Missouri: Many initiative summaries lead to lawsuits

Tue, Feb 23 2010 — Source: The News Leader

Of the 101 initiative petitions Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s office has received for this election cycle, 44 were approved for circulation, and 28 of those have been tied up in the courts. Opponents of ballot initiatives almost always sue Carnahan, the state auditor and attorney general over the ballot title and summary language that would be placed before voters. Sometimes the petitioner sues Carnahan because of a dispute over summary language.