Senator Mike Bernskoetter

6th Senatorial District

For Immediate Release: 

Oct. 18, 2024

Capitol Building, Room 416

Jefferson City, MO 65101

Contact Kenny Ross: 

 573-751-2076

Amendment 7
 Protecting Fair and Free Elections

This week I am writing to you to talk about Amendment 7, an amendment that will be on the statewide ballot in November. I am strongly in favor of Amendment 7, which would further protect Missouri’s voting laws by enshrining them in the Missouri Constitution, specifically only allowing citizens of the United States to vote in elections. It would also prohibit ranked choice voting, a form of voting that allows voters to rank multiple candidates, versus the current standard of selecting only one option.

Clearly, for this great American experiment to function as intended, only US citizens should be allowed to vote. Only Americans should have a voice in choosing American leaders and policies. To allow those who were not born here or have not gone through the citizenship process to vote would invite foreign interference into our democratic system. Engagement in the political process and actively voting is the responsibility of every citizen, it is the only way a republic works. However, it is also incredibly important to protect that republic, starting at the local level. That is why I am proud to support this amendment that would enshrine this commonsense guardrail in the Missouri Constitution.

Another guardrail included in Amendment 7 is language outlawing ranked choice voting. This form of voting is used in state elections in Maine and Alaska. As the name suggests, it allows a voter to rank candidates for a particular race. In other words, a voter is able to vote for multiple candidates, putting them in order of most preferred to least preferred with the most preferred candidates receiving more weight in the final count. It is a very confusing way to run elections, and is not what Missouri needs in my opinion. One person, one vote is a simple and effective way for us to choose our leaders and deserves protection in the Missouri Constitution. 

Many may argue these new protections are unnecessary, but I don’t know that we can ever do too much to protect our most foundational of freedoms and defend fair and free elections. Please join me in voting in favor of Amendment 7. 

Please feel free to contact my office at 573-751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.