Missouri's sports betting initiative is now facing a legal challenge, meaning there is a possibility that voters won't get a chance to weigh in on an issue that has been tied up in the legislature for more than five years.
On Thursday (22 August), the Missouri Independent reported that a lawsuit filed in Cole County Circuit Court contests how the secretary of state certified the initiative. The lawsuit came just over a week after the secretary of state announced that proponents had collected enough verified signatures to get on the ballot. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday (21 August)
At issue is the voting districts used by the secretary of state to certify the initiative. In Missouri, a proposal needs verified signatures from 8% of voters in six of the state’s eight voting districts. Lawmakers redrew the congressional districts in 2020.
The Independent reported that according to the lawsuit, the secretary of state’s office used the old districts to determine if enough ..