Effective - 16 Jun 1999, 2 histories
116.120. Secretary of state to determine sufficiency of form and compliance — invalid signatures not counted — signatures may be verified by random sampling, procedure and requirements. — 1. When an initiative or referendum petition is submitted to the secretary of state, he or she shall examine the petition to determine whether it complies with the Constitution of Missouri and with this chapter. Signatures on petition pages that have been collected by any person who is not properly registered with the secretary of state as a circulator shall not be counted as valid. Signatures on petition pages that do not have the official ballot title affixed to the page shall not be counted as valid. The secretary of state may verify the signatures on the petition by use of random sampling. The random sample of signatures to be verified shall be drawn in such a manner that every signature properly filed with the secretary of state shall be given an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. The process for establishing the random sample and determining the statistically valid result shall be established by the secretary of state. Such a random sampling shall include an examination of five percent of the signatures.
2. If the random sample verification establishes that the number of valid signatures is less than ninety percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient in a congressional district, the petition shall be deemed to have failed to qualify in that district. In finding a petition insufficient, the secretary of state does not need to verify all congressional districts on each petition submitted if verification of only one or more districts establishes the petition as insufficient.
3. If the random sample verification establishes that the number of valid signatures total more than one hundred ten percent of the number of qualified voters needed to find the petition sufficient in a congressional district, the petition shall be deemed to qualify in that district.
4. If the random sampling shows the number of valid signatures within a congressional district is within ninety to one hundred ten percent of the number of signatures of qualified voters needed to declare the petition sufficient in that district, the secretary of state shall order the examination and verification of each signature filed.
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(L. 1980 S.B. 658, A.L. 1988 S.B. 647, A.L. 1999 H.B. 676)
Effective 6-16-99
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title IX - Suffrage and Elections
Chapter 116 - Initiative and Referendum
Section 116.010 - Definitions.
Section 116.020 - Application of laws.
Section 116.050 - Initiative and referendum petitions, requirements.
Section 116.070 - Petitioner may sign by mark, procedure.
Section 116.080 - Qualifications of circulator — affidavit, notarization, penalty.
Section 116.090 - Petition signature fraud, penalty.
Section 116.100 - Filing of petition, procedure.
Section 116.110 - Signature may be withdrawn, when, how, effect, penalty.
Section 116.115 - Withdrawal of petition, when — vacation of official ballot title, when.
Section 116.140 - Secretary of state's authority not to count forged or fraudulent signatures.
Section 116.185 - Identical ballot titles may be changed, how.
Section 116.195 - Costs of court-ordered ballot title change to be paid by the state.
Section 116.210 - Numbering of proposed constitutional amendments.
Section 116.220 - Labeling of initiative and referendum measures.
Section 116.230 - Sample ballots to be prepared, form.
Section 116.240 - Certification to election authorities of notice to be published — contents.
Section 116.250 - Publication of legal notice.
Section 116.270 - Publications fund created — payments from fund for what, how made.
Section 116.280 - Paper ballots for statewide measures, form.
Section 116.300 - Challengers and watchers at polling places, how designated.
Section 116.320 - Adoption of measure, vote required — effect of approval of conflicting measures.
Section 116.330 - Board of canvassers or governor to issue statement.