Missouri Gov. Kehoe Eyes Moving Controversial Ballot Measures to Low-Turnout August Primary

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe is weighing a politically charged move to reschedule five statewide ballot initiatives from the November general election to the August primary, a date known for significantly lower voter turnout. Kehoe has until May 22 to make the decision, which could reshape the fate of several consequential measures.

The measures on the ballot include a repeal of the constitutional protections for abortion rights Missouri voters enshrined in 2024, a plan to phase out the state income tax by expanding sales and use taxes, a proposal to make it harder for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to pass, a renewal of a sales tax funding state parks and conservation, and a change to make the Jackson County assessor an elected position.

Moving these initiatives to August could strategically suppress turnout among voters who tend to oppose these measures. Historically, shifting ballot questions to the primary has yielded mixed results. For example, in 2020, a Medicaid expansion moved to August still passed, while a 2018 right-to-work repeal did so overwhelmingly after a similar shift.

Kehoe has made eliminating the state income tax a centerpiece of his agenda. The complex legislative plan approved by lawmakers would allow a five-year window to raise sales taxes to offset the phased-out income tax, though it lacks explicit protections against expanding sales taxes to sectors like agriculture, health care, or real estate. Kehoe insists he will oppose such expansions but leaves the door open for legislative discretion.

Powerful interest groups have already voiced opposition. The Missouri Association of Realtors and the Missouri Bar warned that expanding sales or service taxes could harm vulnerable populations, including indigent defendants and clients relying on legal aid. Missouri Bar lobbyist Andy Briscoe highlighted that taxing public defenders and legal aid could restrict access to justice for impoverished Missourians.

Despite this pushback, Kehoe remains unfazed, acknowledging that any campaign issue will attract opposition. He vows to simplify the message for voters, emphasizing that the income tax currently extracts $9 billion annually from Missourians, money he argues should stay in their pockets.

Critics see the potential move to August as a classic maneuver to dilute voter participation and manipulate outcomes on some of Missouri’s most divisive issues. With the decision looming, Missourians face a critical crossroads on how and when they will get to weigh in on their state’s future.