Controversial Missouri ballot measures decisively defeated
Published 5:47 pm Wednesday, August 5, 2026
HANNIBAL — Northeast Missouri voters joined majorities across the state on Tuesday to decisively reject two controversial constitutional ballot measures that proposed sweeping changes to Missouri’s tax structure and initiative petition process.
Amendment 5, which proposed eliminating the state income tax in exchange for expanding the state sales tax, failed overwhelmingly, with 83% of voters opposing the initiative. Voters also rejected Amendment 4, with 80% voting against a measure that would have required future constitutional initiative petitions to secure a majority in each of the state’s eight congressional districts.
While voters turned down those constitutional revisions, two less controversial measures passed easily. Amendment 1 won 82% approval, extending Missouri’s one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax for another 10 years to continue funding soil and water conservation efforts, state parks, and historic sites. Amendment 2 also passed, with 77% of voters requiring all charter counties in Missouri to elect county assessors.
In local legislative primaries, Republican candidate Greg Sharpe secured his party’s nomination for State Senate District 18. Sharpe won the three-way primary with 47% of the vote, defeating Dustin Blue, who earned 30%, and Ed Lewis, who finished with 23%.
Area voters also helped choose a nominee for Missouri’s 6th Congressional District following the retirement announcement of longtime U.S. Rep. Sam Graves. Conservative talk radio host Chris Stigall captured the GOP primary with 44% of the vote, defeating Kansas City Councilman Nathan Willett, who garnered 34%. Stigall moves on to the November general election as the heavy favorite in the strongly Republican district, which spans northern Missouri.
In the primary for state auditor, incumbent Republican Scott Fitzpatrick secured his party’s nomination with 86% of the vote against challenger Gerald Wistrand Jr. Fitzpatrick will face Democrat Quentin Wilson, who won his primary with 68% of the vote, in the general election.
Voters across Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike, Scotland, Knox, Shelby, and Monroe counties will return to the polls on Nov. 3.
