Toward the bottom of the Nov. 8 ballot, Missourians will find a question asking whether they would like to call a convention to amend the state’s constitution. Thanks to a state law, that question must be asked every 20 years. But what exactly is a state constitutional convention? And why would Missourians vote for it? […]
Elections
The Kansas City Beacon provides the latest election news.
Posted inElections, Local Government
“Let our people vote”: Sheriff won’t let voter registration groups inside Jackson County jail
Social justice and voting rights groups in Kansas City have been calling on Sheriff Darryl Forté to allow voter registration activities inside the Jackson County jail for several weeks. But as Missouri’s Oct. 12 deadline to register to vote approaches, Forté’s stance has left advocates confused and frustrated. Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity […]
Posted inElections, Local Government
Here are your candidates for the Johnson County Commission this November
When voters arrive at polling places on Nov. 8 for the general election, Johnson County ballots will include choices for four out of seven members of the county commission. This includes the race for commission chair, who is chosen by all voters in the Johnson County election, as well as three district representatives. The Johnson […]
Posted inElections, State Government
Kansas Supreme Court election: What’s at stake?
Of the six justices who appear on the ballot in November, two sided with the landmark state Supreme Court decision that upheld abortion rights, one signed the appellate court’s opinion in the same case that also upheld abortion rights, two were not yet appointed and one dissented.
Posted inElections, State Government
What’s actually inside the amendment to legalize marijuana in Missouri?
Update (Nov. 9, 2022): Missouri on Tuesday became the 21st state to legalize recreational marijuana. The Beacon broke down Missouri’s next steps as the state begins the process of transitioning medical marijuana licenses to recreational licenses. Update (Sept. 28, 2022): This story has been corrected to reflect that a person over 21 and without a medical card […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Elections, Local Government, State Government
How to research federal and state candidates on the November ballot in Wyandotte County
For voters interested in researching candidates, here are the competitive federal and state races that will appear on ballots in Wyandotte County on Nov. 8, with links to each candidate’s campaign website (if one exists) and Ballotpedia page.
Posted inElections, State Government
Follow the money: Here’s how to research Kansas campaign finance reports
Follow the money, they say. Ever since the Watergate scandal, when then-President Richard Nixon’s reelection campaign funded a 1972 break-in and wiretap at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., the phrase “follow the money” has been shorthand to describe the often fraught relationship between campaign donations and political influence. […]
Posted inElections, State Government
Will Missouri’s abortion ban change the outcome at the polls this year?
Missouri voters won’t find a yes or no question about abortion access on their general election ballots. But Democrats hope the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the state’s abortion ban will help them cut into Republican supermajorities in the state legislature. Polls show that a majority of Missourians […]
Posted inElections, Local Government
Kansas City’s police budget can be a mystery — even to the mayor
By state law, Kansas City is required to spend at least 20% of its total revenue on its police department. But, unlike nearly every other city in the country, Kansas City’s elected and appointed officials have very little say about how that money is spent. The budget process for all Kansas City departments begins with […]
Posted inElections, Local Government
Changing your gender marker on a state ID can get complicated
With Election Day around the corner, Kansas City area residents are getting their documents in order as they prepare to vote. In Missouri, a new voter ID law will require government-approved photo identification starting in the 2022 general election. Kansas has required specific forms of voter ID since 2012. For transgender voters, photo ID laws […]