Saving the Ballot Initiative Process and Missouri’s Right to Direct Democracy

Democracy won’t fix itself. These past 2 years, Show Me Integrity has been working hard for a more effective, ethical government. Since our founding in 2019, we have…

• Passed Proposition D in St. Louis, MO with 68% of the vote, creating the best election system in the country

• Gathered 38,000 signatures to put Proposition R for Reform on the April 2022 ballot

• Convened over 1,118 local and national businesses in our voting rights initiative with Business for America

• Launched MOVote.org in 2020 and helped 16,000 Missourians vote safely and securely

• Traveled over 1,700 miles around the state organize voters to defend the ballot initiative and submit community maps for statewide redistricting

• And much more

But we’re facing a huge challenge. With already a dozen bills pre-filed, the Missouri State Legislature is attempting to gut the ballot initiative process in 2022.  If the Senate passes these attacks in 2022, Missourians could no longer use citizen initiatives to reform politics. 

Without access to this process, Show Me Integrity won’t be able to create a more accountable, representative, transparent, effective government. The ballot initiative process is our ONLY path to lasting political reform. 

We have been organizing to defeat these attacks. This past year, we rallied in Jefferson City, hosted town halls, met with state legislators, drove over 1,700 miles around the state on our defend democracy tour, and organized a large cross-partisan group of Missourians to fight back against these attacks and defend this essential democratic process. 

Missourians want—no, we NEED—the citizen initiative process.

Our forebears, across the political spectrum, used initiatives to get things back on track when the legislature went off the rails. We need it now.

We need your investment to continue organizing a broad, cross-partisan coalition that can stop these attacks from passing. We aren’t there yet.

Using ballot measures, Show Me Integrity Action Fund will work in 2022 to…

• Pass campaign finance reform and stop dark money in politics

• Pass desperately needed ethics reform 

• Pass election reform at all levels of government to hold leaders accountable to all voters, instead of only partisan extremists

• And more.

The ballot initiative process is an essential part of our representative democracy, and it must be saved. We need your help. Please consider making an investment today. 

To show our appreciation for your support, we want to invite you to our 2022 donor event with Andrew Yang, entrepreneur and former Presidential candidate, on January 5 at 5pm!

Donate at least $100 by December 31 and you will receive your exclusive invitation to this event where Andrew Yang will answer your questions about political reforms, American politics, the Forward Party, and more!

Ways to Give:

• Credit Card

  • Donate to Show Me Integrity Education Fund (tax-deductible, restricted use)

  • Donate to Show Me Integrity (less restricted, more valuable)

• Appreciated Stock 

  • Donate appreciated stock to SMI Education Fund for a tax deduction AND pay zero capital gains

  • Donate appreciated stock to Show Me Integrity to support 100% advocacy (more valuable to us) AND pay zero capital gains

The real reason you should donate now is that there are tax benefits that are set to expire for cash donations on December 31, 2021. I am not a tax lawyer, so I’m just going to link the the IRS explanation HERE.

Thank you for your help and support. We’re excited to continue the fight for democracy in 2022 and we look forward to seeing you on January 5. Have a happy and healthy new year.

Benjamin Singer, CEO

And the Show Me Integrity Team