Missouri
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2010 Election
Though Connerly’s effort to end affirmative action in Missouri failed in the 2008 election (see below), he and his supporters have not given up. In early December 2008, the Secretary of State approved for circulation the same ballot measure for the 2010 ballot. The ACLU filed a challenge to the ballot measure in late December 2008, and in June 2009 the circuit judge held that the measure’s numbering was flawed and thus the Secretary of State should have rejected the initiative proposal. The opinion also revised the Secretary of State’s ballot summary wording.
Connerly’s group then submitted a revised version of the initiative to the Secretary of State. In August 2009, the ACLU filed another legal challenge to this revised version, alleging that the initiative is confusing because it addresses multiple issues in a single proposal and that the ballot summary contains unfair and misleading language in violation of Missouri law.
2008 Election
On May 4, 2008, Connerly’s MoCRI (Missouri Civil Rights Initiative) failed to turn in the signatures required in order to place the initiative on the ballot. This came about a month after the Oklahoma initiative was withdrawn due to signature problems.
The WeCAN (Working to Empower Community Action Now!) coalition - a group of faith groups, community organizations, students, Labor, and businessmen and women—led the decline to sign and voter education campaign. Their efforts prevented MoCRI from collecting the 150,000+ signatures it needed to get its measure on the November ballot.
The Secretary of State certified the official ballot title (which includes the Secretary’s ballot language statement aimed to fairly and accurately represent what a vote for or against the initiative will mean) and submitted it to the Attorney General. MoCRI, unhappy with the Secretary’s ballot language statement, challenged that statement in court. In a January 2008 decision, a circuit court judge kept some of the Secretary’s language and reworded other parts of the language.
Missouri Coalition Members
WECAN (Working to Empower Community Action Now!)
Missing Minority Campaign at University of Missouri (student-led coalition)
Missouri News and Publications
Missouri Department of Transportation defends stimulus contract awards after NAACP complaint – Kansas City Business Journal – September 9, 2009
NAACP: MoDOT discriminated with stimulus jobs – Connect Mid Missouri - September 3, 2009
Eradicating Equal Opportunity in Missouri – Hudson Valley Press – August 14, 2009
Critics of Affirmative Action Try Again to Get on Missouri Ballot – Kansas City Star – June 29, 2009
Missouri Judge Strikes Down Affirmative Action Measure – Southeast Missourian – June 27, 2009
New MoDOT Division Helps Minorities Nab Construction Jobs – Springfield Business Journal – June 11, 2009
Kansas City Delays Decision on Minority Hiring for H&R Block Project – Kansas City Business Journal – May 27, 2009
Anti-Affirmative Action Suit Heard – KWMU – May 19, 2009
Missouri Affirmative Action Ballot Proposal Draws Challenges – The Missourian – December 22, 2008
ACLU Files Lawsuit Challenging Asher’s Effort to Eradicate Equal Opportunity – ACLU Press Release – December 19, 2008
Missouri Anti-Affirmative Action Petition Back for 2010 – News Tribune – December 12, 2008
MU’s Minority Enrollment Increases – Columbia Tribune – September 5, 2008
Missourians Reject Discrimination: Out-of-State Millionaire Ward Connerly's Anti-Affirmative Action Initiative Fails to Turn in Signatures - WeCanMo - May 4, 2008
Missouri Legal Challenges – ACLU – July 2007 through April 2008
Students March for Affirmative Action - the maneater - April 18, 2008
Black Students Rally at MU: Pro-Affirmative Action Protest Draws a Crowd - Columbia (MO) Tribune - April 16, 2008
Missouri Affirmative Action at Risk - The Maneater Student Newspaper (University of Missouri) - March 4, 2008
Coalition Warns About Dishonest Affirmative Action Signature Gathering in Missouri - The St. Louis American - February 6, 2008
Affirmative Action Ballot Language Unfair, Judge Rules - The Missourian (AP story) - January 7, 2008
