Missouri judge blocks attempt to bar legalization from voting for now

On Friday, opponents of Missouri’s cannabis initiative on adult cannabis use suffered a major setback when a state judge dismissed their lawsuit to remove the measure from the November vote.

The lawsuit, led by an anti-drug activist named Joy Sweeney — with support from Protect Our Kids PAC — made claims related to both the initiative itself and the state’s process to seek signatures collected earlier this year count and validate to put them on the ballot.

For one, they claimed that the initiative – to appear on the ballot as Amendment 3 – breached a requirement that voting actions only cover a single issue. Prohibitionists have successfully used this argument to thwart legalization efforts in South Dakota and Nebraska.

The lawsuit also accused Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft of failing to properly validate signatures collected in aid of the campaign.

In his ruling, Cole County Judge Cotton Walker dismissed both allegations. Walker further ruled that Sweeney did not have sufficient evidence to prove that she actually lives in Missouri and therefore had no legal authority to plead her case.

“Most importantly, we did the right thing by allowing this measure to be voted on under the Constitution and the laws passed by the General Assembly,” Ashcroft said in a statement following the ruling. “We obeyed the law – we did everything right.”

Related

Election 2022: Guide to Marijuana Legalization in Missouri

John Payne, who led Legal Missouri’s legalization campaign, celebrated the news. “We’re thrilled that Missouri will have the opportunity to pass Amendment 3 in November, which allows law enforcement to better focus on violent crime while bringing millions in new revenue to Missouri,” Payne said in a statement.

However, the fight to legalize voting in Missouri is not over.

Sweeney’s legal team immediately appealed the verdict. For one, they claim they have evidence that Sweeny actually lives in Missouri.

The clock is ticking, however: Missouri officials have until Tuesday, September 13 to make a final decision.

Max Savage Levenson

Max Savage Levenson probably has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any author on the cannabis beat. He also writes about music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled people. He is the co-host of the Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.

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