Search query: missouri

Washington, D.C.- You don’t often see this sort of disclaimer: “We made 25,975 calls, and 642 people spoke to us.But remember: It’s just one poll, and we talked to only 642 people. Each candidate’s total could easily be four points different if we polled everyone in the state. And having a small sample is only one possible source of error.” That is right at the top of a single poll result on the New York Times website's live polling section. It posted results in real time with every phone call

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI - Clean Missouri celebrated a landslide victory Tuesday night. Their comprehensive good government proposal -- Amendment 1 -- was approved by 62% of state voters. Amendment 1 isn't just about money in politics or special interest influence or gerrymandering, but the negative impact all of those things have on the political process. The amendment: * Bans nearly all gifts from lobbyists (placing a limit of $5); * Requires lawmakers to wait two years before becoming lob

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Game-changing proposals to end partisan gerrymandering passed in 3 states Tuesday -- with the results of a 4th (Utah) pending -- taking control of redistricting out of the hands of partisan politicians in favor of a nonpartisan system. Nonpartisan redistricting proposals were on the ballot in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and Utah. Though each proposal differs to various degrees, the goal for all of them was the same: implement a redistricting system that puts the interests

Amid all the divisive ugliness inside the Beltway, here is some good news: 2018 may well be the best year in a half century for election reform. Today’s narrative laments a crumbling democracy, alienated voters, and a political culture spiraling ever downward. While true, that narrative is incomplete. It misses the remarkable energy building across many states to confront these problems, shore up our democracy, and rebuild our political culture. Nowhere is that energy more apparent than in the

Voters looking to move away from partisan histrionics and the impotence of “politics as usual” have solid alternatives to Democrats and Republicans in this year’s midterm elections. In Missouri and Maryland, there are candidates for the U.S. Senate who present a clear vision of what “Country Over Party” means, with unique insight into how a recent surge in nonpartisan political activity can affect our elections, now and into the future. These two candidates recently shared these insights and m

JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI - The Clean Missouri campaign released a press release Friday announcing that their proposed good government constitutional amendment picked up its seventh newspaper endorsement ahead of the November 6 election. Clean Missouri announced that the Joplin Globe joined a large trans-partisan list of endorsements to Amendment 1 that also includes 6 other newspapers: Columbia Daily Tribune, Jefferson County Leader, Kansas City Star,  St. Louis American,  St. Louis Post-Dispat

Much of the media's election coverage two weeks out from Election Day is focused on what kind of wave we are seeing -- red or blue -- and how Donald Trump will affect the outcome of the midterms. However, what often gets overlooked are the stories that matter to independent-minded voters. Here are the top 5 stories in nonpartisan news to start your week: 1. Nation's Only Independent Governor Suspends Re-Election Bid Alaska Governor Bill Walker announced late Friday that he is suspending his

Voters in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and Utah are voting on whether to hand control over drawing electoral districts to independent redistricting commissions. With two weeks to go, here’s a rundown of what these ballot questions would do, who’s for and against, and their prospects of winning. Fair Maps Colorado - Amendments Y and Z In Colorado, there are twin constitutional amendments on the ballot backed by Fair Maps Colorado. Amendment Y sets up a multi-partisan independent redistrictin

Jefferson City, Missouri - The Clean Missouri campaign released a new report 5 weeks from the election on the lobbyist gift culture in Jefferson City -- Missouri's capital -- and the campaign says that what they found were shocking statistics: * "Lobbyists have reported giving an average of $885,020 in gifts to the Missouri General Assembly every year, for years 2004-2017." * "The reported gift total for 2017—$1,070,667—is the highest on record at the Missouri Ethics Commission. The second hi

The success of Maine as the first state to use ranked choice voting statewide has brought newfound national attention to ranked choice voting. There’s much to like in this replacement to our fractious, problematic, and outdated plurality voting method. Voters can vote for their top choice without fear of splitting the vote. More candidates and parties can compete without the label of “spoiler.” Campaigns become more civil and less prone to negative attacks. The winner is the consensus, majority