Early voting in Missouri's primary election has begun, and residents are already hitting the polls in droves.
Voters will decide on four constitutional amendments in this year's primary. Three additional amendments have been approved for ballots in the November general election.
Here's a guide to the amendments appearing on Missouri primary ballots.
When is the 2026 Missouri Primary Election?
The primary election will take place on Aug. 4, 2026.
Early voting (No-Excuse Absentee Voting) began on July 21 and runs through Aug. 3.
Amendment 1 renews Missouri's Parks, Soil, and Water Tax
Amendment 1 asks voters whether to renew the Parks, Soil, and Water Tax for another 10 years. The statewide 0.001% percent sales tax that Missouri voters first approved more than 40 years ago helps keep admission to state parks free and funds soil and water conservation
programs. The amendment, if approved, will not create a new tax and/or increase the current tax.
A "yes" vote would renew the tax for another 10 years, while a "no" vote would end the renewal.
Amendment 1 ballot language
"Shall Missouri continue for 10 years the one-tenth of one percent sales/use tax that is used for soil and water conservation and for state parks and historic sites, and resubmit this tax to the voters for approval in 10 years?
The measure allows continued collection of the existing sales and use tax, which generates revenue of approximately $140 million annually."
Amendment 2 would require Missouri counties to elect assessors
Amendment 2 asks voters whether to change Missouri's constitution to require all charter counties to elect their county assessors rather than through appointments.
A county assessor is primarily responsible for determining fair market property values within their jurisdiction. The state's constitution already mandates that counties elect their county assessors except for Jackson County, which instead allows its assessors to be appointed.
Jackson County voters overwhelmingly approved legislation in 2025 to amend the county charter to make the county assessor an elected office.
A "yes" vote would amend Missouri's Constitution to require all charter counties to elect their county assessor, thus ending the exception for Jackson County. It also requires assessors to comply with any training requirements established by state law. A "no" vote would leave the state's constitution as is.
Amendment 2 ballot language
"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings."
Amendment 4 could change Missouri voting process for future amendments
Amendment 4 asks voters whether to change Missouri's constitution to require that any constitutional amendments not proposed by the legislature have both a statewide majority and a majority approval in all eight congressional districts to pass.
Missouri's current initiative petition process allows citizens to get proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot for a statewide vote if they collect a certain number of signatures from voters across the state. Once those signatures are certified, the proposed amendments would then go before voters, requiring only a simple majority to pass.
Amendment 4 would change the process to require not only a statewide majority but also a majority in each congressional district. It also requires that the full text of proposed amendments be made available on ballots. These changes would not apply to proposed amendments by the state legislature, which would still only need a simple majority to pass.
A "yes" vote would amend the Missouri Constitution to include the new requirements. A "no" vote would keep the current voting process for initiative petition voting process as it is.
Amendment 4 ballot language
"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
The Department of Corrections estimates increased annual costs of up to $21,817. The Office of State Public Defender estimates an unknown fiscal impact. Other state governmental entities estimate no costs or savings. Local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings."
Missouri Amendment 5 would overhaul state tax system
Amendment 5 asks voters whether Missouri should gradually phase out the individual income tax and allow the legislature to "modify" sales and use taxes to replace that revenue. It also requires municipalities to reduce personal property and other local taxes when local revenues grow, while still maintaining local funding for public schools and "other purposes."
The amendment does not specify exactly how the state will make up the lost income tax revenue once it's eliminated. It would also make the elimination permanent, meaning another public vote on a new amendment would be required to reinstate the income tax.
A "yes" vote would gradually reduce and ultimately eliminate the individual income tax and allow for changes in the state's tax system. A "no" vote would maintain the current income tax system and reject the other changes proposed in the amendment.
Amendment 5 ballot language
"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
The proposal has no direct impact on state or local tax revenue. If passed, implementing legislation will have an unknown impact to state and local tax revenue. If implemented, state government entities expect a reduction of $57,000 annually in income tax check-off donations and implementation costs of at least $100,000."
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri's election has 4 amendments on the ballots. What do they do?
