Simone Lawson
The current Missouri Constitution, the fourth version, was ratified by voters in 1945 and is a product of direct democracy. Since then, it has been amended over 100 times, with each amendment being approved by popular vote. The people of Missouri are given the option to call a new constitutional convention every 20 years through an automatic referendum. However, despite being given this option in 1962, 1982, 2002, and 2022, a majority of voters have rejected the proposal each time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current Missouri Constitution | Fourth Missouri Constitution |
| Year of adoption | 1945 |
| Previous Constitutions | 1820, 1865, 1875 |
| Number of Amendments | More than 200 |
| Number of Constitutional Articles | 14 |
| Voting on Constitutional Convention | 1962, 1982, 2002, 2022 |
| Voting on Amendments | Simple majority vote |
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What You'll Learn
The current Missouri Constitution
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri and is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. It provides for three branches of government: legislative (the Missouri General Assembly), executive (the Governor of Missouri), and judicial (the Supreme Court of Missouri). It also sets up local governments in the form of counties and cities.
The Missouri Constitution has been described as a living document that has grown and changed to keep up with the needs of modern society. For example, the Missouri Constitution forbade gaming until the 1990s when it was changed by voters in popular elections. Other recent amendments include legalizing commercial gambling in 1993, Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 in 2006 (allowing the production of human embryos for stem cell research), Missouri Constitutional Amendment 2 in 2004 (an amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage), and an English-only amendment in 2008. On November 6, 2018, a constitutional amendment was passed that legalized and regulated medical marijuana.
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Direct democracy
Missouri's constitution is a product of direct democracy. Once Missouri became a state, its constitutions have been drafted during constitutional conventions and adopted by a direct vote of the people. The current constitution, ratified in 1945, is the state's fourth constitution and has been amended more than 200 times since then, each time by popular vote following either referral by the legislature or a petition by voters to place a proposal on the ballot.
The first constitution of Missouri was drafted in 1820 and was in effect from 1821 to 1865. It was created a year before Missouri became a state and lasted until the end of the Civil War. The second constitution was ratified in 1865 following the war and abolished slavery in the state. This constitution was known as the "Draconian Constitution" due to its loyalty oath provisions, which were later struck down by the US Supreme Court. The third constitution was drafted in 1875, and the fourth and current constitution was ratified in 1945.
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the US State of Missouri. It is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. The constitution provides for three branches of government: legislative (the Missouri General Assembly), executive (the Governor of Missouri), and judicial (the Supreme Court of Missouri). It also sets up local governments in the form of counties and cities.
In Missouri, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is based on the number of votes cast for governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. In two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts, proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote for initiated constitutional amendments. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Since 1962, Missourians have been asked every twenty years if they would like to convene a constitutional convention to revise the constitution. According to Article XII of the present constitution, the people of Missouri are given the option to call a new constitutional convention every 20 years through an automatic referendum that appears on that year's ballot. This has been voted on in 1962, 1982, 2002, and 2022, and will be voted on again in 2042. To date, these referendums have not passed.
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Amendments
The current Missouri Constitution, the fourth version, was ratified in 1945 and has been amended numerous times since. The state's constitution is a product of direct democracy, and amendments are made by popular vote following either referral by the legislature or a petition by voters to place a proposal on the ballot. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.
The Missouri Constitution has been amended more than 200 times since 1945, with at least 119 amendments made since that time. The most recent amendments, of which there were four, were approved in 2024.
The first Missouri Constitution, created in 1820, lasted until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The second constitution was ratified in 1865 and lasted until 1875, when the third constitution was adopted. The fourth constitution was drafted in 1942 and ratified in 1945. It is worth noting that Missourians have been given the option to vote in favour of a referendum to call another constitutional convention every 20 years as part of Article XII, but so far, the measure has never passed.
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Voting on explicit amendments
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. The current Missouri Constitution was ratified in 1945 and is the state's fourth constitution. It has been amended numerous times since its adoption.
The Missouri Constitution is a product of direct democracy. Once Missouri became a state, its constitutions have been drafted during constitutional conventions and adopted by a vote of the people. The people of Missouri have amended their constitution more than 200 times since 1945, with each amendment being approved by popular vote following either a referral by the legislature or a petition by voters to place a proposal on the ballot.
The number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is based on the number of votes cast for governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. In two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts, proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote for initiated constitutional amendments. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.
The Missouri Constitution has been amended several times to keep up with the needs of modern society. For instance, the Missouri Constitution forbade gaming until the 1990s, when it was changed by voters in popular elections. In 2004, an amendment was passed prohibiting same-sex marriage. In 2006, another amendment allowed the production of human embryos for stem cell research. In 2008, an English-only amendment was passed. On November 6, 2018, a constitutional amendment was passed that legalised and regulated medical marijuana. The most recent amendments to the Missouri Constitution, of which there were four, were approved in 2024.
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Constitutional conventions
Missouri's constitution is a product of direct democracy. Once Missouri became a state, its constitutions have been drafted during constitutional conventions and adopted by a vote of the people.
The first constitution was written by a Constitutional Convention in 1820 and was adopted on July 19, 1820. This constitution included 13 articles, establishing the boundaries of the future state, the system of government, the Missouri militia, the education system, and the amendment process. It also specifically excluded "free negroes and mulattoes" from the state.
During the American Civil War, the Missouri Constitutional Convention (1861-63) chose against secession and did not produce a new constitution. Instead, they operated as the de facto pro-Union government of Missouri when the governor and other politicians who supported the Confederacy fled from Jefferson City. A new constitutional convention was elected in November 1864 and passed a second Missouri state constitution that abolished slavery, which was ratified on June 6, 1865. This second constitution was known as the "Draconian Constitution" due to its loyalty oath provisions, which were later struck down by the US Supreme Court.
The fourth constitutional convention was held in 1875, which drafted the state's third constitution. The state's fifth constitutional convention was held from 1922 to 1923, where a slate of 21 amendments was proposed instead of a new constitution. Seven of these amendments were adopted. In 1942, Missouri voters approved an initiative to call for a sixth constitutional convention, and the voters ratified the new constitution in 1945. This is the current constitution of Missouri, which has been amended more than 200 times since its adoption.
According to Article XII of the present constitution, the people of Missouri are given the option to call a new constitutional convention every 20 years through an automatic referendum. This has been voted on in 1962, 1982, 2002, and 2022, and will be voted on again in 2042. To date, these referendums have not passed.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the people of Missouri approved the current constitution in 1945.
According to Article XII of the present constitution, the people of Missouri are given the option to call a new constitutional convention every 20 years through an automatic referendum.
Since 1945, there have been at least 119 amendments made to the Missouri Constitution.
