax (which will expire Sept 30, 2027) for 10 years to fund economic development projects within the boundary lines of 9th Street on the north, Gregory Boulevard on the south, The Paseo on the west, and Indiana Avenue on the east. This may include the retirement of debt under previous bonds or repay bonds not yet issued.
QUESTION 4
Asks to issue waterworks revenue bonds in the principal amount of $750M to rehabilitate, expand, and improve the City’s waterworks system to provide for its continuing operation and to maintain compliance with federal, state, and judicial requirements. The principal of and interest on these would be payable solely from the revenues derived from the operation of the waterworks system, and includes all future rehabilitations, improvements and expansions.
QUESTION 5
Asks to issue sanitary sewer revenue bonds in the principal amount of $750M to rehabilitate, expand and improve the City’s sanitary sewer system. The principal of and interest on these would be payable solely from the revenues derived from the operation of the sanitary sewer system, and includes all future rehabilitations, improvements and expansions.
One person, one vote is perhaps our strongest set of guardrails on government – but only if we follow through. Every election is a reminder to those who currently hold power that they only hold on to the power that the people allow them to have. We, the people, can choose to remain compliant or we can demand a change. It is up to us.
Ingrid Burnett is a former Missouri State Representative for Missouri Legislative District 19 covering the Riverfront, Westside, Northeast, City Market, Columbus Park, East & West Bottoms and Quality Hill. Ingrid served 8 years fulfilling her term limit in 2024.
Ingrid is currently a candidate for the 4th in-district Kansas City City Council position. You can learn more about Ingrid and support her campaign with a donation through her website,
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