MITCHELL KRAUS | Editor-in-Chief

Results have come in for the 2018 midterm elections. Results are based on Associated Press data. Incumbents are marked with a *.

Races for Office

United States House of Representatives – Missouri’s 2nd and 3rd districts

We have included both Missouri’s 2nd and 3rd district because Lindenwood’s St. Charles campus sits right near the district line, with the 3rd district sitting to the north covering most of St. Charles County. Missouri’s 2nd sits to the south of campus, covering parts of St. Louis county including Chesterfield, Crestwood and Ellisville. 

United States Senate – Missouri

State Auditor

Missouri House of Representatives – District 65

Ballot Measures

All information on ballot titles and results are taken from the website of the Missouri Secretary of State.

Amendment 1

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• change process and criteria for redrawing state legislative districts during reapportionment;
• change limits on campaign contributions that candidates for state legislature can accept from individuals or entities;
• establish a limit on gifts that state legislators, and their employees, can accept from paid lobbyists;
• prohibit state legislators, and their employees, from serving as paid lobbyists for a period of time;
• prohibit political fundraising by candidates for or members of the state legislature on State property; and
• require legislative records and proceedings to be open to the public? 

State governmental entities estimate annual operating costs may increase by $189,000. Local governmental entities expect no fiscal impact.

Amendment 2

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and create regulations and licensing/certification procedures for marijuana and marijuana facilities;
• impose a 4 percent tax on the retail sale of marijuana; and
• use funds from these taxes for health and care services for military veterans by the Missouri Veterans Commission and to administer the program to license/certify and regulate marijuana and marijuana facilities? 

This proposal is estimated to generate annual taxes and fees of $18 million for state operating costs and veterans programs, and $6 million for local governments. Annual state operating costs are estimated to be $7 million.

Amendment 3

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and create regulations and licensing procedures for marijuana and marijuana facilities;
• impose a 15 percent tax on the retail sale of marijuana, and a tax on the wholesale sale of marijuana flowers and leaves per dry-weight ounce to licensed facilities; and
• use funds from these taxes to establish and fund a state research institute to conduct research with the purpose of developing cures and treatments for cancer and other incurable diseases or medical conditions? 

This proposal is estimated to generate annual taxes and fees of $66 million. State governmental entities estimate initial implementation costs of $186,000 and increased annual operating costs of $500,000.

Amendment 4

Do you want to amend the Missouri constitution to:

• remove language limiting bingo game advertising that a court ruled unenforceable; and
• allow a member of a licensed organization conducting bingo games to participate in the management of bingo games after being a member of the organization for six months instead of the current two years? 

State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings from this proposal.

Proposition B

Do you want to amend Missouri law to:

• increase the state minimum wage to $8.60 per hour with 85 cents per hour increase each year until 2023, when the state minimum wage would be $12.00 per hour;
• exempt government employers from the above increase; and
• increase the penalty for paying employees less than the minimum wage? 

State and local governments estimate no direct costs or savings from the proposal, but operating costs could increase by an unknown annual amount that could be significant. State and local government tax revenue could change by an unknown annual amount ranging from a $2.9 million decrease to a $214 million increase depending on business decisions.

Proposition C

Do you want to amend Missouri law to:

• remove state prohibitions on personal use and possession of medical cannabis (marijuana) with a written certification by a physician who treats a patient diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition;
• remove state prohibitions on growth, possession, production, and sale of medical marijuana by licensed and regulated facilities, and a facility’s licensed owners and employees;
• impose a 2% tax on the retail sale of medical marijuana; and
• use funds from this tax for veterans’ services, drug treatment, early childhood education, and for public safety in cities with a medical marijuana facility? 

State government entities estimate initial and one-time costs of $2.6 million, annual costs of $10 million, and annual revenues of at least $10 million. Local government entities estimate no annual costs and are expected to have at least $152,000 in annual revenues.

Proposition D

Shall Missouri law be amended to fund Missouri state law enforcement by increasing the motor fuel tax by two and one half cents per gallon annually for four years beginning July 1, 2019, exempt Special Olympic, Paralympic, and Olympic prizes from state taxes, and to establish the Emergency State Freight Bottleneck Fund? 

If passed, this measure will generate at least $288 million annually to the State Road Fund to provide for the funding of Missouri state law enforcement and $123 million annually to local governments for road construction and maintenance.

Smoke Free St. Charles

Smoke Free St. Charles is a ballot initiative that would ban smoking in most indoor venues in the county, with exceptions for bars, the Ameristar Casino, as well as businesses that mainly sell tobacco products such as cigar bars.