Campaign to raise Missouri’s minimum wage submits signatures to force statewide vote

Organizers of a campaign to raise Missouri’s minimum wage and guarantee sick leave for workers dropped off signatures on Wednesday to force a statewide vote on the measure.

The campaign, called Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages, said it submitted to the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office more than 210,000 signatures from voters across the state. It would likely appear on the November ballot if election officials verify that the campaign garnered enough signatures.

The proposed ballot measure would raise the state’s minimum wage from $12 an hour to $13.75 starting next year. It would rise to $15 an hour beginning in 2026.

It would also guarantee paid sick leave, requiring businesses to allow workers to earn one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Workers, according to the measure, would be able to earn between five to seven days of leave a year depending on the size of their business.

“There are some people who don’t get it — who don’t understand that we do need a living wage in Missouri and not just a minimum wage,” said DeMarco Davidson, the executive director of Metropolitan Congregations United, who spoke on behalf of the campaign. “Right now, there are far too many families going without guaranteed sick pay.”

According to the proposal, the earned sick leave provision would not apply to government workers, retail or service employees who work for a business that makes less than $500,000 a year, people who are incarcerated, golf caddies, and babysitters, among others.

Supporters of the effort held a press conference at the Secretary of State’s Office to tout a need to raise the state’s minimum wage.

Joseph Chevalier, the owner of Yellow Dog Bookshop in Columbia, said in a statement on Wednesday that businesses should be able to plan ahead for the wage increases and paid sick time.

“The minimum wage needs to be raised,” he said. “Small businesses like mine depend on local customers with money to spend.”

The campaign appears to have submitted well above the number of signatures required to reach the ballot. Campaigners seeking to change state law must collect signatures from 5% of voters in six of the state’s eight congressional districts — roughly 115,000.

The group has raised more than $1.8 million in fundraising since launching its campaign and had roughly $440,000 on hand at the end of March, according to its most recent report with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Wednesday’s submittal comes ahead as a slew of campaigns are expected to submit signatures this week, including an effort to legalize sports betting and a campaign to overturn Missouri’s strict abortion ban.

It also comes as Missouri Republicans are considering legislation that would make it harder for Missourians to amend the state constitution through its century-old initiative petition process.

A hard-right group of senators has blocked all action in the General Assembly until the Senate agrees to pass the legislation.